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What To Do Next: Your Checklist

Install night-lights and under-the-bed lights that activate once motion is detected can help prevent a fall.

Lighting is one of the most important things to pay attention to as we age. Be sure to check every space to make sure it has enough light, and consider getting smart lights that are easy to turn off and on.

Watch out for things like door sills and going from a carpeted surface to a non-carpeted surface: these can be causes of falls. Look carefully at every transition to make sure it's smooth, and add railings or grab bars for extra stability if needed.

The shower is one of the biggest trip hazards: the slippery surface and ledge are particularly dangerous. Between anti-slip tape, grab bars, and shower stools, there are tons of easy interventions you can take to make it safer.

When in doubt, it's always good to add extra stability in the form of grab bars or railings.

Think of all of the services they may need technical support with: internet, phone, cable, electricity, etc. Some services will allow them to add you as an authorized user on their account which will make the verification process easier.

When logging all relevant information, it's best to use a password management tool instead writing things down on pen and paper.

To get this, you can contact their doctor's office and have them send it to you.

Area rugs are one of the biggest trip hazards. If they can't be removed, make sure they're secured to the floor to prevent bunching.

Insurance is one of the most complicated parts of care. At the highest level, get a complete understanding of what they have: Medicare, a Medicare Advantage plan, Long-Term Care insurance, etc. From there, you can begin to understand the coverage.

Make sure you have visibility into your loved one's financials and any services they use to manage their accounts.

We recommend getting a password management tool instead of writing down passwords on pen and paper or through email. Our top picks are LastPass and 1Password.

A Power of Attorney gives someone the power to make decisions for you in the event that you cannot. It's similar to a Health Care Proxy, but pertains to all decisions - particularly financial decisions. This person is essentially you in the eyes of the law.

It's important that their physician knows who they've entrusted to make medical decisions for them in the event of an emergency.

A Living Will specifies how you would like your assets to be treated once you're no longer here. To create one, you can worth with a local attorney, like a Trust & Estate Lawyer, or go through a reputable online service.

You should also add their physician's contact info, as well as the information of any pharmacies where they pick up medications.

The more detail, the better: this includes everything from their medical choices to how their bills would be maintained in the event they were unable to attend to them.

Having a Health Care Proxy is one of the most important factors of getting older. Usually, your loved one can designate a Health Care Proxy in their doctor's office, or you can download forms online.

The more detail, the better: this includes everything from their medical choices to how their bills would be maintained in the event they were unable to attend to them. It's also important that others involved in care that are not the Health Care Proxy know of the decision.

Finding the right doctor is one of the most critical aspects of aging well. To find one, ask for recommendations from family and friends or your local academic medical center if there's one nearby.

To get this, you can contact their doctor's office and have them send it to you.

Despite how many online records there, your information can be all over the place, so we  recommend having one "system of record" and updating it every couple of weeks.

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