08/28/2026
A crisis is a terrible time to ask your family to become detectives.
There are a few things worth putting in writing and talking through with the people who need to know.
🧭 Your decision-maker - Choose the person who can ask questions, stay emotionally steady, and honor your wishes under pressure.
🤲 Your care preferences - Write down what kind of care you want, what you don’t want, and what comfort is to you.
📞 Emergency contacts - Make sure your people know who should be called, including doctors, close family, chosen family, clergy, neighbors, or anyone else who belongs on that list.
📁 Document location - Tell someone where your advance directive, medical power of attorney, HIPAA release, insurance information, medication list, and other important papers are kept.
💬 Communication wishes - Think about who should receive updates, how much information should be shared, and who you trust to communicate clearly when everyone is grieving.
This person needs to stay steady about the decisions and compassionate with the people affected by them, including family, friends, and themselves.
None of this is glamorous. It’s paperwork, phone numbers, decisions, and the kind of practical planning most people avoid because it makes everything feel too real.
But when a crisis happens, taking care of these details in advance for them is showing them you care.
They tell your family where to look, who to call, what you wanted, and how to move through the moment without having to guess at every turn.
