What to Keep in a Senior’s Emergency Contact List
Having an emergency contact list is useful for anyone, but it can become especially important for seniors who may need help getting in touch with their family members or their doctors. A list that’s easy to find can save time when someone needs information quickly.
An emergency contact list doesn’t have to be complicated! The important thing is making sure it includes the people and information someone may actually need during an emergency. It’s also a good idea to keep the list somewhere that’s easy to see, like on your refrigerator.
Important People to Include
Start with the people who should be contacted first. This will usually be people like close family members, but it can also be any friends, neighbors, caregivers, or anyone else who regularly helps the senior.
For each person, include:
- Full name
- Relationship to the senior
- Primary phone number
- An alternate phone number
- Address, if it’s helpful
- Preferred way to contact them
It’s also so helpful to list more than one person. If the first person doesn’t answer, the next person on the list can be contacted without having to figure out who that should be.
If a senior has a family member who lives a few hours away, consider adding a nearby friend or neighbor as well. Someone who lives close by may be able to check on the senior while family members are traveling.
Medical Information to Have Available
An emergency contact list can also include basic medical information that may be useful to first responders or family members.
Consider including:
Primary Care Doctor
Write down the doctor’s name, office phone number, and their address. If the senior sees several doctors, include the specialists who are involved in their regular care as well.
Medications
Keep an updated list of current medications, including the name of the medication, dosage, and how often it’s taken. You should review this list often because medications can change over time.
Allergies
List any known medication, food, or other allergies. If the individual doesn’t have any allergies, it’s still useful to state that clearly.
Medical Conditions
Include important medical conditions that someone responding to an emergency should know about. This information can help provide a more complete picture of the senior’s health. And medical information can change, so don’t make the list once and forget about it. Review it after doctor appointments or whenever medications or medical information changes.
Other Contacts That May Be Helpful
Family and medical contacts are usually the most important, but there may be other people who should be included.
Depending on the senior’s situation, this could include people like:
- Pharmacy and pharmacy phone number
- Home health or in-home care provider
- Neighbor or nearby friend
- Emergency contact for a pet
- Insurance company information
- Preferred hospital
- Power of attorney or other legal representative
If the senior receives help at home, adding the caregiver or care provider to the list can also be useful. They may know the senior’s normal routine and can provide family members with information about recent changes or concerns.
Where Should an Emergency Contact List Be Kept?
An emergency contact list is only helpful if someone knows where to find it.
Choose a location that’s easy to access and make sure the senior, their family members, and their caregivers know where it is. It’s also a good idea for family members to keep this emergency contact list digitally. If a senior lives with a caregiver, the caregiver should know where the list is located and how to access it as well.
Take a few minutes every so often to check that the information is still accurate. You’ll need to do this because phone numbers change and medications can get updated regularly. An old contact list can be really confusing when someone is already dealing with an emergency.
Keep the List Simple and Up to Date
An emergency contact list simply needs to give someone a clear starting point when help is needed. Keep the most important contacts at the top and use information that’s easy to read. If the senior has specific instructions about who should be contacted first, be sure to include those as well.
For seniors who receive in-home care, the emergency contact list can be one more useful part of keeping important information organized at home. Visiting Angels provides in-home care Pocatello that can include assistance with daily activities, companionship, respite care, and other support based on an individual’s needs.
Taking the time to put together an emergency contact list now can make it easier for family members and caregivers to know who to call when something unexpected happens.
