I'm a digital clutter coach, but my work hit close to home when my dad died. I was glad I'd taken these steps ahead of time.

The author organized her father's assets before he died in 2020.Courtesy of Amanda JeffersonI'm a digital clutter coach, but my work had never hit close to home until my dad passed away.When he did, I was glad that I'd taken steps ahead of time to be organized.Saving his logins, organizing a Dropbox, and keeping his phone active helped during a tough time.I never imagined that being organized in my digital life would help my family during one of our toughest times.My father had Parkinson's disease for many years. But in 2020, at the height of the pandemic, it got worse, fast.He was suddenly adding extra zeros to checks, looking for the TV remote in the coat closet, and he got lost driving to the grocery store four blocks away. (That was the last time he drove.)My way of coping with his sudden decline was to kick my organizational skills into overdrive. Though I'm a digital clutter coach by profession, it had never hit this close to home.Here's what I did that made an extremely difficult time easier for me and my family.I got a clear picture of his assets and organized his documents digitallyI worked with him (as much as he was able) and my mom to gather all of the financial statements, wills, powers of attorney, insurance policies, health directives, medicines, and more.I saved these files in Dropbox so that they could be accessed from anywhere and easily shared with others. (Another great option is Trustworthy, which has certified experts who can help gather all of these documents into one user-friendly hub.)Taking it a step further, I shared those documents pre-emptively with his healthcare providers, banks, insurance companies, and more to ensure I could speak to them on his behalf.The author organized her father's documents digitally.Courtesy of Amanda JeffersonI used my phone as a scanner and a fax machineWhen my dad ultimately passed in November of 2020, we found ourselves signing slews of documents and faxing dozens of death certificates.My phone became a powerful tool that I could use on the go, whether I was at the funeral home, the bank, or my mom's house.I used my phone to scan documents directly into Dropbox, but one of the most surprising and helpful things was using it to fax.I learned quickly that many banks and insurance companies do things "old school." I sent faxes via a phone app called GeniusFax. It was super affordable and saved me the stress of running around town trying to track down a fax machine. (Hello, 1985.)I saved his logins, and I kept his phone activeI stored all of my dad's usernames, passwords, and answers to security questions (like, who was your first grade teacher) in 1Password so that I could access accounts on his behalf.I created a tag called "Dad" so that I could easily find all items related to him amid my own passwords.We also somehow had the foresight not to deactivate his phone right away. That was crucial when we needed to receive 2-step verification texts when logging into his accounts.I used facial recognition to gather photosI was tasked with making the video for his memorial service, so I asked family and friends to use the facial recognition feature on their phones and add their favorite photos of Dad to a shared photo album. This made it so easy to create a beautiful tribute video, and to this day, my mom still watches it.I miss my dad's goofy, dry humor, our peaceful canoe rides together, and his gentle spirit every day. But as strange as it sounds, learning how to use this technology made it easier to stay present, process my grief, and honor my dad. It made an incredibly difficult time just a little more bearable.Read the original article on Business Insider

Comments

Business News

More businesses forced to close in July as cost pressures mount

Evening Standard

Mayfair supercar crackdown: Wealthy drivers who cause havoc by revving their engines and racing round affluent streets face fines

about 4 hours ago

Applied Nutrition shares bulk up as protein group flexes bumper profits

Dailymail

Comments

Similar News

AI crawler Firecrawl raises $14.5M, is still looking to hire agents as employees

I burned out working at consulting firms like KPMG and became a stay-at-home dad. I feel some guilt, but I'm glad I left.

I'm a professional trader, and even I lost £13k to convincing pump and dump scam

B&M to close popular Musselburgh branch in further blow to high street

I'm a dietitian. Here are my 10 favorite things to buy at Trader Joe's for quick, easy meals for one.

I'm a dietitian. Here are my 10 favorite things to buy at Trader Joe's for quick, easy meals.

I lived in Italy for 8 years. These 6 places in the US make me feel like I'm back in my favorite Italian cities.

We had a low mortgage and lived comfortably in Maryland but gave it all up for a fresh start in Georgia. I'm now divorced with a higher mortgage and regret.

I'm a high-school student who wants to be a coder. I'm betting some of my peers will rely too much on AI.

My brother didn't give me a plus-one for his wedding. I was upset at first, but I'm actually so relieved I went alone.

As an upper-income dad, I spend most of my expendable income on my kids' activities. I fear I'm giving them an unfair advantage.

Parenting is hard for everyone, so I've decided to stop faking it when others ask how I'm doing

I'm a California landlord who bought my first rental property in Greece. It went so well, I'm already looking for more.

My partner's an impulsive spender while I'm a saver. I'm worried for our kids' future &mdash; how can I get through to him?

'I'm a keen cook and tested Lakeland's £60 Only Pan vs viral £125 Always Pan'

I'm a software engineer who spent nearly 7 years at Twitter before joining OpenAI. Here's how I got hired and why I love it.

