Expanding Caregiver Contingency Planning

A well-prepared contingency plan isn’t just about your care recipient—it’s about you, too. In the rush of day-to-day caregiving, it’s easy to focus entirely on their needs and forget that, should something happen to you, others will need clear, quick access to information about both of you.

Think of it as two lists:

• Theirs: Medical history, current medications, allergies, date of birth, last 4 digits of Social Security, insurance information, advance directives, POLST, DNR orders, key contacts, routines, preferences.

• Ours: Your own medical information, insurance details, emergency contacts, and practical details like household bills, accounts, and the location of important documents. Remember that you should compile all the same documentation for yourself, like POLST and DNR orders, as well as for your care recipient.

When you prepare both lists, you’re ensuring continuity of care for your loved one and protecting yourself from the stress of having to recreate information in a crisis.

Storage & Accessibility Tips

• Paper copies in a waterproof folder in an easy-to-grab spot—ideally where emergency responders might look first. Many caregivers keep medical orders (POLST, DNR) taped or magnetized to the refrigerator in a clearly labeled sleeve.

  • Nokbox — a useful storage option

• Digital copies stored in a secure, password-protected document folder. If you use a password manager (like LastPass, 1Password, or Bitwarden), many allow for Emergency Access, where a trusted contact can retrieve logins if you become incapacitated.

• Shared cloud folder (Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud) with restricted access for family or designated backups—make sure they know it exists and how to find it.

• Wallet card with a brief summary of where your full plan is stored and who to contact in an emergency.

This is one of the greatest gifts you can give—not just to your care recipient, but to the friends, family, and professionals who may have to step in at a moment’s notice. It’s love in the form of preparedness.