Essential Caregiving Documents: Checklists and Organization Tips

The best time to prepare for future needs is before they arise — particularly when it comes to caregiving. After all, who has time to hunt for buried paperwork or create legal documents in an emergency? But with well-organized health and financial records, seniors and caregivers can be better equipped to face the unexpected.

Why It Matters

It’s not about organization for organization’s sake. With the proper documentation in place, caregivers can help ensure their loved one’s wishes are honored, preferences are known, and finances are protected. Having medical and financial power of attorney documents at hand allows caregivers to make critical decisions without delay. This can also help families avoid confusion and disagreements in tense times, like waiting for a parent to come out of a critical surgery or other emergency situation.

Of course, the goal is not for caregivers to take control away from the person they’re supporting. It’s about empowering caregivers to make decisions on a senior’s behalf if and when they’re unable to do so.

For seniors, getting your affairs in order now is a loving thing to do, as it can reduce a tremendous amount of stress in an already challenging time for your family. It can simplify the task of managing your affairs and provide peace of mind for everyone involved.

6 Tips to Organize Caregiving Paperwork

If you need help organizing paperwork for seniors, try these tips:

1. Use a caregiver app. If you’re most comfortable managing files from your phone, a caregiver app is a great way to get organized. With a free app like Caring Village, for example, multiple family members and caregivers can stay connected and informed about a loved one’s care. You can upload important documents and access them anywhere, share to-do lists to delegate responsibilities to other people who want to help, and complete checklists to assist you in preparing for emergencies.

2. Create a caregiving binder. For those who prefer paper — or who want a backup to a digital system — a caregiving binder is an excellent solution. You can get a physical binder and divide it into sections such as medical documents, financial documents and proof of identity. The Senior Alliance offers a range of free customizable templates to help you create a personalized caregiving binder.

3. Make digital backups. For added security and easy access, scan important physical documents and store them in a cloud-based service like Dropbox, Google Drive or Notion. For extra-sensitive information, consider encrypting files with a service like Cryptomator before uploading them to the cloud.

4. Protect the originals. For critical legal documents like wills, powers of attorney and property deeds, store the originals in a locked safe that’s fireproof and waterproof. Keep copies in your caregiving binder or the cloud.

5. Grant access. Ensure that trusted family members know where to find essential documents in case of emergency, and give them the passwords or physical keys they need to access that paperwork.

6. Schedule regular updates. Review and update important documents annually or after a significant life event, such as a change in residence or health status. Discard things like outdated insurance policies and tax returns older than seven years.

Checklist of Documents for Seniors and Caregivers

Wondering which documents you need to include in your caregiving binder or digital storage solution? Use this checklist, which covers three categories of documentation: medical, financial and proof of identity.

Essential medical documents

• HIPAA authorization. Seniors can complete a simple HIPAA release form that allows their doctor to share details about their health and billing records with trusted caregivers.

• Medical power of attorney (aka healthcare proxy). This legal document enables seniors to appoint a family member or friend to make medical treatment decisions on their behalf.

• Living will. This advance care directive outlines a senior’s medical preferences (such as the desire for CPR or life support) if they can no longer communicate. Click here to access free advance directive forms by state.

Other important medical documents to keep on file:

• List of current physicians and diagnoses

• List of current medications

• Medical history

• Health insurance card

• Long-term disability insurance policy

• Long-term care insurance policy

Essential financial documents

• Financial power of attorney. This legal document gives caregivers the authority to make monetary and property decisions on behalf of their loved one.

• Last will and testament. This document specifies how your loved one would like their assets to be distributed after they pass away.

• Trust documents. Seniors may choose to place assets within a trust, which is then managed by a third party on behalf of the beneficiaries.

• Life insurance policies. These typically pay a lump sum to designated beneficiaries upon the policyholder’s death.

Other important financial documents to keep on file:

• List of bank accounts and account information

• Pension documents and 401(k) statements

• Savings bonds and stock certificates

• Social Security information

• Recent tax returns

• Property deeds and mortgage papers

• Vehicle titles

• Home and auto insurance policies

• Bills and recurring payments

Essential identification documents

Keep copies of the following documents for proof of identity:

• Driver’s license or valid state identification

• Social Security card

• Passport or citizenship papers

• Birth certificate

• Marriage and/or divorce papers

• Military discharge papers

ArchWell Health Is Your Partner in Care

If you need help getting your medical paperwork in order, contact your ArchWell Health center to access information such as your personalized care plan, medical history and HIPAA release forms. On-site social workers are also available to help you with advance care directives and medical powers of attorney.

By taking time to get these important documents in order, seniors and caregivers can rest assured that everything is in place for whatever may come.