The Family Caregiver's Manual. David Levy

in keeping you informed, but what happens if your aunt falls ill and her doctor is on a vacation or a business trip?

      Having access is also important if you have to gather needed information for tax purposes at the end of the year on unreimbursed prescription expenses, or write checks to pay your aunt’s bills, or access her safety deposit box. The ability to sign her into a nursing home or assisted living facility will be severely limited without a Durable Powers of Attorney with Medical Authority, and you may wind up being financially responsible without the legal protections that are built into such documents. Contracts and documents for care and services need to be carefully reviewed. If you are unsure about the contract, consult a professional.

Get It Organized—Make It Handy!

      Being organized and ready now saves time and worry later. Remember: Anyone at any age can be “hit by a bus” and be just as incapacitated as someone with a chronic or terminal illness, such as multiple sclerosis or Alzheimer’s disease.

      Information on who makes healthcare decisions when Mom cannot make them should be in the charts of her primary healthcare provider and all her specialists. The documents need to be up-to-date, state-specific, and available to designated family members or friends when the need arises.