If you’re caring for a senior loved one and they have a medical emergency such as a fall, you may panic and freeze and not know what to do. While everyone hopes that they would be the kind of person that would fly into action when a senior loved one gets hurt often that’s not the case. And that’s ok. Everyone reacts to emergencies differently. The first thing that you should do is call EMS and get help for your senior parent. But what do you do after that? These are the four things you should do immediately following a senior parent’s medical event:
Grab Their Emergency Bag
All seniors should have an emergency bag that is packed and ready to go in a convenient place in case they have a medical emergency. If your senior parent has home care assistance the home care assistance provider can help you find the bag if you don’t know where it is. This bag should have pajamas or warm clothes, slippers and slipper socks, your senior parent’s medications, a warm blanket, and other items that they will need in the emergency room or in the hospital if they end up admitted to the hospital.
Get Their Insurance Cards And Information
There should also be a binder or a folder containing your senior parent’s health insurance information, a list of the medications they take, and other important medical paperwork including a DNR if they have one or any relevant documents including a Power of Attorney if you have one. Grab that too because it will be very useful to have that information right at your fingertips when you’re at the hospital. Especially the list of medications that your senior loved one is currently taking. That is vital information the emergency room doctor will need.
Grab Your Emergency Bag
You should also have an emergency bag for yourself. It’s a very good idea to keep it in your car but if you have to go home to get then do that on your way to the hospital. Your emergency bag should have a battery operated phone charger, an extra charging cable, a change of clothes, baby wipes, any personal items that you would need if you have to be in the hospital for a very long period of time, water, protein shakes, and snacks.
Call Their Primary Doctor
Even though you won’t know at this point what is going on with your senior loved one it’s a good idea to call their primary doctor and give them a head’s up about what is happening. Even if the doctor is busy or if it’s after hours leave a message for them. And if you need any medical information or records that you don’t already have in your senior parent’s file ask the receptionist to email you that information so you will have it on your phone when you get to the emergency room where they took your senior parent.
If you or an aging loved one is considering home care assistance in Castle Rock, CO, please contact the caring staff at SYNERGY Home Care of Parker. 303-953-9924
