The Binder
The book you didn't know you needed.
The Origin Story
He was born at 25 weeks of gestationn and he spent almost a year in the NICU. And when we became his full-time guardians, one of the things we kept asking ourselves was "What happens if something happens to us?"
We were told to put something together, but the entire process felt daunting. We couldn't even get a doctor's appointment for him without the guardianship letter and an ID. Nothing helped us walk through making sure someone knew where we kept the SSI paperwork, what the medications are and when they're given, who calls who in an emergency, and what his daily routines look like so a backup caregiver could step in without losing a beat.
"An adult with disabilities may not be able to access medical care, finances, or medications without the people who support them. What happens when those people are suddenly unavailable?"
So I put together the Life Care & Continuity Binder, and now you don't have to. It's a practical system for organizing every critical piece of information a backup caregiver would need to step in — for a day, a week, or permanently.
Think of it as a safety net after you're gone. It doesn't answer "what if." It answers "what happens next." It will you give you some piece of mind, because parents always wonder.
I also built a companion Articulate Storyline scenario — a branching learning experience that walks a family member through the experience of getting the call and stepping into a caregiving role for the first time. It's part of my instructional design portfolio, and it's designed to make the weight of this binder feel a little less abstract. Try the interactive scenario →
Who This Is For
What's Inside
Organized so that someone who has never been inside your life could navigate it in a crisis.
Emergency Contacts & Key Designees
Primary and backup caregivers, legal guardian info, healthcare proxy, power of attorney, and digital account designee.
Medical — Providers & Facilities
Insurance info, every specialist, hospital affiliations, patient portal logins, and pharmacy contacts.
Medical — Diagnoses & Health History
Primary diagnoses, allergies and adverse reactions, surgical and procedure history.
Medications & Supplements
Complete medication list with dosages, schedules, prescribing physicians, and refill information.
Daily Care Routines & Preferences
Morning and evening routines, food preferences, behavioral notes, sensory considerations, and what a good day looks like.
Legal & Financial Overview
Guardianship documents, SSI and Medicaid status, benefit programs, financial accounts, and estate planning notes.
Personal History & Identity
Who this person is — their story, their relationships, what brings them joy, and what they need people to know.
Important Documents Checklist
Where to find the birth certificate, Social Security card, guardianship letters, insurance cards, and every other document that matters.
Future Care Plan
Long-term wishes, preferred living arrangements, values and priorities for future caregivers, and a letter to the people who will carry this forward.
Get the Binder
Print it, store it somewhere safe, and tell someone where it is. That's the whole plan.
Digital PDF
$12
Download, print at home, and fill in by hand. Best for families who want to get started right away.
Get it on EtsyPrint — Black & White
$24.99
Coil-bound, 8.5×11, printed and shipped. Everything you need, ready to fill in.
Order on LuluPrint — Full Color
$35
Color-coded sections, full-color design, coil-bound. The one to give as a gift to a caregiver who needs this.
Order on LuluNow available on Lulu and Etsy. Follow along on TikTok for updates and caregiver stories.