I was at the grocery store today and saw two staff people helping an older lady onto her walker. She'd fallen and seemed quite disorientated. When I left the store, the two staff had wheeled the lady (on her walker) just outside the door. They were asking her if there was someone they could call to come and pick her up and she said no, she'd walk home (she lived very close by). They said no, she shouldn't be walking home by herself. (She was looking confused and quite shaken). It was then that I recognized her----she was in an exercise class I attended a couple of years ago. I'd talked to her just over a year ago in the library when she told me her husband had alzheimer's. I could see the two staff were taking care of her and moved on towards my car. But then I thought about what she'd told me about her husband and wondered if maybe I should go back. So I did. By then one of the staff had gone to phone for an ambulance and the lady's symptoms became worse and the second staff asked me to let the first person know that the ambulance needed to get there fast. While waiting for it, I told the staff person that her husband had dementia and apparently she'd managed to tell them that----which was why her first thought was that she needed to get home to him (couldn't leave him on his own too long). They hadn't asked for any family contact name so I asked and she managed to give them her son's name. I told them the son needed calling because the dad likely shouldn't be on his own much longer. The ambulance arrived and took over and I went on my way.
I was telling my neighbour about it afterwards and she mentioned I.C.E.----listing a name and phone number in one's wallet or purse (and on cell phone) under the initials "In Case of Emergency". She said emergency personnel know what the initials stand for and will contact that name(s) if the person is too sick or injured to direct anyone to call. I have family names and phone numbers and cell numbers in my purse but none of those names are listed as an emergency contact or identify who the person is. After witnessing that lady's situation today, I will be revising my list and also adding an ICE contact on my cell phone. Good for anyone to do but especially needful (for those with spouses who have a dementia) to list someone other than spouse as the ICE contact.
Interestingly enough when one of my parents was in hospital and I had to go away overnight, I designated one of our adult children as the emergency contact rather than my hubby because he woudn't have known what to do / how to cope etc. But I hadn't thought of doing the same for myself on a contact list in my purse or on cell phone.
That is a great idea but what if you don't have anyone? I have no idea who I would use as a contact and if I did wouldn't I have to give them a key to the house so they could check on my DH?
I think it's a great idea. And it should set us all to thinking about FINDING someone we can trust. My next door neighbors and I have asked each other for emergency help. We aren't close friends otherwise.
A couple years ago, I "ICEd" my son-in-law on my cell phone because his is usually in his ear because of his work and other fam members might have to look for their phones.
I have ICE numbers on my cellphone. They are my sister (who's a nurse), my daughter and my parents. My neighbor has keys to the house but he is always either with me or at day care. These numbers are more in case something happens to me while he is at day care and I'm running errands. The day care also has the numbers.
When we moved into our community we were each given key rings with a tag. I just put them away in a drawer. I often go for long walks and don't carry my wallet (great method of not spending money). As my neighbors keel over one by one I thought about the key tags. Each one has the name of our community and an individual serial number. Office has out contact info.
A couple years ago I read an article about ICE. The starthad to do with the frustration of emergency personnel dealling with accidents, havingan injured person--fibding their cell and rolling through their contacts with no clue whoi should be called. In our case,one of my sisters is my Patient Advocate and she is my ICE. I have set up 3 sets of keys -- 2 with sisters--one is my ICE, and one is stashed near an entrance, easily directed to. Whn I recently had a 5 day respite the sister who is my Patient Advocate agreed to be the ICE for DH so there was a layer between me and what might go on here. I authorized her to act in my place until I could be reached. So easy to enter: ICE Smith K 222-2222 or ICE Katie S 222-2222. I went one further and did three entries: ICE Smith K H 222-2222 ICE Katie S C 234-5678 ICE Katie W 321-9876 Home Cell Work
I have 2 ices on my phone, my daughter and my son. with their home phones business and cells. And it's because something could happen to me... I'm 67, who knows what could happen.
I've done the ice thing...DH also wears a medic alert bracelet w/all info. Also, I've put all of our legal documents (Living Trust, Powers of Attorney, Power of Medical Attorney, DNR orders, Doctors names and phone #'s and list of meds....all pertinent information) in a zip lock bag in the freezer. In the State of California, and maybe nationwide, when the peramedics are called to your home, they are trained to look in the freezer for this info, in case you can't provide it. They look there before starting any treatment (in case there is a DNR). This info was provided to me by the son of friend who is an EMT, and loves my DH. I called the local Fire Department and verified, and was told it is absolutely the rule. It's good info....
WOW! Never even crossed my mind…..well that isn’t true, it did but I wasn’t sure what to do about it. Now I do. I’ll be “icing” numbers in my cell phone tonight. I also like the info in the freezer. I’ll have to find out if that is where our EMT’s look also.
My cellphone shows the ICE contacts and numbers in red. Also under the ICE I have a place to put notes. So I have put in that I am caregiver to my husband who has dementia. Just in case.