Prepare For Emergency Situations

Volunteers help elders to prepare for emergency situations with the Pocket Medical Identification Card and the File of Life.  At Your Side realizes that isolated elders and individuals with memory loss are at great risk when emergency situations occur.  Who will tell the Emergency Medical Technicians and emergency room staff what their chronic illnesses are?  How will they know what medications the elder is taking?

Pocket Medical Identification Card

Volunteers help the individual complete a pocket medical identification card for the individual to carry.  In the case of an emergency, medical personnel will know who the person is, their health history (dementia, diabetes, heart disease, etc. that require special attention), prescribed medications, allergies and emergency contact information.

File of Life 

At Your Side volunteers are trained to complete a File of Life for every client.  Emergency personnel are trained to look for a File of Life, a medical information packet designed to provide necessary medical data to begin immediate treatment when every second counts.  The File of Life is visible in its’ red magnetic folder which sits on the refrigerator.

As listed below, the File of Life holds important information that can make a world of difference in a life and death situation, or when an elder is unconscious or unable to speak:

• Personal data                        

• Medications  

• Known allergies     

• Medical conditions     

• Doctor’s name

• Hospital Name    

• HealthCare Proxy, if designated

• Emergency contact information

• Do not resuscitate order, if filed