Hospital Action Items: A Starting List of Matters to Attend To
To schedule an appointment, contact our law firm at 403-400-4092 or Chris@NeufeldLegal.com
When a loved one is hospitalized, the sudden shift from daily routine to medical crisis can feel overwhelming, making it difficult to focus on anything beyond their immediate recovery. However, this is often the most critical window to ensure their legal and financial affairs are organized, especially if their capacity to make decisions or communicate may fluctuate. Securing documents like a personal directive or power of attorney is not just about logistics; it’s about ensuring that their specific wishes regarding medical intervention and property management are honored by healthcare providers and institutions alike. By collecting and consolidating key personal and financial information and documents (from bank access and digital passwords to contact lists and their final Will), you create a protective buffer that prevents administrative chaos from compounding an already emotional situation, allowing the family to focus on support rather than red tape.
Action Items for Organizing Affairs - Your Starting List
1. Locate or Draft a Personal Directive
One's Personal Directive outlines who is authorized to make medical decisions if the patient cannot. Without this, hospitals may have to follow a default hierarchy of next-of-kin, which might not align with the patient’s actual preferences [more on personal directives].
2. Confirm Power of Attorney
A Power of Attorney grants a designated person the legal authority to manage the patient's financial affairs (paying bills, managing investments, or handling property). Ensure the original document or a notarized copy is accessible, as banks will require proof of authority [more on powers of attorney].
3. Identify the Last Will & Testament
Locate the most recent version of their Will. While this only takes effect upon death, knowing its location and the named Executor ensures a smoother transition and prevents a frantic search during a period of grief later on [more on confirm & review will]].
4. Create a Master Contact List
Compile a list of Key Players in the patient's life. This should include: Primary Care Physician and specialists. Legal counsel or the family lawyer. Financial advisors or accountants. Insurance agents (Life, Health, and Home).
5. Consolidate Financial Accounts and Documents
List all active bank accounts, credit cards, mortgages, and utility providers. Knowing where the money is (and what bills are set to autopay) is essential to prevent late fees or service interruptions while the family member is incapacitated.
6. Secure Digital Access and Passwords
In the modern age, access to a smartphone or a primary email account is often the "master key" to everything else. If the patient is able, have them share their phone passcode or use a password manager. You may need this to access two-factor authentication for banking or to notify social circles.
7. Gather Vital Statistics and Identification
Keep a folder (physical or digital) containing the patient’s Social Security or Social Insurance number, birth certificate, marriage certificate, and military discharge papers. These are frequently required for government benefits or insurance claims.
8. Document "In-Hospital" Preferences
Beyond legal forms, keep a notebook of the patient's personal comforts - preferred religious rites, dietary restrictions not related to their medical care, or specific friends they do (or do not) want notified of their status.
So if a loved one has been admitted to Calgary’s Foothills Medical Centre, Peter Lougheed Centre, Rockyview General Hospital, South Health Campus, Tom Baker Cancer Centre, Cochrane Community Health Centre, Airdrie Community Health Centre or other medical facility, hospice or seniors home in metropolitan Calgary, Alberta, you need to ensure that their last will & testament, power of attorney and personal directive is up-to-date and reflects their current intentions. If a loved one requires a hospital visiting lawyer to attend to a last will & testament, power of attorney, personal directive, trust or other estate planning document, contact our law firm today at 403-400-4092 or via email at a href="mailto:chris@neufeldlegal.com">Chris@NeufeldLegal.com to schedule a confidential initial consultation.*
* Please note that travel time and attending at the hospital / hospice / seniors home will incur additional cost and expense as compared to comparable legal work on wills, trusts, personal directives and powers of attorney. Click here for more information about hospital appointments.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This website is designed for general informational purposes. The site is not designed to answer specific questions about your individual situation or entitlement. Do not rely upon the information provided on this website as legal advice in respect of your individual situation nor use it as substitute for individual legal advice. If you want specific legal advice, you need to engage a lawyer under established legal engagement procedures that have been specifically agreed to by that lawyer.
Contact Info - Mobile Services - Hospital Visits - Legal Notices - Privacy - Terms of Use - Main Will Webpage