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"File of Life" Could Save Your Life
Imagine you are an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) responding to a call for help. You arrive at the residence where the call originated and you find an elderly, frail woman unconscious on the floor. She is alone and unconscious but apparently had time to push her emergency alert button before passing out. Now it is up to you to provide the appropriate first response aide to revive her and perhaps save her life. But what do you know about her and any possible health issues? Is she diabetic? Does she have serious allergies, especially to medications that might be used in the situation? Does she have a history of cardiac problems? Is she on some medications for Alzheimer's disease? You would feel a lot more confident and comfortable if you knew this woman's medical background. You know you are well trained and competent to handle a wide variety of situations, if you know what you are dealing with.
Now imagine that when you enter the house to find the woman you see a bright red sign on the refrigerator door that reads "File of Life". You have seen this sign before and know that inside that bright red plastic envelope is all of the information you need to begin the appropriate initial first aide to save this woman's life.
Senior citizens, especially those living alone, should consider arranging to post a "File of Life" (FOL) in a conspicuous place to be sure their medical history; conditions and needs are readily available to emergency response personnel.
According to the File of Life Foundation, Inc. the FOL originated over twenty years ago and originally consisted of a small vial with medical information printed on a piece of paper inside and stored in the refrigerator. Today the FOL is a bright red plastic envelope about 5"x 4". The back of the envelope is magnetized so it can be attached to the refrigerator door. Inside is a folded paper form that lists the following information:
1. Patient's name
2. Emergency medical contacts
3. Insurance policy ID numbers
4. Social security ID numbers
5. Health problems and condition
6. Medications and dosages
7. Allergies
8. Recent surgeries
9. Religion
10. Doctor's name and contact information
11. Preferred hospital
12. Health care proxy
The FOL form enables EMT's to obtain a quick medical history when the patient is unable to offer one. This information is an invaluable resource to emergency medical teams responding to critical, life-threatening situations. To have instant access to medical facts and data can make the difference when every second counts.
Benefits of FOL:
1. Benefits to First Responders
• Faster help for seniors in emergencies
• Instantly know medical history of patient
• Corrective treatment can begin at once
2. Benefits to hospital emergency staff
• On arrival, data is immediately available to medical staff
• No wasted time getting information from a confused or unconscious patient
3. Benefits to each individual
• Peace of mind knowing they will have prompt and quality care
• Easy access to potentially life-saving information
• Assurance that proper persons will be notified quickly
The FOL provides a substantial preventive step that a person can take. Its visibility and readability ensure that emergency personnel can access it quickly when responding to a call.
If you would like to obtain a free FOL, please contact my office at the telephone number or email address below. Or, you can contact the File of Life Foundation, Inc. at 1-800-814-1788.
Jack Cross is President of Home Instead Senior Care - Lexington a provider of companionship and home care for the elderly. He can be reached at 781-402-0060 or jack.cross@homeinstead.com
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