My T1 diabetic daughter will be 18 this year. I don’t want to invade her privacy, but when she goes off to college, would it be wise to have some kind of legal documents or something in case of a worse case scenario? Just until she’s settled on her own as an adult or gets married? For example, should she become severely ill or worse I could be her legal person. Or simply deal with her Rx’s for her. I’m going to speak with her and her doctor about this at our next visit.
This brings up another worry of mine. Our insurance is such a pain in the butt, if she goes to college in another town, I would hate to rearrange all her Rx just to have to move them back every summer. It may be easier if I get her Rx in my town and deliver them to her. Also annoying that we can only fill certain things every 30 days, so it’s very inconvenient that we’re always making a trip to the pharmacy bc of course each Rx isn’t due at the same time. I just want her to focus on school, but also be independent. This is all so new to me.
How have other parents handled the transition to college? Would love to hear your situations.
It is likely not relevant for you, but my employer uses Express Scripts as a pharmacy provider, although local pharmacies are also allowed, to which Express Scripts will send my refills. But there is pressure and convenience to having Express Scripts deliver refills where I tell them to deliver it, e.g., my home. In your case, it could be your home, or her college dorm.
Thank you. I had a bad experience with mail order pharmacies in the past (it wasn’t Express Scripts) so I’ve been reluctant to use them again. Plus we live in Montana and even though they are packaged well, I hate having them frozen on my porch, and sometimes there’s delays in the winter due to snow. It gives me anxiety. But I could revisit that option now. It’s been a few years.
I use CVS. I’m able to fill prescriptions in both NY and Massachusetts depending on where I am. I was also able to fill an emergency prescription in California on one occasion when I didn’t bring enough insulin.
If there’s a national chain near both where you live and where she’s going to college, filling at different times in different places should be low hassle. Even if you’re dealing with local businesses, it should be doable.
I think planning on driving to her and delivering medicine is probably sending the wrong message, independence-wise. Better that you’re there as backup if she runs into any difficulties getting what she needs.
I’m a type 1 and a parent but not the parent of a type 1 so feel free to ignore my opinion. It must be both an exciting and an anxious time for both of you. And if delivering the medicine is also an opportunity to check in with her and see how she’s doing and she’s cool with it, then I say go for it, at least at the start.
Thanks everyone! But does anyone have any information on becoming sort of a medical power of attorney or something like that (I don’t know the right words)? In case of an emergency? Or is this unnecessary? I would assume if something bad were to happen to her it would be understood that her parents would be the ones to make decisions for her, but maybe not from a legal standpoint.
Does she carry a medical alert card in wallet and/or necklace ID? That could also contain your contact #s. And should also have fast acting glucose.
If she lives on campus, there would likely be Campus Security that can be contacted or “RA” (Resident Advisor) for each dorm building/floor. They can be made aware of her condition and what to do.
Does she know any other students at same college to be contacted in emergency? With cell phones, you can set up a “ICE” (in case of emergency" contact number that can be accessed without unlocking phone.
You should strongly consider reviewing the school’s loco parentis policy with the school to make sure everyone is onboard with whatever and whomever is responsible if something bad were to happen. Making any assumptions seems very risky to me, but that just may be me.
I am only going on what happened when I went away to school way back when. I was still covered on my parents insurance so I would refill everything at semester breaks or holiday breaks. I saw my endo when I was home and also,used the campus health care system. They were very helpful with those “emergency issues” broken bottle of insulin right before going home.
As an adult now, there isn’t much you can do from a school,stand point. I was told all records are in my daughter’s name when she went away, and I had no legal right to them unless she gave me access.
I do remember. I just let the RA and director know I had diabetes and what I might need if an emergency happened. Which it did but this was before CGM days. I think as long as her roommate is good with helping if there is a problem, she should be fine. I mean, I made it without all the tech stuff I use now. And my first year, only one time there was an “emergency”.
Many parents start their child a year before, handling the insurance stuff to get a feel for it. Going to the pharmacy to get a feel for it. Doing the doctor visits by themselves to get a handle on it. At 18, they are legally adults, so they need to have that info to make things work for them.
As worried as my parents were when I went out of state for school, they realized that I had to start doing all this on my own as this was my diabetes not theirs. They were right, and I survived!
Just make sure she knows what to do when things go wrong, and they often do. And make sure there is someone that will be there if she has any problems. That is what friends are for.
She will rise to,the occasion! And I’m sure she knows you are always there if she has questions or concerns. Time for the little bird to leave the nest. You both have this!
I’m a little late to the game on this, as I have just found the Tudiabetes forum. It may be a moot point now but I did want to respond to your question about a medical power.
This is actually an important document for all adults, not just those with an already diagnosed illness. I have Healthcare POA on two of my three children (one is engaged and has her fiance as her MPOA now) as well as my husband, who is also my medical POA. You should be able to request this document from your Endocrinologist or healthcare facility.
My youngest is Type 1 and when she turned 18, the Children’s Hospital where she receives diabetic care provided us with the document. I made copies for each of us (myself, children, and spouse), discussed with them and completed the forms. It does require a notary so keep that in mind. I then uploaded the notarized form into each of their MyChart accounts.
In addition, my adult children annually add me on their medical forms as a person who can discuss their healthcare information with their providers.
Hopefully you were able to find the information you needed and your daughter is off to a great start!
I had hospitalizations as an adult.
My parents have ALWAYS been granted access to me in the hospital.
I think a power of attorney is overkill unless she’s going to school abroad.
On insurance, I assume she will attend school in a different town. Complications pop up is she goes out of state because health insurance is geographical in nature. I assume she will remain on your policy as long as possible. I think she can purchase that policy if she ages out of the option to remain on it. She’s gonna have to take a full course load in order to remain insured on your policy and this can remove some flexibility that other people have - particularly if she is doing a really intensive curriculum, working, and trying to manage chronic illness. Sometimes it’s possible to take a low work load class during the summer in order to buy some decrease in workload during a semester with difficult classes.
She’s gonna need to have access to a pharmacy with her Rx’s. You play ball during emergencies. Have every Rx sent to a pharmacy in her town and your town so that in the event of an emergency (or on break) she can fill them. You may be called upon to just pay out of pocket for this or that if she, say, looses or freezes her insulin.
I was diagnosed while I was in college. Before there were portable glucose testers. I seemed to manage, I know I wasn’t in great control, but I was able to manage, my a1c was about 7.0 which sounds awful now, but back in 1987, it was considered really good.
I got insurance from my university for almost nothing. It was pretty good insurance. So look into that.
