Aging Parents Checklist
Helpful checklist to prepare aging parents.
Are your parents aging? Do you have questions about how to set them up for success? Have you considered your role in their aging process?
These are common questions many adult children ask themselves as they watch their parents age. Below are some helpful topics to discuss with your aging parents. You might consider printing this checklist and setting up a time to talk through the list with your aging parents.
Aging Parents Checklist:
Review legal and financial documents:
Power of Attorney for Finance
Advance Healthcare Directive
Trust or Living Will
Birth Certificate
Passport
Drivers License
Social Security Card
Investment and retirement
Tax information
2. Prepare a folder or document with important information
Online bank account information
Passwords
Important contacts, phone number and address
Military documents
Car titles
Real estate information
3. Review medical needs and documents:
Physician and specialist’s name(s), address and phone number
Medications, prescriptions and dosages and any allergies
Medical insurance card and information
4. Discuss roles and responsibilities:
Who is responsible for financial decisions and/or health decisions?
Who is responsible for the pet?
Discuss caregiving roles, and expectations
5. Discuss a plan for safety:
Life alert button
Ramps, grab bars, wheelchair or walker
Moving to a facility
Hiring caregivers
6. Review parents wishes and values for their aging process.
Need help? Feel free to schedule an aging consultation for individual recommendations and resources.
Don’t make this mistake
Don’t make this mistake.
In my career working in healthcare I have seen many people make this mistake.
Someone is sick and in the hospital or there is an accident. A family member steps up to discuss options and treatment.
Sadly, the family member doesn’t have the authority or permission to speak on behalf of the patient. The patient didn’t complete advance care planning documents.
The family doesn’t know their wishes or preferences.
The biggest mistake I see in working in healthcare is the lack of completed legal documents.
If you haven’t completed the appropriate documentation your loved ones won’t have authority or permission to speak to insurance or make decisions.
This delays care and causes unnecessary stress.
There is one way to avoid this situation all together.
Complete the advance care planning documents before there is a crisis.
What are the advance care planning documents? In California, they are the following:
Advance Health Care Directive
Power of Attorney for Finance
POLST-for seriously ill or advanced fraility
These documents can be found online or attend one of my advance are planning workshops to better understand your choices and sign the documents on the spot!
Spare your loved ones added stress and give yourself peace of mind knowing your wishes have been discussed and understood.
Check out our upcoming workshops here.
Other great resources:
https://theconversationproject.org/
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning