Caring for a loved one involves many things other than feeding, bathing, and dressing. You may become a primary caregiver to a loved one as well as an advocate in legal circumstances. When you begin care, you will need all the correct documentation in order to speak on their behalf.
It can be hectic managing more than one household. Anything you can do to make the tasks easier on yourself is good. When you need some form of documentation, you want to know where it is so you can get your hands on it in a hurry. This simple matter of organizing documents is more important than ever when you are a caregiver to a loved one. It brings peace of mind not only to your loved one, but also to you.
You will want to keep important documents stored safely in a large plastic Ziploc bag inside a metal file box, a small safe, or a safety deposit box. Be sure the documents are in a location that is easy to find by you or other family members. Remember: You will be at your worst when the time comes to find and present these documents, so be sure you know where they are. Here is a short list of the documents you will want to locate.
Last Will and Testament
This is the documentation that tells you where your loved one wants their money, property, and goods to go when they pass on. When a person dies without a will, the courts have a specific way of handling things that may not honor their wishes. Encourage your loved one to make a will if they don’t already have one. There are simple to use formats online that you can fill out, sign and have reviewed by an attorney.
Living Will
In a living will, your loved one can stipulate what type of medical care or intervention they want or don’t want to receive. Be careful about beneficiary designations. A trustee of the estate may also be the primary beneficiary and end up with a big tax bill for unsettled debts or charges incurred concerning property and such. Consult an attorney with any questions about taxes and property.
Medical information
In an emergency, you don’t want to be fumbling around for a list of medications or doctor’s numbers. Keep a list of all of this information in a central location for easy reference. List allergies, medications, and the length of time on medications. Keep this information updated.
Insurance information
Find the policies for all insurance including medical, home, vehicle, and life. Become familiar with policies so you know how much they are worth and what stipulations there are on payouts. Many people miss out on having insurance pay for certain services for their loved one because they don’t know where the information is. Many insurance companies now offer their policy holders an online version of the policy. Print that out and keep it safe.
Power of Attorney
This is important when a loved one becomes incapacitated and needs someone to make decisions on their behalf. Even if a person is not incapacitated fully, you may have taken over bill paying or other simple money tasks. You may have been given your loved one’s checkbook to pay bills with or do grocery shopping, but if you don’t have power of attorney, it is illegal to sign that check. Discuss this situation with your attorney.
Protecting your loved one is all a part of taking care of them. Knowing where their pertinent information is can help you to do that. Again, the moment to find these important documents is not when you need them, it’s when you don’t.
What's on Field of Dreams
If you have any doubts about your status, I suggest you take "Are You a Caregiver" Quiz. Think back over the last year and ask yourself the following questions:
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