If you’re a family caregiver who lives a long distance away from your loved one, you are not alone. It can be difficult to connect and communicate with your hired caregiver when this is the case. Of course, the way you will navigate this situation will vary depending on your loved one’s state of health, independence and situation, but there are some general tips that can help anyone in this situation. We’ve compiled 5 of those tips for you below…

1)   Choose the Right Caregiver for Your Loved One – Each home care company is different and each caregiver is different. Your loved one will feel comfortable around some caregivers and not around others. Spend the time up front choosing the right caregiver for your loved one so that you can avoid a lot of hardship as you move forward. Here are 5 Tips for Setting up a Successful Home Care Process.

2)   Get a Trusted Individual Involved – When you can’t be near by to be a part of the caregiving process, it is important that you have someone you know and trust to help you. This could be one of your loved one’s neighbors, a friend or a family member. We suggest you ask this person to periodically check in on your loved one and to get to know your hired caregiver face-to-face.

3)   Keep in Touch With Your Hired Caregiver – Whether it is via phone, email, text or any other method of communication, it is important that you are consistently speaking with the caregiver. This often inspires even better care and it helps avoid misunderstandings and miscommunications.

4)   Show Your Gratitude – It is so important to have a caregiver that you can trust, especially when you can’t be close to your loved one. If you’ve found a caregiver that is doing a great job, make sure you show them your appreciation. Send them a card with a few kind words that explains how much they mean to you. This will make them want to do an even better job than they have already been doing, and it keeps you involved in the process in a deeper way. If you need some inspiration, here are 7 Ways to Thank a Caregiver.

5)   Stay Organized – Have a plan in place and a way to track medications, doctor’s appointments, bills, and other important pieces of information, as well as knowing who to count on for certain tasks. This will help put your mind at ease and reduce stress. Learn how to create a caregiving plan here.