This past week in South Western Ontario parents, educators and the general public have been sitting on pins and needles waiting to hear is the “Work to rule” for all CUPE members will turn into a full blown strike.
Now, this may not seem to most as a “Crisis” but to many families who have children with special needs just the talk of a strike sends them into “MayDay…Mayday” zone. And this got me thinking, are you ready for a crisis?
There are plenty of things that we have control over in our lives, but there are many we don’t. Emergencies, tragedies and unforeseen crisis are all things that we would rather NOT think about, much less prepare for. But as we get older we realize that we have family who depend on us. Whether it’s our aging parents or our growing kids there are people in our lives that depend on us. And what would happen if you couldn’t take care of those commitments? Could anyone of your family or friends step into a most likely stressful situation and take over? Would they know where to begin?
Our goal when organizing someone’s home or space is to make their lives as simple and stress free as possible. Whether that means moving the dishes from one cupboard to another so that you’re taking less steps to empty the dishwasher or if it means that we set up a system with all your important documents and communications so that it can be found in a moments notice by anyone.
Don’t take the fact that “you know” where everything is for granted, because there could be a time when you’re not available and things need to be done. The last thing anyone needs is to be rooting around trying to find the details of your everyday life and the information that is necessary for your dependants to continue with their schedules.
Get organized. Bring all of your schedules together in one place. Whether it’s a google calendar where every person has a different colour code, or it’s a daytime that sits on the counter for everyone to see and contribute to.
Get Organized. Important documents including wills, power of attorneys and contact sheets with Doctor, Lawyer, Insurance and/or child care should be accessible and well labeled within a filing system.
Get Organized. On your mobile devices everyone should have a contact listed under the name “In Emergency”. This is a go to for any bystander or emergency personnel helping during a tragic event.
Trust us….we’ve been doing this for 18 years! There is a weight lifted knowing that in a crisis situation your loved ones will be looked after and you can focus on what’s important.
