If you’re caring for your loved one at home, visitors can be a mixed blessing. On one hand, your loved one may want to see people, for their companionship, to resolve issues, and to say goodbye. Visitors may also offer you some relief in your caregiving tasks. On the other hand, visitors can arrive unexpectedly at inconvenient times, and some may demand more of your attention than your loved one does!

This section offers suggestions for handling visits by family and friends. Tips for Handling Visitors can help you keep visits organized. General Guidelines for Visitors explains some practical concerns and can help visitors make the most of their time with your loved one. Adapt the guidelines to suit your needs, and add more if you need to. You can explain the guidelines to visitors or keep a copy in the patient log for them to read on their own.