Absolutely I would be as specific as possible. As I've whinged and moaned about here oh so many times before, the paperwork/legal/admin stuff drives me up a tree. Here are some of the things I do for my mother, who is in a care home:
I communicate with care home staff via phone, email, and in person meetings (both official and unofficial), regarding my mother's care. Every 3 months, the care plan is reviewed and signed. I can request a care conference at any time (need to do so again) and that's more paperwork. I am in regular contact (usually via email) with the nursing supervisor about my mother's condition. Stay appraised of care plan changes, medication changes, doctor's visits and document all those in my files at home.
I also receive information about outings from the care home and which ones my mother has attended and if there are any issues from this.
My husband and/or I visit my mother in the care home regularly. In addition to spending time with her and taking her on outings (out to eat, for a drive, shopping), we also monitor her room and personal belongings. We check to see if anything needs repairs (care home maintenance staff or my husband). We check her bed to see if the sheets are changed, to see if she has clean towels and clothing. As her underwear (pants) seem to disappear, I keep an eye on those and replace as needed. We also make sure she has an adequate supply of toilet rolls, Kleenex, personal care products. We also keep her well stocked with snacks, and go shopping for toiletries and snacks for her on a regular basis. Ditto reading material (I try to switch out her books on a regular basis). Often there is a dementia-related "problem" we need to solve (the duvet is too heavy or the towels aren't right or they have "lost" her clothes). I keep an eye on her wardrobe, other than her pants, and replace tops and trousers and shoes and so forth as needed. I also often have to find her nightdresses and try to get those laundered, as she can't remember to put them in the laundry. Seasonally, I will get her winter coat mended and cleaned. We also check that her TV and remote and lamps are working and replace batteries and bulbs and get new remote controls/get the cable company to fix her account as needed. Also, we see that nothing important (glasses, dentures) has gotten lost, and check on her general hygiene, skin condition, nails, et cetera, to see if there are any issues. During visits I also often interact with the staff as much as possible.
After my mother had her crisis and went into the hospital, I engaged a solicitor to complete the American version of durable Power of Attorney. That document subsequently gets filed or sent to creditors, banks, the care home, the hospital, everyone you can think of. Periodically I still have to deal with those issues.
I have also retained an elder law attorney for my mother and am working with him on other legal issues, which is ongoing and again takes my time and attention for in person meetings, phone calls, emails, and paperwork.
I gather information and organise it to file my mother's federal and state income taxes. I keep track of medical expenses throughout the year and collate everything to take to the accountant each spring, and follow up to make sure everything was filed properly and any money owed or refunded is paid or received as appropriate.
My mother has investments and I have regular and frequent phone calls and emails with the financial advisor and his staff. I also have an in-person meeting at least once a year (it would be more frequent but he is not in the town where I live). Again, more time, energy, and paperwork. I work closely with the investment advisor (and the solicitor) to make sure there will be sufficient money for my mother's care, and to pay the monthly bills. Some transactions require more labor than others and I am currently in the middle of one of these!
I manage my mother's finances. I have the occasional phone call or meeting with the bank manager, more so at the beginning when I was setting things up, but still on a maintenance and as-needed basis. I set up online banking for her accounts to make it easier for me to pay the bills. I pay all of her bills online every month, make sure they are accurate, are paid on time and in full, manage any disputes or problems with the various companies and banks, and keep appropriate records. I also keep records for any purchases made on her behalf.
I manage my mother's medical care. Although the care home is visited by her GP and the neurologist, I stay informed (or try to!) about all her various appointments and any issues. I also arrange for any needed dental or eye care, new dentures and glasses, and any other specialists that might be needed. (Taking her for new eyeglasses last year was like planning a military campaign.) When the inevitable health crisis or hospitalization occurs, I will have to oversee that as well.
With the help of my husband, I cleared, cleaned, and sold my mother's property in another city. I found and retained an estate agent and handled all the paperwork for the transaction.
When my mother dies, I am the Executrix for her will and estate and will have to discharge all those duties. More paperwork.
I imagine other carers do all this and more. My list above leaves out meal planning, shopping, cooking, cleaning up from cooking and meals, and overseeing nutrition and hydration. It leaves out personal care (bathing, dressing, undressing, toileting, et cetera). It leaves out the laundry (clothing, bedding, washing, ironing, mending). It leaves out the housekeeping. It leaves out getting and administering medications, driving to doctor's appointments, scheduling and rescheduling appointments, and so on. It leaves out a whole lot of things that the care home and at home carers do. I bet we could write one heck of a job description!
So don't sell yourself short!
