By National Family Caregivers Association

When your loved one  is in a medical crisis, your ability to observe symptoms carefully and report accurately might be, quite literally, life-saving. But that is also a time when it may be difficult to function clearly. Here is a list that will help you remember what to look for during a crisis. You may want to read it ahead of time, and then tuck a copy in your filing system for later reference.

1. Time
   What time did the problem start?
2. Action
   What was he or she doing when the problem started?
3. Cause
   Do you know or suspect what might have caused the problem?
   Did the patient say anything about how he felt when the problem started and/or as it progressed? What was it?
4. Symptoms
   What was the first symptom that you noticed?
   What other symptoms/complaints do you remember?
   Did the symptoms come on abruptly or gradually?
5. Medication
   Was he given any medication or medical treatment just before the problem started? If so, what was it?
6. History
   Does he have a history of this kind of problem? If so, what was the previous diagnosis?
7. Treatment
   What did you do to try to help him between the time the problem arose and the time you arrived in the ER or the doctor’s office?
   Did something work well? Seem to make things worse?

When to Call For Help

When is a crisis a crisis? When should you call someone else for help? Get help when your care recipient is in some kind of medical distress and you aren’t sure what to do.

Call your local rapid-response number (e.g., 911) or an ambulance

if the person you are caring for:

• Is unconscious
• Has unexplained chest pain or pressure
• Is having trouble breathing or is not breathing at all
• Has no pulse
• Is bleeding severely
• Is vomiting blood or bleeding from the rectum
• Has fallen and may have broken bones
• Has had a seizure
• Has a severe headache and/or slurred speech
• Has pressure or severe pain in the abdomen that does not go away
• Is unusually confused or disoriented

Also call for help if:

• Moving the person could cause further injury
• The person is too heavy for you to lift or help
• Traffic or distance would cause a life-threatening delay in getting to the hospital

Originally published by the National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA). Reprinted with permission.

National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) educates, supports, and speaks up for the more than 65 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness, disability or frailty. NFCA reaches across the boundaries of diagnoses, relationships and life stages to address the common needs and concerns of all family caregivers. For more information visit www.thefamilycaregiver.org.