Call Your Parents or Grandparents Today and Warn Them…

Unfortunately in today’s society, we have to take precautions with our identity. We may be aware of the dangers, but, when is the last time you reminded your loved ones to be cautious? There are plenty of people out there that are ready to take advantage of your parents or grandparents, so it’s a good idea to remind them regularly how to best protect their identity. Here are some tips:

• Do not give Social Security, bank account or credit card information over the phone. If you receive a phone call from someone requesting any personal information, ask them for the name of the company they are calling from, look up the number for that institution and call them back.
• Shred personal documents that contain Social Security numbers, bank account information, credit cards numbers, etc. If you do not have a shredder, tear the documents in pieces, be certain that account information is torn in half, and discard in separate receptacles.
• Limit the number of credit cards you carry, and never carry your Social Security card together with your Driver’s License.
• Protect your Social Security number, avoid using it whenever possible, and never print it on your checks.
• Monitor your bank and credit card accounts carefully so you will know if something is missing, or if there has been an unauthorized purchase made.
• Never send credit card information through an email. Email is not secure. Send credit card information only through a secure online order form. Review the image below to see how to determine whether or not an online order form is secure:

Help keep your loved ones safe. Society is not what it was 40 years ago, and these simple reminders just might prevent your loved one from experiencing the consequence of identity theft.

You can also provide peace of mind for your loved one by getting them a medical alarm. With a medical alarm, your loved one can get help during an emergency with just the push of a button. There is nothing more disheartening than hearing countless stories of families who had someone fall who could not get to a telephone to call for help, so nobody knew about it…and nobody came. It is our goal to help make sure no family has to experience that situation. With a medical alert system from American Medical Alarms help is always within reach.

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In case of emergency, you can really assist your loved ones by providing them access to important documents. http://ping.fm/zUp80

Keeping Your Important Information Safe

In case of emergency, you can really assist your loved ones by providing them access to important documents. Below is a list of common documents that you might want to store and various options for storing them:

Important Papers that either prove ownership or that would be difficult to replace should be stored in a fireproof safe. These types of documents include things like:

Certificates (birth, marriage, death, citizenship)
Social Security Cards
Legal papers (divorce, settlement, custody, adoption, living will, durable power of attorney, or DNR directives)
Policies (Life, Insurance, Health)
Real estate deeds
Titles (automobile, motorcycle, boat)
Military Service Records
Immunization Records
Passports
Stock and bond certificates
Contracts
Household inventory
A list of Financial Accounts, the Account Numbers, Passwords or Pin required to access those accounts.
Any other documents, records or information that would be difficult to replace like:

Did you know that by law, tax returns are required to be retained permanently and supporting tax documents (like W2's, 1099's etc.) must be retained for 6 years. So, keep your tax returns in a safe location (maybe even in a safety deposit box).
If you have a life insurance policy for yourself or any family members you should store this information with your important documents. When storing this information you will need to store the original policy along with any changes or renewal policy information since many life insurance policies change from year to year. You should not rely on your Life Insurance provider to correctly interpret a policy that you began over 20 years ago. So, keep the initial policy as well as any addendums together along with any information that might be needed to access the policy.
Home/Automotive repair and maintenance bills should be retained as well and can be easily stored in a file to be accesssed as needed. Many folks like to also log any automotive repairs in their owner's manuals.
If possible you should create a video log of your possessions taking care to record the make, model and serial number of each item. If you do not have a video recorder you can purchase/use a camera to take photos of your belongings. Store this information in a safety deposit box or in a fire/water proof safe in your home. I recommend making copies and storing them at multiple locations.
Because a safety deposit box may be sealed, it is important that you retain copies of everything in an easy to access location. We recommend using the Vital Record PortaVault to help you keep your documents organized and the First Alert Fire and Water File Chest to store these important documents.

Today is the First Day of Medication Safety Week

April 1-7th is Medication Safety Week, started by the Women’s Heart Foundation, which is geared towards bringing national attention to the 6th leading cause for death. For people taking several medications at a time it is important to learn how to protect yourself from complications that can arise. There are several steps you can take this week to improve your medication safety.

The Following information is from the Women’s Heart Foundation Website:

• April 1: Clean Out Your Medicine CabinetStart with a clean slate. Discard outdated medicines and old prescriptions. Many drugs lose their potency over time. Store medicines in their original containers and in a cool, dry place. Locate medicines away from children and pets and from those who do not understand.


