Preparation That Brings Peace

Emergencies are unpredictable, but your response to them doesn’t have to be. For individuals living with dementia—and their families or carers—having a system in place before a crisis occurs can make the difference between panic and calm, confusion and clarity.

As a dementia care expert, I’ve seen how early preparation prevents distress, delays in care, and breakdowns in communication. By creating a clear, accessible emergency information system, families ensure that support teams can act quickly, confidently, and compassionately—no matter the circumstance.

Why Emergency Planning Is Essential in Dementia Care

Emergencies might include:

• Sudden hospitalisation or illness
• Wandering or getting lost
• Falls or injuries at home
• Caregiver unavailability
• Natural disasters, heatwaves, or power outages

In these moments, carers and professionals need fast access to accurate health, medication, and care preference information. Early setup avoids the risk of losing precious time—or making decisions that don’t reflect the person’s wishes.

What an Emergency Information System Should Include

A complete system should cover:

• Full name, address, and emergency contacts
• Diagnosis and stage of dementia
• List of current medications and allergies
• Advance Care Directive and power of attorney documentation
• Preferred hospital and care preferences
• Communication methods and triggers to avoid
• Daily routines and sensory or emotional needs
• Legacy messages the person wants honoured in emergencies or end-of-life care

Storing this digitally through Evaheld’s secure vault ensures it’s available 24/7 from any device.

Using QR Codes and Digital Access Tools

Some families now use QR-code cards or tags linked to emergency files. This allows authorised care teams, ambulance services, or hospital staff to:

• View essential information instantly
• Understand the person’s dementia diagnosis and needs
• Honour previously recorded ethical wishes or spiritual practices
• Reduce unnecessary hospital stays or interventions

Evaheld supports this by assigning private, permission-based access to content in a crisis—without breaching dignity or security.

Organising Physical Copies for Quick Retrieval

While digital tools are essential, physical backups help when:

• Power or internet access is limited
• The person is transferred to a care facility
• Emergency workers need immediate access at home

Create a “red folder” or envelope near the front door with:

• Printed medical summary
• Contact numbers
• Advance Care Planning documents
• Medication chart
• Short note on communication tips
• Directions to Evaheld Vault content

Label it clearly, and let family and carers know where to find it.

Supporting Carers and Emergency Responders

Carers, especially members of the sandwich generation, often manage emergencies without warning. With a system in place, they can:

• Avoid frantic searching for documents
• Focus on calming and supporting their loved one
• Provide clear instructions to paramedics, nurses, or care homes
• Share legacy intentions with confidence

This prevents emotional overload and ensures the person’s values are never lost in translation.

Documenting Emotional and Sensory Preferences

Care is about more than medications. In an emergency, knowing:

• What music calms the person
• What spiritual items they want nearby
• How they prefer to be touched or spoken to
• What phrases offer reassurance

…can completely change the experience. Include this content in your Evaheld vault, memory book, or printed note for first responders.

Reviewing and Updating Regularly

Set a routine—perhaps once per season—to:

• Check that medications and contacts are up to date
• Review legacy materials for new entries or edits
• Confirm that permissions for sharing content are still appropriate
• Add recent recordings or wishes

You can use reminders through your GP, clinic, or memory support team to help stay on track.

Involving the Individual in Setup

When cognitively possible, involve your loved one in:

• Choosing what messages or documents to share
• Deciding who can access what
• Recording emergency-specific voice notes for comfort or guidance
• Writing down the “one thing they want care teams to know”

This maintains autonomy and ensures that emergency planning still reflects personality—not just diagnosis.

Local Support and Templates

You can access emergency care templates through:

• Nurse Info
• Local aged care or dementia services
• Community health networks or GP practices
• Dementia Australia’s toolkits for carer support
• Your Advance Care Planning team

Combine these resources with your own custom entries using Evaheld to create a truly holistic system.

In Summary

You may not be able to predict the next emergency—but you can prepare for it with intention and compassion. A strong emergency information system protects the person you love, supports the people caring for them, and honours legacy in the moments when it matters most.

Start now. Build gradually. And use Evaheld to create a digital layer of reassurance that ensures your loved one’s voice, story, and preferences are always within reach—especially when everything else feels uncertain.