Printable caregiver checklist
Caregiver handoff checklist
Use this checklist when one family member or caregiver is taking over from another.
A handoff should be short enough to use every time and specific enough to prevent the next caregiver from guessing. Lead with unresolved needs, then cover changes and upcoming care.
Before the handoff
Update completed, skipped or missed care. Record new observations in neutral, factual language. Confirm any appointment or schedule change in the shared plan.
What needs attention now
Identify overdue or missed care, unassigned responsibilities, follow-up requested by the family, and anything the next caregiver must check promptly. Avoid burying these items below routine updates.
What changed
Note schedule, medication-list, appointment, contact or responsibility changes. Say who made the change and when. Do not interpret clinical meaning unless a qualified professional provided that instruction.
What happened during this period
Summarize completed care, skipped items with the recorded reason, appointments and outcomes, and relevant observations. Keep the original records available for detail.
What comes next
List the next medicines, tasks and appointments, their times, preparation needs and responsible person. Confirm any work that remains unassigned.
Close the loop
Give the incoming caregiver a chance to ask questions. Record acknowledgement and any responsibility they take over. Escalate urgent concerns through the family’s agreed process or the appropriate emergency service.