A Special Gift For Christmas | Advanced Directive for Health Care

I’m giving a special gift to my sister for Christmas this year. I made a list of things that need to be done that I know keep getting put off because she doesn’t have time, so I started with “create an advanced directive for health care.” I’m not just making the suggestion that she follow through with executing a health care directive, I’m giving her a blank copy, so she doesn’t have to look for one and I’m offering to help her think through what she wants it to say.

I’m also suggesting she update her Emergency Preparedness Plan. We completed one together several years ago, and she has a Go Kit and has made other preparations, but I know she hasn’t had the time to update that plan or her Smart911 profile. So, I’m offering to help her go through the plan and look at whether it still meets her needs and whether her Smart911 profile is still accurate.

We’ve recently been talking about how difficult it is to keep track of what each of her doctor’s is telling her and what medications she’s taking to treat various illnesses and conditions. I’ve found a nice leather-bound journal where she can begin noting her doctor visits, what each one was for, the diagnoses made, and what treatments were prescribed. I think it will help her track the issues impacting her health to have a record of doctor, chiropractor, physical therapy visits, etc. and what treatments she’s had and medications that were prescribed.

While she has a funeral plan (she told me about it a couple of years ago), I don’t even remember what funeral home it’s with, so I’m suggesting she make a list of her important accounts, where her will is kept, and if there are any special instructions she wants me to follow should she become sick. For instance, what kind of food do her two cats eat, and are there any special instructions I would need to know about in order to properly care for them in the event she went to the hospital or even wanted to get away and travel for the winter.  

Presents don’t have to cost a fortune!  Sometimes the best ones just include a bit of time and effort on your part to make them special. Do you have someone you care about who could use a special holiday gift? Call Disability Network Lakeshore (616.396.5326) for a blank copy of an advance directive, an emergency preparedness plan, and instructions for how to create a Smart911 profile today.