How You Can Help During Organize Your Medical Information Month
Have you ever accompanied your aging relative to the doctor and been asked something about their medical history?
Or has another family member, elder care provider or friend been with your elderly loved one during a medical emergency? As seniors enter a phase of life where they will likely face lots of medical encounters, it’s a good idea to consider organizing their medical information into one convenient form. October is Organize Your Medical Information Month, which means family caregivers are more motivated than ever to collect all the important details about their loved one’s medical history.
Elder Care in Alexandria VA: Organize Your Medical Information
Of all the documents to organize and keep, medical documents are at the top of the priority list.
However, the amount of paperwork and the details can be quite overwhelming. Finding the time to organize all the medical data can be hard to do. However, there’s no better time than during Organize Your Medical Information Month, because elderly adults see a range of doctors and may have a medical emergency at any time, requiring that the information stay close at hand.
Many family caregivers aren’t sure what kind of information to include in a medical file. In general, a doctor would want to know about current prescriptions, past lab results, past test results, and a family health history. Other important pieces of information to include are documents and cards from insurance, legal papers such as their power of attorney, medical ID cards, and even copies of receipts for copays. Of course, this private information should certainly include phone numbers and other contact information for family caregivers, doctors, specialists, and other family members.
When it comes to organizing all that medical information, many family caregivers use simple binders, folders or other document holders to keep track of everything.
Dividers, tabs, pockets and more can help keep their elderly loved one’s information sorted appropriately. Some family caregivers want to go digital, so they put their elderly loved one’s medical details into a software program that can be used on a laptop or printed out as needed. Other apps can also house some important medical information on an elderly person’s behalf. No matter where you store the information, make sure it is up to date and accurate.
Medical information is very personal, and most people don’t want just anyone to have access.
However, because your aging relative is dependent on support to help them get through each day, you must let a few people know about the documents. Family members, friends, home care providers—anyone that is assisting an elderly adult regularly needs to know where to find the medical information. It’s especially critical in an emergency, where paramedics or emergency room doctors might need to be up to speed in a hurry.
Organizing an aging loved one’s medical information is best done in quiet moments when there are no real medical issues going on. That way, when family members, home care providers or you, need to provide the information in a hurry, it’s already done. Having a complete medical portfolio on your aging relative is important, so don’t put it off any longer.
Are you or a loved-one considering Elder Care in Alexandria, VA? Please call the caring staff at Medical Professionals On Call today. Contact: 703-273-8818
Medical Professionals On Call has such a caring, professional staff who are available to step in with whatever level of care necessary for loved ones and to relieve you of that stress.
- Do Your Parents Face More Challenges When They Live in a Rural Community? - November 6, 2019
- Ways to Ease Arthritis Symptoms in the Elderly - October 24, 2019
- Tips for a Better Life with Fibromyalgia - October 9, 2019