If I had a nickel for every person over 80 who told me that they “weren’t going to fall,” I would be a billionaire.
No one plans to have a medical emergency, a car accident, fall down the stairs or slip in the bathtub. It’s certainly not on our “to do” list. Yet… it happens every hour of every day.
Life is unpredictable.
One of our tools is to prepare as much as possible. There may come a time when Emergency Responders / Ambulance / EMT’s are required to evaluate and transport me, you, or your elder loved one to the Emergency Department. The key to efficient treatment is INFORMATION. If you are on your way to the hospital, and the responders have no information about your medical condition… you are essentially a “John Doe.”
Do you have an emergency packet?
Sometimes we cannot avoid that “event” that requires emergency care, but our proactive approach to being prepared can make all the difference. If you have a complete list of medical diagnoses, medications, allergies, past surgeries, and emergency contacts, your treatment is “fast-tracked.” The team receiving you at the hospital now knows:
Keep it simple.
Your Emergency Packet doesn’t need to be fancy.
Take the time to do this document for yourself, or for the one you love. Create a packet of information, including your Health Care Proxy document, MOLST form, if you have one, and your Emergency Medical Information Summary. Keep those documents together and readily available. They do no good if you can’t find them “in a pinch.” The universal place in the home that all first responders look for this type of information is on the refrigerator.
This simple intervention may be the difference between you getting care and getting the “right care.”
Where Do You Start?
