My Alzheimer's Journey
Part 132 - Alzheimer's Patent and Caregiver Emergency Plan
This is a rare Saturday post. Of course, I plan to start a Week In Review article that will be published on Saturday’s. This will begin when there are Supporter donors (hopefully soon!).
Linda’s injury has made me aware of how unprepared we are for unexpected situations and emergencies. Linda is my caregiver. While I am in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, I still depend on Linda for support and care. With her suddenly hospitalized for at least a week (likely two weeks), I have been struggling.
I am adapting with the help of friends and family. A close friend contributed to the Uber cost for me to visit Linda. My sister is helping in a myriad of ways. Our apartment management has offered meal support and transportation. Several people have donated cash to help with unexpected expenses. I am deeply appreciative of everyone’s generous help.
Being alone the past few days has been an emotional, mental, and physical challenge for me. I am sure it is for Linda as well. I am comforted knowing that she is getting excellent care in a great hospital.
Her accident has been a wake-up call for us. We need to be better prepared for situations where I am unexpectedly left without a caregiver. I know there are many others living like we do - no friends and family nearby, no outside caregiver, and no contingency plans when an emergency occurs.
I believe every Alzheimer’s patient and their primary caregiver should have a written emergency plan. A copy of the plan should be given to a few close friends and family.
The most important part of the plan is the name of a caregiver that can respond within twelve hours. For example, I plan to arrange a service like Visiting Angels to provide a caregiver to help me if Linda is not available. This will require establishing an account and an agreement that the service will have a caregiver in our home quickly. Either a door key or the lock code will need to be given to the caregiver service.
These items should also be included in your emergency plan:
Emergency contact information. This should include at least two people. Place the names and contact information in the primary caregiver’s wallet and/or on their phone. This information should also be inside your home where First Responders can easily find it.
Patient medical appointments should be written on a wall board, so the temporary caregiver can arrange transportation as needed.
Login information for the patient’s ‘My Chart’ or similar medical records.
Medications and dosage information. This may be a pill box or an automatic medication dispenser. The temporary caregiver will need to know where the medication is located.
Patient diet restrictions or preferences.
Pet food location and any special care instructions.
Contact information for your veterinarian.
Contact information for your landlord if you rent.
Contact information for a handyman if your own your home.
Contact information for your attorney.
Additionally, household bills should be on automatic payment.
I suggest you have an account established for grocery and meal delivery. We have an account with both Instacart and Door Dash. They can be lifesavers when no one is available to cook or go shopping.
What am I missing? Please leave a comment and let’s create the perfect emergency plan.
Linda and I were lucky with her accident for a number of reasons. While her injury is serious, she never lost consciousness or was unable to communicate. I am in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease, so I am reasonably independent. I can’t drive through, so I depend on a ride-share service.
If Linda’s injuries were worse and my Alzheimer’s progression were further along, we would have been in a huge mess.
Please join us as we prepare an emergency plan. Hopefully, the plan will never be needed. Yet, it is best to be prepared just in case.
My Alzheimer’s Journey does not offer paid subscriptions. Instead, we depend on subscriber donations to cover the cost of research and writing. Additionally, all donations support my direct and indirect Alzheimer’s treatment expenses. Thank you.
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