4 Ways Caregivers Can Prepare For An Emergency
November is National Family Caregivers Month and it’s a great time to make sure that as caregiver to a senior family member you’re ready for anything that might happen. Even though family caregiver and the 24-hour home care providers who help them do everything they can to prevent injuries, falls, and illnesses in seniors sometimes emergencies do happen. When an emergency happens, you need to be able to get the hospital quickly and your senior loved one is going to need some things when they get there. So it’s a very smart idea to plan ahead and do these four things to prepare for an emergency involving your senior loved one:
Prep A Go Bag
24-Hour Home Care Herendon, VA: Family Caregivers Month
When an emergency happens you won’t have time to pack up all the things that you and your loved one may need. Have a bag packed in advance and keep it in your car or by the door so you can grab it and go if there is an emergency. The bag should have extra thick socks, underwear, and clothing for your senior loved one as well a phone charger, toiletries, sanitizer, tissues, clothes for you, and any other emergency supplies you or your senior parent might need if they have to wait in the ER for a while.
Make A Contact List
There are usually a lot of people that need to be notified when an emergency happens. Family members, friends, doctors, and 24-hour home care providers who might be planning on going to your senior loved one’s house for their usual shift all need to be aware of the situation. Create a text list with all of the people that need to know if your senior loved one suffers a health emergency and save it in your phone so you can let everyone know with just one text.
Get Notarized Copies Of All Important Papers
If you are a medical proxy for your senior loved one make sure that you have several notarized copies of any legal documents that you will need to show in order to make medical decisions for your loved one. You may also need copies of their medical records or other documents. The best way to store these documents is to put them all in protective plastic sleeve protectors and put them in a 3-ring binder. You can store the binder in your go bag or grab it on your way out of the house.
Keep Emergency Cash In Your Wallet
When time is of the essence and you need to get to the ER to be with your senior loved one you won’t want to take the time to stop and get cash but you might need cash for vending machines, parking meters, or tolls. Keep some emergency cash in your wallet always so that if you are in a situation where you can use a credit or debit card you have cash on hand to get what you need or what your senior loved one needs.