For children, write down school and childcare contacts, pickup permissions, routines, allergies already documented by caregivers, scheduled appointments, and emergency contacts. Confirm whether a caregiver needs written permission to pick up a child or speak with a school. Share only what is necessary. A family member’s treatment inquiry does not automatically authorize disclosure to schools, employers, landlords, or extended family.
For pets, name a primary and backup caregiver. Include food instructions, veterinarian information, medications already prescribed for the animal, keys, and a spending limit for unexpected care. Confirm whether housing rules allow the temporary caregiver to keep the animal. Avoid leaving the plan as “someone will check in.” State dates and visit frequency instead, while recognizing that plans may need to change after facility availability and fit are reviewed directly. For housing and bills, list rent or mortgage due dates, utilities, insurance, child-related expenses, subscriptions, and any automatic payments. Record the payment source, but do not place account passwords in a shared family note. Use a password manager, delegated account access, or another secure method approved by the account holder. Never sign, move money, cancel housing, or access private accounts without lawful
- Children: authorized caregiver, backup, school pickup permissions, routine, appointments, and emergency contacts.
- Pets: caregiver, backup, food, veterinary details, keys, dates, and approved expense limit.
- Housing: due dates, lease or mortgage contact, key access, mail plan, and any deadline that could affect occupancy. Verify legal requirements before making changes. Bills: amount,