Caregiver binder for an aging parent: what to put in it
When a parent needs more help, one adult child usually becomes the family's record keeper. A caregiver binder puts everything in one place, so the next appointment, emergency or form takes minutes instead of a search.
The checklist
- Identity and insurance: photo ID, insurance and Medicare cards, front and back.
- Legal documents: power of attorney, healthcare directive, any guardianship papers. Note where the originals are kept.
- Health summary: conditions and allergies as the doctors described them.
- Medications: name, strength as on the label, when taken, prescriber, pharmacy.
- Contacts: each doctor, the pharmacy, the insurance line, neighbours, and family.
- Appointments: upcoming visits, the questions to ask, and what was said afterwards.
- Who is doing what: the tasks each sibling or helper has taken on.
Keep it with you
A paper binder at home is no use in an emergency room or a surprise phone call. Keep a copy you can open from your phone, and a one-page summary you can hand to anyone.
How Alderbook does it
Alderbook is the caregiving binder on your phone: documents with expiry reminders, medications, appointments with questions before and answers after, contacts by role, and the sibling task list. Its one-page care summary (name, conditions and allergies as you wrote them, the medication table, contacts, and whether a directive, POA and insurance card are on file) can be shared as a PDF.
It stores no passwords or account logins, and gives no medical or legal advice.
Price: Free for one person and 10 documents. $49.99 once for everything else. No subscription.
Alderbook stores what you enter and gives it back in a useful shape. It gives no medical or legal advice, calculates nothing about medication, and does not store passwords or account logins.