Sometimes an unexpected hurdle comes our way that must be faced. An emergency can be financial, emotional or even a physical obstacle. Recently a family member of mine suffered a stroke that will affect their everyday life in a major way. The positive side of this medical incident is that he is alive and he is doing well. He is still able to move and function but his mind is just not the same. His main obstacle is his vision impairments that are a complication of the stroke. Not only is he obviously affected by this obstacle but so is my mom, his spouse, who will now become his caretaker for everything from cooking to laundry. Besides his medical recovery, their finances are a big concern for the family. He owns his own business and is the sole provider for his family. Since he can’t see properly and his brain is still healing, he can’t work. If he can’t work, what will they do financially as a family? This really has me thinking about properly setting up a family to survive in a crisis. It is important to consider the following when faced with this sort of situation.

Savings 

Everyone says it, but you never really realize its importance until you are forced to use it. A savings is key for a situation like this. Most people are not good at saving or putting away extra funds from their paycheck to set aside for a “what if” situation. When the “what if” becomes reality you will be thankful for your discipline in spending over the years. It can be as simple as setting aside a portion of your paycheck or any extra money instead of spending it. Some people may say that getting a disability check from the government may be the answer, but it isn’t. There are many things that need to happen for you to get that check. In most cases, it may not even be enough for you to live on. By having money saved you can at least survive while your situation is being assessed.

Disability Insurance

Besides saving money for the chance of an emergency, it also may be a smart idea to purchase Disability Insurance. By having private disability insurance, you can ensure you and your family are taken care of in a time of crisis. It is a form of insurance that insures the beneficiary’s earned income against the risk that a disability creates a barrier for a worker to complete the core functions of their work. Like with any insurance, you are running the risk of shelling out money and never having to use it. This is a decision you have to make as a family to see if it is worth it. As you get older, this is something that may be a good option.

Home Improvements

When you are reaching a certain age where an emergency may be more of a possibility, you need to think about your day to day life and how it would potentially effect you and your caretaker. One of these things is your home. Some individuals move to smaller homes or even purchase homes that have easy access rooms on the first floor. This is one way you can plan for the potential future and your future caretaker/spouse to make it easier on you and them. Bathrooms with easy access, wooden floors and no carpet to trip on, first floor bedrooms, steps into the front door. You could also have RTLS nurse call systems in place to ensure that you will be taken care of in case of an emergency alone. These are all examples of things that would help in the event of a disability. It would lessen the burden of the disabled and the caretaker.

Paperwork and Passwords

Make sure that everyone in the house knows how things are done. If one person goes down then the other one needs to pick up the slack. How are bills paid or invoiced? What are your passwords for your banks and online portals? Do you have a will or healthcare proxy? All of these things are important to discuss prior to an emergency so things don’t fall apart in the home.

Overall, there are different options out there to cover you and your family during a medical crisis. The key is to acknowledge that it is a possibility and to plan for such incidents before it is too late.