Help Prepare Senior Citizens With the Vial of Life Project

May is Older American’s Month and it’s important to remember that emergency preparedness for senior citizens requires additional measures many of us wouldn’t think of.

vial of lifeOne way you can prepare senior citizens (or anyone else with a complex medical history) at home is through the Vial of Life Project.

Imagine your older mother, father, or grandparent is home alone and suffers an emergency. Or perhaps a family member is home with them but can’t keep track of all their medications and doctor visits.

The Vial of Life Project is a smart way to have your medical information on hand just in case of an emergency. People find themselves in emergencies that make it difficult to think straight. Emergency personnel need to know many things about you – especially if you have a complex medical history. The Vial of Life is designed to speak for you when you can’t speak for yourself. The vial contains important medical information that can assist emergency personnel in administering the proper medical treatment.

 There are 4 simple steps to getting your Vial of Life kit ready. The form and decal can be printed using the following link: http://www.vialoflife.com/print-free-vial-kits/.

  1. Fill out the Vial of Life form
  • Make blank copies of this form to keep information current.
  • Fill out the backside of the Vial of Life form. Answer all or any pertinent questions.
  1. Place the decal on front of a plastic baggie
  • Place the form you filled out in the plastic baggie.
  • You may also consider placing the following items in the baggie: Copy of EKG, Living Will or Equivalent, DNR (Do Not Resuscitate), and/or Recent Picture. 
  1. Place the baggie on refrigerator door
  • Securely tape plastic baggie on the front of the refrigerator door.
  • Place the decal on the refrigerator – this could be on the front or side of the refrigerator, whichever is easiest for emergency personnel to see and access. 
  1. Place the second decal on front door
  • Place the decal on the front door so it can easily be seen by anyone responding to an emergency.

 For more information about the Vial of Life Project, please visit http://www.vialoflife.com.