Part of aging includes changes in health. While these changes may not be fun, there some great e-sources you can capitalize on to make taking care of yourself in your older years easier. Senior Planet points us toward some of the best eHealth sources, from websites to mobile apps, in their article, “Top 8 eHealth Resources”.
Personal Health Records – There are a couple great tools you can use to manage all of your health information in one central location. You can store information like doctor visits, diagnoses, prescriptions, test results, and more online and be able to share your records with anyone. Having a central location for this information online means you can easily access it and show it to your doctor, a family member, the pharmacist, or whoever else it may be pertinent to share your records with. As Senior Planet points out, having your personal health records centralized and easily shared enables you, your family, and your medical professionals to work as a team. Senior Planet recommends Healthvault for your table, like an iPad. This is a free app. Or WebMD’s PHR (personal health record) for your computer.
Medication Reminder – With aging tends to come a lot more medications and various regimens. Senior Planet recommends using Pillboxie if you have an iPhone or iPad, that app costs $0.99 and lets you create your list of medications and schedule your regimen based on mealtimes, drug interactions, etc. If you have an Android phone, Healthline recommends Medisafe Medication Reminder. This is a well-rated app for both Android and iPhone and it is free. Another tool you can use regarding your prescriptions is the CVS app on your phone if this is where you pick up your prescriptions. They have color coded their Rx labels and create personalized prescription schedules, which you can access on their free app once you create an account.
Online Resources – If you like to use the Internet to learn about health issues, there are a couple resources that Senior Planet recommends. One is MedlinePlus.gov. You can filter the site index by “senior” to research more specifically about issues affecting older adults. They also have a Video & Cool Tools tab for interactive learning modules. Another resource is an extensive list compiled by the CDC for common senior diseases and conditions. This list is targeted more at practitioners and researchers, but the information is reliable. The last online resource Senior Planet recommends is the National Resource Center on LGBT Aging. This contains LGBT-specific resources.
As you age, it is important to be knowledgeable about the resources available to you to help you take control of your health. It is also essential to ensure you have an up-to-date estate plan that is in line with your preferences for medical care if you are unable to make decisions and you have a reliable health care agent and durable power of attorney named. If you are using online resources like the apps and websites named above, you will want to make sure they are included in the digital portion of your estate plan so your family members have access to them if needed. Additionally, you want to ensure your assets are properly aligned. At Family Estate Planning Law Group, we have vast experience in elder law as well as have an ongoing client care program that keeps your estate plan up to date so that if your health takes a turn for the worse, you, your family, and your assets are protected.
To learn more about elder law, our ongoing client care program, and other estate planning topics, explore our blog and schedule your complimentary consultation today!