EMERGENCY CARE CHECKLIST FOR ELDERLY LOVED ONES

If you are caring for an elderly parent or relative, you must be prepared at any given moment for an “unexpected” emergency. 

Successfully managing health emergencies can literally mean the difference between life or death.  Health emergencies involving an elderly parent or relative one can often become complicated by the number of medications, doctors’ information, complexity of insurance coverage, illness involved, and so much more. To help you improve your game plan of preparation, here’s 15 recommended items for your emergency care checklist:

1.  Doctors' names, their area of specialty and phone   

     numbers.

2.  An updated list of all medications being taken and the         purpose of each prescription.

3.  List of over-the-counter medications.

4.  List of known allergies and the reaction to each.

5.  Medical card(s) and/or medical insurance information         including the prescription plans, identification numbers,        and the customer service telephone number.

6.  Pharmacy’s address, operating hours, telephone

     number and fax number.

7.  License, State ID, passport or another government-

     issued photo ID

8.  Social security number

9.  A medical directive - Also known as a living will or

     advance health care directive, this document sets out

     what kind of care your loved ones want to receive if they

     become ill or incapacitated.

10.  A durable power of attorney (PA) for healthcare - The

       PA for healthcare allows you to make healthcare

       decisions for your loved ones.

11.  A Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act 

      (HIPAA) release -  gives you access to your loved

      ones’ health records and physicians.

12.  A durable power of attorney for finances -  allows you

       to manage your loved ones' financial affairs, pay bills,

       sell property, and so on.

13.  Basic financial records which should include a list of

       assets, account numbers, names and contact

       information for bank representatives and financial

         advisors.

14.  Contact list of names and addresses of people to

       notify in case of an emergency.  This list should

       include relatives, close friends, clergy members, 

       organizations, and neighbors who might be able to

       assist. 

15.  A will which makes clear who will receive your loved

       ones' personal property and assets.  A properly written

       will hleps to elminate disagreements.

It is recommended that you used discretion for filing and storing the legal documents.  However, you may want to store your check list of information near the phone or a commonly used area so that it is easy to locate.  Also, give the list of information (not necessarily the legal documents) to another family member or individual who will agree to keep the information for you as well. You can also take a picture of the list of information and store it in your phone.

When it comes to your treasured loved ones, you never want to be caught off guard during an emergency. Keeping an emergency check list not only makes life easier, but it will give you a much-needed peace of mind.

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For your holiday reading and gift-giving pleasure, don't forget the award-winning "Mama Peaches and Me" caregiving books which are available on Amazon.  If you are in the Chattanooga, TN area, please invited to visit the local Barnes and Noble to purchase your signed copies.  

Many thanks to those who purchased one or both of my Mama Peaches Caregiving Books for the holidays. Please enjoy your Mama Peaches journey and feel invited to leave a review on Amazon.  Beleive it or not, I am already working on the next Mama Peaches and Me book release due for release in the Fall of 2018.  Stay tuned and watch for many exciting updates.