By
Dale Susan Edmonds
Submitted On March 30, 2009
Today, it's not unusual for aging parents to live at great
distances from adult children. One accident or sudden illness could
leave your Mother or Father unable to speak for themselves. Their
neighbors are always friendly and helpful, but would they have any idea
how to find you if there was an emergency?
Where to Start
Don't assume anything. Make sure the neighbors have your full name, and all current contact information. Print a sheet with this information and make sure that you get a list a similar list for your parents trusted neighbors. Exchange this information with the ones that would be most likely to know what's going on with your parents. Make sure that they have home, cell, work and email numbers if you should ever need to be reached quickly.
Don't forget the close circle of friends, club members, or their religious congregation. An incident could happen anywhere and you don't want people to have to waste time trying to figure out how to contact you.
Be Prepared
Don't imagine that you can recall essential medical information for your parents. Medications, illnesses, surgeries and other medical history should all be recorded and stored in a way that you can have immediate access. Don't forget a list of all their doctors, the conditions being treated and how the doctors can all be reached both in their office and in an emergency.
Can You Legally Ask Questions?
Make sure you hold medical power of attorney for your mom or dad, or know who does. According to federal law, medical information is private. If your parents are unable to speak and make decisions on their own behalf, you need the legal authority to consult with their doctors and give consent for any treatment. You'll want to make sure you have plenty of conversations with your parents in advance so you'll feel well equipped to speak with "their voice".
Although the HIPPA laws (medical privacy laws) are federal rules, each state has determined how to implement them. You'll have variations of names from state to state, which is why several names are used here. Despite the variation in name, the roles are essentially the same.
Even though the word "attorney" is in the name, you don't need a lawyer to complete these forms. You need forms that are valid in the state your parents live in, and you need to have thorough conversations within your family. The forms you'll need have two parts, the first part names the person to be in charge (health care power of attorney). The second part records what your parents wishes would be if the situation became critical (advance directives). You can pick them up from your hospital, doctor, or find online sources for information on advance directives.
Have a Back-up Plan
Traveling for work or on an extended vacation, you might not always be available. Make sure that a secondary person has been named health care power of attorney. It can be a sibling or a close friend. You parents are responsible for choosing primary and secondary health care surrogates. Just make sure they have been included in any earlier conversations and have all your parents' emergency information also on file.
Where to Start
Don't assume anything. Make sure the neighbors have your full name, and all current contact information. Print a sheet with this information and make sure that you get a list a similar list for your parents trusted neighbors. Exchange this information with the ones that would be most likely to know what's going on with your parents. Make sure that they have home, cell, work and email numbers if you should ever need to be reached quickly.
Don't forget the close circle of friends, club members, or their religious congregation. An incident could happen anywhere and you don't want people to have to waste time trying to figure out how to contact you.
Be Prepared
Don't imagine that you can recall essential medical information for your parents. Medications, illnesses, surgeries and other medical history should all be recorded and stored in a way that you can have immediate access. Don't forget a list of all their doctors, the conditions being treated and how the doctors can all be reached both in their office and in an emergency.
Can You Legally Ask Questions?
Make sure you hold medical power of attorney for your mom or dad, or know who does. According to federal law, medical information is private. If your parents are unable to speak and make decisions on their own behalf, you need the legal authority to consult with their doctors and give consent for any treatment. You'll want to make sure you have plenty of conversations with your parents in advance so you'll feel well equipped to speak with "their voice".
Although the HIPPA laws (medical privacy laws) are federal rules, each state has determined how to implement them. You'll have variations of names from state to state, which is why several names are used here. Despite the variation in name, the roles are essentially the same.
Even though the word "attorney" is in the name, you don't need a lawyer to complete these forms. You need forms that are valid in the state your parents live in, and you need to have thorough conversations within your family. The forms you'll need have two parts, the first part names the person to be in charge (health care power of attorney). The second part records what your parents wishes would be if the situation became critical (advance directives). You can pick them up from your hospital, doctor, or find online sources for information on advance directives.
Have a Back-up Plan
Traveling for work or on an extended vacation, you might not always be available. Make sure that a secondary person has been named health care power of attorney. It can be a sibling or a close friend. You parents are responsible for choosing primary and secondary health care surrogates. Just make sure they have been included in any earlier conversations and have all your parents' emergency information also on file.
Dale Susan Edmonds, is the creator of an online information and
educational resource for people with aging parents. You'll find lots
more information about what conversations to have with your aging
parents. You'll find help to ask questions, get answers, and make sure
you have everything in place for their future. Go to http://www.talk-early-talk-often.com/emergencyinformation.html
to find the checklists for getting started. Dale has been an Ordained
Minister for 24 years and is a Family Communication Coach, speaker, and
workshop leader. Certified as an Advance Care Planning Facilitator and
Instructor, she works with families, congregations, and professional
associations to confidently prepare for the realities of aging within
extended families.
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Dale_Susan_Edmonds/304321
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