Technology

Using Technology

As I started gathering mom's documents and information, I needed to get organized so that I could find important documents quickly when I needed to.  I'm a tech savvy person and so I used a variety of tools including a loose leaf notebook, Microsoft OneDrive and software that I developed to track mom's information.

Keeping mom's information readily available and up to date helped me when unexpected trips to the Emergeny Room arose where I was asked for mom's medical history, current medications, insurance, etc.  When you are under stress, remembering all this information completely and accurately becomes very difficult.  All I needed to do was to refer to my note book or to my electronic tool on my cell phone.

I always carried a copy of mom's Power of Attorney, Living Will and Designated Healthcare Surrogate documents.  This made it very easy at hospital registration time since I simply handed the copies to the nursing staff and they took over from there.

Use what feels right and is easy for you to maintain.  But, use something and don't rely on trying to remember everything.  Life will be easier for you during emergencies and the information you provide will be more accurate and complete.

Using Email & Secure Messaging

First and foremost, EMAIL IS NOT SECURE.  When using email to communicate about your loved one's business or health information, never send sensitive information by email; neither through attached documents or in the body of the email.  Bad actors can and do intercept email to obtain Personal Identifiable Information to hack accounts, impersonate people and a number of other illegal acts.

If you need to communicate sensitive information with others, use secure messaging platforms that offer end-to-end encryption by default such as Apple's iMessage, Signal, WhatsApp and Telegram (through its secret chats feature only) among others.   

But, even on these platforms, send only the minimal information that is needed and nothing more.  For example, if someone asks you for your loved one's age, provide the age and don't share the date of birth unless they specifically ask for it.

 

Using Secure Cloud Storage

Cloud storage refers to services that allow individuals and businesses to store data on remote servers, which can then be accessed via the internet.  You can store documents on cloud storage, organize them in folders, and if needed, share documents using a link and a password.  Examples of cloud storage include Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive and iCloud.

Cloud storange can be accessed from a cell phone so that you have immediate access to your important documents.

PC Mag Article
Below is a link to a PC Mag article listing the best cloud storage and file sharing services for 2024.

The Best Cloud Storage and File-Sharing Services f