Taking time to sit down and develop a crisis care plan with, or on behalf of the person you care for may assist you at a time of crisis. A crisis care plan needs to be planned before an event. This will allow you to have thought about it thoroughly prior to an event happening and allow you to prepare any ideas and plans as to what you want to happen and who you wish to be involved.
Trying to make it up as you go through the stress of a crisis may make the situation worse as you probably won’t be able to think clearly or effectively. You may miss critical steps which may hinder those who are trying to help- at a time where emotions may be running high and you or the person you care for may be experiencing emotional or physical distress.
Prevention is better than a cure.
Threats and risks should be written down and read, analysed for their meaning, severity and impact. This allows you to make plans to avoid or minimise the exposure to their impact.
Once you have developed your Crisis Care plan with, or on behalf of the person you care for- it can be valuable to share it. Sharing it with your local Police and Ambulance Service will enable their officers to have a pre-understanding of what they may encounter if they have to come to your house or to any other location. Equally, it can be valuable to share the plan with close family and friends – so they too understand how to help at a time of crisis.
Anything that can be done to lower the levels of stress and anguish at the time of a crisis could prove valuable, save time and ensure that both you and the person you care for receive the best available care and support.