If you are a caregiver, you know how time consuming and stressful it can be to conduct business on behalf of your loved one. Business entities and government agencies repeatedly ask for documentation you already submitted. You seem to get requests for information about your loved one from everyone and usually it is not for information you thought anyone would ask for.
To make things easier when conducting business for your loved one, create a file of your loved one’s important papers that you regularly need. Having this information handy reduces the time it takes to conduct business for your loved one, as well as the stress of hunting down information each time it is needed.
This file should include the following:
1. Photo identification (current)
2. Military identification (if applicable)
3. Social Security Card
4. Alien Registration Card (if applicable)
5. Medicare Card
6. Insurance cards (Health Insurance, Medicare Prescription Drug Program, Medicare Supplemental Insurance, Medicaid, Car Insurance)
7. Documentation that gives you the authority to make decisions on behalf of your loved one (Durable Power of Attorney for finances, Health Care Surrogate Designation, Letters of Guardianship, Letters of Conservatorship, or Trust Agreement)
8. Living Will for your loved one
9. List of financial accounts, their corresponding institutions and the contact for each
10. Any credit cards or debit cards
11. List of income sources and contact information
12. List of current medications, including dosages
13. List of allergies
14. List of current medications
15. List of current health care providers and contact information
Primary care physician
Physician specialists
Pharmacy
Home Health Agency
Hospital (if applicable)
Hospice (if applicable)
16. Attorney’s name and contact information
17. Accountant’s name and contact information
18. Alternative decision-makers and contact information
19. Funeral or burial arrangements
20. Original Last Will & Testament
21. Life Insurance Policies
22. Emergency Contact Information