I'm a psychologist and concerned about how much my clients are using chatbots at work

I'm a psychiatrist who has treated 12 patients with 'AI psychosis' this year. Watch out for these red flags.

I regret spending 2 weeks in Europe traveling to 6 different places. Next time, I'm choosing quality over quantity.

I’m a family lawyer. Here’s why - and how - to get a prenup

Business News

More businesses forced to close in July as cost pressures mount

Air Canada reaches deal with flight attendant union to end strike

Ultra-luxurious Santa Monica hotel accused of failing to pay staff minimum wage

Hiltzik: Trump wants NASA to burn a crucial satellite to cinders, killing research into climate change

Russia And Ukraine Both Stake Claim To Crimea

CurrentBody owner picks O'Donnell as chair ahead of London float

New Look just dropped the perfect Chanel-inspired ballet flats for under £20

Boots £35 anti-ageing serum sold more than 4 million times slashed to £10 today only

DWP issues 'be aware' warning over text that could drain your bank account

DWP state pensioners to get surprise payments in bank accounts on Friday

'Cosy not sweaty' £130 Regatta coat reduced to £39 - perfect for rainy days

Cheryl announced as new face of ‘age rewinding’ high street serum with results in 2 weeks

Apple MacBook cut by £240 ahead of GCSE results day

Aldi restocks extra large £20 decoration that 'makes any home look beautiful'

Applied Nutrition beats guidance amid strong sales momentum

Children more likely to engage with junk food posts from influencers – charity

Rail campaigners say potential 5.5% fares rise would be ‘ripping off’ passengers

Rent affordability worsens in England as urban areas drive disparity

How AI Tries To Detect Mental Fragility And Thus Fulfill Sam Altman’s Goal Of Not Accidentally Exploiting People’s Minds

On Releasing The Roger Pro Fire Performance Tennis Shoe

'We quit our jobs to live off-grid for less than £9 a day'

Stamp duty 'could be replaced by new property tax' - how it would impact you

'I ate at McDonald's in Japan and biggest surprise wasn't menu differences'

Poundland announces exact date it will stop selling online and close loyalty app

'I put Kylie Jenner's new smudge-proof brown mascara to the test with surprising results’

Crocs' 'cool and breathable' trainers are now less than £10 with this clever hack

Reports suggest Chancellor may reduce pension tax for higher earners

Mayfair supercar crackdown: Wealthy drivers who cause havoc by revving their engines and racing round affluent streets face fines

Applied Nutrition shares bulk up as protein group flexes bumper profits

FTSE 100 Live 19 August: Index makes steady progress, miner BHP cuts dividend

UK economy bigger than previously estimated by end of 2023 – ONS

Small towns drive growth for office firm IWG as workers abandon daily commute

FTC sues ticket reseller, saying it illegally exceeded purchase limits for Taylor Swift, other shows

Appeals court overturns order that stripped some protections from pregnant Texas state workers

Air Canada and flight attendants union resume talks for the first time since strike began

Las Vegas tourism is down. Some blame Trump's tariffs and immigration crackdown

Utility to buy power from advanced nuclear plant to fuel Tennessee and Alabama Google data centers

The crucial money questions adults should ask their ageing parents - even if it’s awkward

Retired UFC Hall-Of-Famer Making Ill-Advised Return In Bare Knuckle

Ryan Reynolds And Rob McElhenney May Bring Women’s World Cup To Wrexham

Blackstone-Backed AirTrunk Gets $1.8 Billion Loan To Build Second Data Center In Singapore

Powerball Jackpot Nears $650 Million—Here’s How Much The Winner Could Take Home

Brits are becoming more confident but also more cautious investors, study finds

London's West end retail soars as new data shows a surge in demand

Government confirms Plug-In Van Grant extension - how much can white van man save by going electric?

UK borrowing costs spike as Bank of England rate hold fears

Will Chancellor slash pension tax relief for higher earners in the Budget?

Are window shutters a better and cheaper alternative to air con?

This part of YOUR car has become incredibly desirable to criminals in the last three years with thefts up 68%

I'm a professional trader, and even I lost £13k to convincing pump and dump scam

Young entrepreneurs could win £5,000 prize - if their business impresses Professor Green

How algorithms are changing the way we speak

SoftBank To Make $2 Billion Investment In Troubled U.S. Chipmaker Intel

Kim Kardashian’s Skims Pushes Into Europe With New Leadership Hire

‘War 2’, ‘Coolie’ Score Big, Rank Among Global Top Ten

If College Football Is The Wild West USC’s Mascot Should Be The Cowboy

Sam Altman says there was a big reason OpenAI released its open-weight models

My partner's an impulsive spender while I'm a saver. I'm worried for our kids' future — how can I get through to him?