But it’s not as if my parents haven’t already created PHRs for themselves. My mother is the main caretaker of the two of them, since her health is marginally better than my dad’s (my father is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease). She’s the one who writes their doctor appointments on the calendar in the kitchen and she also notes them in a purse-sized planner booklet I got her for that purpose in January.

She also keeps track of her treatments and my dad’s in her head.

"You’re father’s checkup with his neurologist went well. His memory is stable. I’m having some basal cell spots removed from my face Monday. My friend Betty is driving me there and back. Your dad goes to the cardiologist in a month."

And that’s it.

It works for them. For now. Until just two years ago or so, my mother was the kind who could keep dozens of appointments and things to do in her head. It’s only recently that’s she’s accepted the aid of a dayplanner, and she uses it happily, for she accepts that while her memory is sharp, most days, it’s just that: most days. She knows she’s occasionally forgetful and needs some help.

So, for now, between the wall calendar, the dayplanner and reminder calls from their health care providers, they’ve never missed an appointment. My father is still sharp enough to remember all the medications he must take – and he takes plenty! (My mother watches him closely and sometimes has to nudge him, but she does it sweetly, as if she’s the one who needs the reminding: "Honey, I think the doctor said you had to take the pink tablet right before dinner, is that right?")

But they have so many appointments. And they take so many pills. And between them they grace the waiting rooms of at least 10 different providers regularly.

So they each need online PHRs. To help me.