• April 2: Know Your MedicinesKnow both the generic and trade names of your medicines. Know how to identify pills and know what they are for. Make a list of all the medicines you are taking. Write down both the generic and brand names of medicines as this may prevent inadvertently double-dosing. Know the drug’s purpose and why you are taking it. Be able to identify pills by name. List prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, birth control pills and patches and supplements. Keep the list updated and keep it with you at all times. Print out your free Medication Record (pdf format) by double-clicking on Medication Record (English version) or Medication Record (Spanish version).


• April 3: Read Medicine Labels CarefullyAre you taking what your doctor ordered and the way he ordered it? Note precautionary stickers on the label. Note the route, dose and frequency of your medicines. Keep medicines in their original containers. Pay attention to warnings. Note that some medicines can react with foods. Others have to be taken on an empty stomach. Some lose potency quickly and must be kept in an air-tight container. The effectiveness of many medicines is dependent upon taking them at the correct times. How the medicine is to be taken ––the route–– is also important (i.e. by mouth, through the skin, under the tongue, inhaling, rectal or vaginal suppository, enema or douche). Be careful!


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  April 4: Dietary Supplements AwarenessDiscuss taking a dietary supplement with your doctor or practitioner and your pharmacist before you start it. Herbal medicines and other dietary supplements can react with medicines and have an unknown synergistic effect. All herbal preparations are contraindicated while pregnant or breastfeeding. For more information, go to Dietary Supplements.


• April 5: Organize Your Medicines Keep an updated record listing all medicines and supplements you are taking. Use of a medicine organizer box may be helpful, especially for those taking more than one pill several times a day, however, a medicine organizer box requires close monitoring, especially when there is a change in medicines. Also, be aware that use of an organizer box violates the rule of keeping medicines in their original containers. Managing pills with a medicine organizer box, while convenient, is not without risk. Take medicines as prescribed. New drugs with time-released action can offer some help with organizing with only once-a-day medicating. Ask your doctor about these newer medicines. Keep your medicine record up-to-date. Go to Taking Medications Safely.


• April 6: Transitional Care AwarenessA change in medical regimen can be confusing and can place you at increased risk. Be diligent about communication with all healthcare professionals. Make sure you understand your medicinces and how you are to take them before leaving the hospital or doctor’s office. Ask for written instructions. Be extra cautious whenever there is a change in your medical regimen. Double-check your medicines when picking up a new or refilled prescription. If in a hospital or nursing home, make sure the nurse checks your I.D. bracelet before giving you your pills. If a pill doesn’t look familiar, ask why. It may be a generic of the same drug you were taking however, if you don’t ask, you won’t know! Make sure you receive written instructions upon discharge from any medical facility and insist that both the generic and brand names of each drug you are to take is included. Follow the tips listed on the Healthy Hearts Guide Taking Medications Safely.


• April 7: Better Communication With Health ProfessionalsActively seek information from your pharmacist about the pills and the supplements that you are taking. Ask for print-out sheets on drugs. Discuss all risks and benefits with your prescribing practitioner. Share information about the medicines and supplements you are taking with all your prescribing practitioners and with your pharmacist. Discuss expected effects and possible side effects. Discuss if there are any serious side-effects that your doctor needs to know about right away. Report adverse drug effects promptly and never hesitate to ask questions when it comes your health and the use of medicines. Your doctor, healthcare practitioner and pharmacist are there to help…just ask! Go to Taking Medications Safely. Go to Taking Coumadin® at Home for safety tips when taking warfarin – a blood thinner.
  

American Medical Alarms also highly recommends that you have a Vial a Life to keep your emergency medical information. The Vial a Life program is nationally recognized and saves countless lives each year by providing rescue with pertinent, life saving information when you are unable to speak for yourself. You can obtain a FREE Vial a Life today at American Medical Alarms.

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Two Weeks After We Installed the Alarm...My Mom Fell

We received this letter in the mail today and wanted to share it with our readers. Kay from Des Moines, WA wrote:

Thank you for your service, two weeks after we installed the alarm system my mom fell at night and broke her hip. Without your system who knows how long she would have been on the floor unable to get help...

We are happy that we were able to assist Kay's mom with getting
help during this emergency. This is why we encourage families to consider a
medical alarm so we can be there when no one else can.

Visit our website at http://www.americanmedicalalarms.com/