As expatriates in Mexico, we often face unique healthcare challenges. Be Well San Miguel can help you navigate these complexities and create a personalized emergency plan.
Key recommendations:
- Emergency contact information: Share your medical history, preferred hospital, and other emergency contacts with trusted friends and family both locally as well as in your home country.
- More on Contacts: Make sure you list both local contacts and how to reach them as well as phone numbers of key contacts in the north, such as closest family members or friends.
- Keys to your home. Make sure spare keys are left with someone nearby such as a neighbor or house manager. Don’t leave keys with people who are likely to be away from SMA for periods of time.
- Identify in advance who you want to be your physician and what hospital you want to go to.
- Learn Spanish: Knowing some Spanish can be crucial in emergency situations.
- Medical directive: Create a legal medical directive to guide your care if you’re unable to make decisions. Directives made outside of Mexico are not valid here.
- Power of attorney: Appoint someone to act on your behalf in case of an emergency. This requires an appointment with a lawyer and is a simple process. It is good to have a well-informed POA in your home of origin as well as locally
- Emergency fund: Have a financial reserve for unexpected medical expenses.
- Insurance: Consider travel insurance or an evacuation plan.
- Pet care: Arrange for someone to care for your pets if necessary.
- Consider keeping copies of the same information with you at all times when traveling, especially for road trips when medical emergencies and accidents are most likely to happen.
By taking these proactive steps, you can better prepare yourself and your loved ones for unforeseen events.
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