Does Your Family Have an Emergency Care Plan for Your Mom?

Does your mom have an emergency home care plan in place? If she lives alone, it’s time to talk to her about her goals. She needs to have a plan if something happens with her health and well-being.

What Should Her Emergency Care Plan Cover?

Your family needs to sit down and talk about your mom’s emergency care wishes. If something happens to her, such as a fall or sudden illness, would she want to stay in the hospital or recuperate at home? Who would she like to be notified?

If she can’t speak for herself, has she completed a POA and named a medical proxy to make medical decisions on her behalf? If she doesn’t have a POA, she needs to do that. She should have POAs in place for medical and financial decisions.

Your mom needs to have an emergency home care plan in place and in a visible area. Print out a list of her emergency contacts, allergies, blood type, and health issues. Keep a list of the medications she takes, why she takes them, and what her dosages are. Finish up with her doctor’s name and contact information.

Laminate this medical and contact information sheet and attach it to her refrigerator using magnets. Edit it as needed to ensure the information is current. If there is an emergency, EMTs have the essential information they can review before treating her.

What Happens If Your Mom Is Ill or Injured?

Go over the different scenarios that are common in older adults. If your mom falls and fractures a leg or arm, who can help her out for a few weeks? Does everyone live too far away? If so, could someone afford to leave work and move in with your mom for a month or two?

FMLA does provide family members with up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for an aging parent, but is it affordable for you? You might have to use up all of your vacation time and personal days to get paid. Can you go an entire year without taking a vacation or personal day?

If you cannot move back home temporarily to help your mom, there needs to be a backup plan. Home care aides provide that option. Have caregivers help your mom with housekeeping, personal care, meals, and transportation. She’s supported, and you haven’t had to adjust your work and personal life.

Preventative Measures Make a Difference

Home care services help prevent some emergencies. When your mom is prone to falls, forgets to take her pills, or can’t drive her car, home care aides provide the support she needs to complete daily activities without risking her safety. Call a home care agency to schedule services.