Once we decided that I would act as Power of Attorney for our father, I sat with him and went over every piece of mail that he had. This took quite some time, but at the end of the day, I had a better understanding of what lay before me. More importantly, I knew that I would need to be incredibly organized if I was going to be able to sort out his life.
The next day, I made a trip to Target to gather all of my “office” supplies. I literally had nothing at home. Perhaps, there was some scrap paper and a few pens kicking around, but I definitely did not have enough supplies to fix someone’s life. I wanted to make sure that every piece of paper had a home, so I picked up a filing cabinet, a box of folders, a stapler and an assortment of pens, sticky notes, and highlighters.
I knew that I would need to be as organized as possible – and I’m glad that I decided to do that. I had no idea how many people I would end up contacting, and knowing that I could find any needed document at the drop of a hat, brought me great peace of mind during those early days.
While I was at the store, I came across a pile of notebooks, which reminded me that I should have one designated place where I could keep all of my father’s most important information. I picked out a bright turquoise book that would fit into my pocketbook; this way I would be able to have it with me all of the time. It also happened to be embossed with the initial of my father’s last name. This was an added bonus because I wouldn’t be tempted to jot down grocery lists, honey-do chores, and other such nonsense in it.
On the inside cover of this “POA” notebook, I listed every important detail that I would need in order to speak with someone on my father’s behalf – social security number, birth date, bank account numbers, doctor’s names and addresses, meds list – you get the idea. This notebook is always with me and I never leave home without it. I know it may sound silly, but it is very comforting to be able to rattle off my father’s vital information whenever someone calls.
When I got home, I reviewed my notes from my visit with my father and started labeling the file folders. For example, I have the following folders in my cabinet: Monthly Bills, Follow-Ups, COBRA, Car Insurance, Life Insurance, Paid Medical Claims, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability, Mortgage, Mortgage Loan Modification, Department Of Labor, Social Security, AARP, Hospital Releases, etc.
In each folder, I put all of the documents that are relevant to that task. However, if a document pertains to more than one folder, I will photocopy it, so that I can find it with ease when needed. Not to sound redundant, but I am also careful to note all my conversations with the representatives that I speak with directly on the bill. This way, I can see the order of events without having to flip through the folder, or my pretty little notebook, while I am on the phone.
So, my second piece of advice is to: get yourself organized. Do whatever works for you, but do it as soon as possible.
Leave a Reply