There’s no shortage of items on the to-do list when embarking on a trip, whether a short getaway to a nearby lake house or farm or an international excursion lasting several days. It’s especially important to consider your loved ones in senior living communities and add a few additional items to the checklist to insure they’re in good hands. A few simple items to keep in mind:

• Utilize Accushield’s Security Features – If your aging parents live in a community protected by Accushield, it is the perfect way to keep your finger on the pulse of your loved one’s activity from afar. Through the Accushield system, community executive directors can send families a web link that allows them to see when visitors and third-party healthcare providers visit your loved one in a community. Users can receive real-time notifications with the exact date and time a private caregiver signed in to care for your loved one, a picture of the individual and their name and cell number, the name of the company that is administering care, and the exact time the caregiver or visitor signed out. Most importantly, you’ll be contacted if a private caregiver doesn’t show up on time for a scheduled visit.

• Alert Community Management and Caregivers – If your elderly parent or family member lives in a senior living community, it’s imperative that staff and management are aware of your location. Provide them with your travel dates and destination, as well as the contact number of a friend or family member in the event of an emergency while you’re away. Also make an effort to alert your loved one’s physician and private caregiver(s) of your travels.

• Schedule Visits from Friends – This obviously depends on the visitor routine your senior loved one is used to. If they have visits from family and friends multiple times a week, reach out to people who you know will be in town and request that they plan a visit. Consistency and routine is the name of the game when it comes to making senior living residents feel content, so do everything you can to continue that routine–even if the family is away. For family with multiple children living in different cities, this might be a perfect opportunity for an out-of-town adult child to make a trip to visit.