People have figured out some crafty ways to use normal household items to make their lives easier. As a caregiver, you may find that using some of these do-it-yourself tips saves you time and helps you manage your loved one’s care better. Check out these nine ideas to overcome some of the obstacles that you face every day.

1. Organize Documents for Appointments

Having all of your loved one’s medical-related documents organized can make health care appointments simpler, especially if you’re unable to be there. Consider color-coding them and putting them in an envelope that’s easy to hand over to medical staff.

2. Record Doctor’s Appointments

Similarly, you could ask the doctor to record the conversations with your loved one during appointments that you can’t attend. You could send a digital recorder or use your loved one’s smartphone. Then, you can playback the discussions later.

3. Label Medications With a Marker

Does your loved one need to manage his or her own medications? You can make this less confusing by labeling when to take each one with a bold marker. For instance, you can label them morning, noon and evening. If necessary, write specific times instead.

4. Post Everyday Reminders

Post-it notes make great reminders for completing hygiene tasks, taking medicine and going to appointments. Placing them in easy-to-spot places, such as the refrigerator and bathroom mirror can make things a lot easier.

5. Organize the Closet by Outfit

Getting dressed can be a distressing task for some aging loved ones; however, you can eliminate the stress by matching the pieces and hanging them as outfits in the closet. You can use easy-to-reach drawers to place clothing items, such as socks and undergarments, in nearby drawers.

6. Layer Bed Sheets for Quick Changes

If your loved one struggles with incontinence, changing the bedsheets can be daunting in the middle of the night. You can make it less difficult by altering layers of waterproof mattress pads and fitted sheets. Along with spare sleepwear, keep two top sheets and extra blankets nearby as well.

7. Use Rubber Bands for More Grip

Many people lose the ability to grip items as they age. You can create nonslip drinking glasses and containers by putting rubber bands around them.

8. Take a Cooler Grocery Shopping

Having to go to the grocery store twice takes a few hours out of your day. You can consolidate your time by shopping for yourself when you shop for your loved one. Just take an insulated bag or cooler with you so that you can store cold items until you get to both of the destinations.

9. Use Glow-in-the-Dark Tape to See at Night

Whether or not you have trouble getting around, navigating the house at night can be difficult. You can make the light switches, doorways, baseboards, and thermostat stand out by outlining them with glow-in-the-dark tape.

Sometimes, life hacks can’t replace human interaction. In those cases, the professional in-home caregivers at Caring Home Care can provide part-time or full-time support for your loved one. Caregivers are able to help with bathing, grooming, fall prevention, prescription reminders, meal preparation, vital sign monitoring, and many other daily living tasks to make life more comfortable for your loved one.