How To Prepare For A Senior Parent Emergency

When you are taking care of a senior parent, it’s scary to think about emergencies. But you need to be prepared because there’s a good chance that you will have to deal with a parental medical emergency at some point.

Your senior parent will likely have a fall at some point, and that fall could result in them having broken bones or other serious injuries. Or, your senior parent may have a medical emergency like a serious illness, a stroke, or a heart attack. Being prepared for a parental emergency is essential.
One thing that you can do to prepare for an emergency is make sure that your senior parent has elder care. Elder care is available around the clock so that your senior parent doesn’t need to be alone at any point. Having someone else in the home with your senior parent can help prevent falls and injuries at home. And, if your senior parent does have a medical emergency a care provider can get immediate medical help for them. For safety and peace of mind elder care is a good idea.
Some other things that you should do now to be prepared for a senior parent emergency are:

Make An Emergency Binder

An emergency binder is a lifesaver during an emergency. Get a large binder and box of plastic document protection sleeves. You may want to get some organization tab sheets too. Make copies of all your senior parent’s important documents and put them in individual protective sheets. That way no matter what documents or information you need when you’re at the hospital you will have them at your fingertips. Some of the things that should be in the binder are:

• Your senior parent’s insurance card and insurance information
• Copies of the medical records
• A copy of their driver’s license
• A copy of their birth certificate
• A copy of their Social Security card
• A list of all their doctors and their phone numbers
• An updated list of all the medications they take and the dosages
• A list of supplements or OTC medications they take
• A list of all important phone numbers and addresses you may need

The more information you have with you the faster your senior parent will get the care they need.

Prepare A Hospital Bag

Keep a hospital bag packed and ready for your senior parent. The emergency medical personnel or an elder care provider can grab it on their way out during an emergency. The bag should everything that your senior parent might need during a stay in the emergency room and the hospital including:

• Bottled water
• Snacks and protein drinks
• Warm socks
• Slippers with tread
• A large cardigan that they can wear over a hospital gown. Make sure it’s a cardigan that can be easily removed and not a sweater or sweatshirt that needs to go over their head.
• A warm blanket
• A couple changes of clothes
• Pajamas
• Baby wipes
• Briefs
• Toiletries including a toothbrush and toothpaste
• Denture cleaner and a case if they have dentures
• Glasses and other aids that they need
• Shoes
• A phone charger
• Books
• A music player
• And anything else that would make your senior parent more comfortable in an emergency.

Have A Notification Chain

It’s also a good idea to have a notification chain planned in advance to keep the family updated on what happens. Make sure that phone numbers are written down and not just stored in your phone. And if you have a large family pick one person to the primary point of contact so that there’s no miscommunication.

If you or an aging loved-one is considering elder care in Upper West Side, NY, please contact the caring staff at Touching Hearts at Home – Manhattan, Brooklyn, Westchester, Queens, Rockland today. 646-480-6266