Emergency information sheet builder

How to use it

1. Fill in what you know. Start with the person's name, then the emergency contacts in the order someone should call them.
2. Check the health details with a professional. Ask the person's doctor or pharmacist to confirm conditions, allergies and the medicine list before you rely on the sheet. The National Institute on Aging suggests telling your doctor about every medicine, supplement and herbal remedy, and writing down the name, dose and reason for each one.
3. Print it or save it as a PDF. Keep one copy at home where a visitor would look, one in a wallet or bag, and one with a relative who lives elsewhere.
4. Date it and review it. The sheet shows a suggested review date six months after the date prepared. That interval is our suggestion. The National Institute on Aging suggests reviewing legal and financial plans at least once a year and after big life events, so update the sheet whenever a medicine, contact or condition changes.

What each part is for

• Emergency contacts, in order. Helpers can work down the list rather than choosing who to call.
• Conditions, allergies, equipment. These are what a paramedic or hospital would ask first. Include implants such as a pacemaker and equipment such as oxygen.
• Medicines. A short list on the sheet and a pointer to where the full list is kept. The National Institute on Aging offers a free printable medications and supplements worksheet for the full list.
• Wishes and legal. The sheet records where a care directive is kept and who holds power of attorney. It does not replace those documents. The National Institute on Aging suggests keeping important papers in one place and telling someone you trust where they are.

Put it on the phone too

Phones can show emergency information without being unlocked. Apple says Medical ID can be shown from the Lock screen, and can be shared automatically when you call or text emergency services from an iPhone or Apple Watch, if you turn those options on. Apple notes that this sharing is not available in every country or region. Google's Android Help describes the Safety app, where you can save blood type, allergies, medications and emergency contacts, and notes that anyone who picks up the phone can see the lock-screen information unless you turn that off. Check how it works on your own device before relying on it.

What this tool does not do

• It does not check medical details, give advice, or tell anyone what to do about a condition or medicine.
• It does not store anything. If you need a shared, always-current version, a care app can keep it in one place for the whole family.
• It is not a legal document. Laws and forms differ by country and state, so ask a lawyer, solicitor or local aged-care service about legal papers.

Questions

This tool formats what you type. It does not check medical details, give advice or replace a clinician, pharmacist or lawyer. In an emergency, call your local emergency number first.

Related guides

• How to make an emergency information sheet for an aging parentWhat to put on an emergency information sheet for an elderly parent, where to keep it and how to share it so paramedics, hospital staff and family can use it.
• A care documents checklist for family caregiversA checklist of documents family caregivers commonly need for an aging parent, from ID and insurance to legal papers, and how to store them so you can find them.
• How to keep track of an aging parent's medications as a familyPractical ways for families to keep track of an elderly parent's medications: one up-to-date list, a clear schedule, dose confirmation and who to ask.