Don’t you just love checklists?
Awhile back I created the one below that includes the most important papers to have in an emergency.
As I sit here typing I must admit that I don’t know where my mother keeps half of these, but I should. And over this holiday season, I’ll find out.
What about you? Do you know where your aging parent keeps his or her more important documents?
If not, I hope you’ll take the next opportunity to broach the topic. And if you’re feeling really zany that day, why not scan each one to your computer so that copies will never be more than a few clicks away? 
What to gather:
- Proof of identification (i.e.driver’s license, passport)
- Insurance cards (Medicare, Medicaid/Medi-Cal, Medi-gap insurance cards)
- Social Security card
- Names, addresses and phone numbers for all doctors and other health care professionals
- Description of all medications that are taken with notations about when they are to be taken, the dosage and any known allergies
- Brief description of medical history (i.e. date of last physical examination and any significant procedures including amputations, cataract or Lasik surgery)
- List of vital statistics (height, weight, blood pressure)
- Notation of dentures, contact lenses/glasses, hearing aides, orthopedic equipment, food allergies
- Copies of health care proxy, Power of Attorney (POA) forms, living will and/or Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) form if appropriate
