Thinking ahead
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 02:41PM Our New Year's resolutions may already have come and gone but here's one small one that will "pay benefits" down the road if you just take a bit of time to do it now.
Have you thought about how you might react if your elderly parent were rushed to the hospital? Be prepared by being proactive! Minimize the sense of helplessness and urgency by having the proper legal documents in place. The following list is from the National Family Caregivers Association publication, Take Care, Volume 10, #2; Summer 2001.
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
Advance Medical Directive
Do-Not-Resuscitate Order
The patient's medical history
A list of patient's allergies
A list of all physicians and consultants (including phone numbers) who are caring for the patient
In addition, keeping a list of your parent's current medications (and dosages) and copies of their insurance card(s) could speed care in an emergency and give you all some peace of mind in the interim.
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