Rapture! Armageddon! Trumpet out from between headlines of news and scandals du jour as life as we know it is predicted to change this Saturday, May 21.
Yet for caregiving, this is an opportune ‘teaching moment’ – when some one is dependent on you, are you ready to not be there?
It does not take prophesy, over half of car accidents occur within 5 miles of your home.
What would happen if you died or where unable to communicate? How long would it take before anyone even realized there was someone dependent on you?
How many people realize that even the simplest cell phone has an ICE contact (In Case of Emergency) and often associated pages for text and/or voice information. Your cell phone can speak for you even when you cannot.
Immortality by necessity is understandable when caring for someone, yet the reality is the opposite. Caregiving reduces life expectancy. Again, are you ready?
Wills, general and medical powers of attorney are they safely filed and easily accessible? More importantly is your successor already named in the documents? And does that person know where they are and have access to them, or a copy?
Most importantly are care plan and prescriptions written and recorded each and every time? When were they last given? Or are you again assuming you will always be there. Shouldn’t care be more about plans and less about assumptions?
Hey, I totally understand caregiving can be time paralyzing. Just getting through the day is reason to pat yourself on the back. Getting ‘transition’ together and keeping it together is more than a task.
Yet just imagine for a moment how unbelievably overwhelming it would be for anyone to have to step in when delusional immortality was your best plan.
Are you ready?
Caregivingly Yours, Patrick Leer
web site: caregivinglyyours.com
videos: www.youtube.com/daddyleer
this is a good reminder, Patrick. I am so totally not prepared (paper wise, spiritual wise I'm ready) yet it could happen (though it ain't happening on May 21sth :)
ReplyDeletetimely reminder. I've been trying to get hubby to think on these issues, especially with what we are dealing with, but he's been reluctant so I'm doing some checking myself on things.
thanks for posting this; I need to be diligent to get my "ducks in a row"
and just in case I'm wrong about May 21st, well its been a pleasure reading your blog and knowing you :)
betty
Betty, thanks for the laugh and likewise, just in case, it's been great knowing you and yours. Though I guess blogs will out survive us all like cockroaches. :)
ReplyDeletePatrick
I have too much to do,so the world had better not end in two days!! Your reminders hit home with me -- we keep saying we're going to take care of all those items, but we never really finish them. Time to do it!
ReplyDeletePeace,
Muff
Great advice. I too have a lot to do.
ReplyDeleteJudy
Hahahahaha, Patrick. I am not ready. I still own underwear I haven't ever worn. And ice cream uneaten. The horrors. ~Mary
ReplyDeleteThis is good advice to be ready! I need to get this stuff done, sometime??
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree! I had my will done a week after my daughter died because she died without one.
ReplyDeleteMy son was VERY surprised. We just lost her but I like things tidy...not messy. He said, "I'll save this for later".