Health Cards for Seniors

Assess your knowledge of the senior health card

Ask yourself the following questions to see if you're ready to step in if your Mom or Dad have a health emergency or need your assistance: If you cannot answer these question. Stop and make a senior health card for your parents.

1. What are the names of your Mom and Dad's Doctors?

2. Are your Mom and Dad allergic to any medications?

3. Do your Mom and Dad have advance directives, such as a living will, an organ donor card or a do-not-resuscitate order (DNR)?

4. Does diabetes run in your family?

5. Does your Mom or Dad belong to a Medicare HMO?

6. Does your Mom or Dad drink alcohol?

7. Did you Mom or Dad quit smoking within the last five years?

8. Does you Mom or Dad take medication?

9. In case of an emergency, would your Mom or Dad like to have the services of a chaplain?

10. Do you need to know more about your Mom or Dad's health?

Don't be surprised if many of your answers are "not sure." As people age and become responsible for their own health care, they don't often share such information.

A doctor may ask you these types of questions in the event that your parent is unable to answer. Now you understand why a senior health card is so important.

The most critical information for the senior health card: Below — in order of importance — is a list of 10 things you need to know about your Mom and Dad's health for the senior health card:

1. Names of Doctors. If you don't know anything else, this is probably the most important piece of information. Why? Chances are good that your Mom and Dad's Doctors can provide much of the rest of the information needed as well as more details about your Mom and Dad's specific health histories.

2. Birth date. Often health records and insurance information are cataloged according to birth date. This can improve communication in an emergency or a crisis.

3. List of allergies. This is especially important if one of your Mom and Dad is allergic to medication.

4. Advance directives. An advance directive is a legal document that outlines a person's decisions about his or her health care, such as whether or not resuscitation efforts should be made and the use of life-support machines.

5. Major medical problems. This includes such diseases as cancer or high blood pressure.

6. List of medications. It's especially important that a Dr. know if your parent uses blood thinners.

7. Religious beliefs. This is particularly important in case blood transfusions are needed.

8. Insurance information. Know the name of your Mom and Dad's health insurance providers and their policy numbers. Do they have a Medicare Supplemental.

9. Prior surgery. List past health procedures, such as prior hospitalizations.

10. Lifestyle information. Does your Mom or Dad drink alcohol, smoke cigarettes or illegal narcotics?

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