What is a Health Care Proxy

As people get older it is important to make plans for when they may become incapacitated and need someone to make health care decisions for them. There are two different kinds of documents that could be in place to plan for when your health makes you unable to make decisions.

A living will spells out what you want to happen if you are unable to talk to your doctors. It states your desire to be taken off life support if needed as well as other kinds of treatment you are willing to go through.

Another kind of document used in planning for the future is a health care proxie. This states a specific person that you want to make health care decisions for you if you are unable to do it yourself. In this case the designated person makes the decisions about any kind of treatment recommended and whether or not you should be taken off life support if the situation arises.

When you have a health care proxie in place it is important to discuss your wishes with the person you are allowing to make decisions for you. Putting your wishes in writing is called a medical directive and is included in the health care proxy. You should also make sure that the person you decide on is someone that you trust to make the right decisions for you. Your life is basically in their hands, and they need to be able to handle making what could be a very difficult decision.

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Know Your Rights as a Nursing Home Resident in Your Area

DENVER - NOVEMBER 09: Nurse Stephen Van Dyke ...

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You’ve recently had to move into a nursing home. What are your rights? And how will knowing you rights help you if needed in the future?

These ideas should help you with any law questions you may have:

  • You should have received a paper reviewing your rights upon arrival at the nursing home. These rights should be understandable; if they’re not, ask questions. You should also have received a list of rules and regulations regarding the facility.
  • You must know the fees to be charged before you enter the nursing home and you must be informed of any changes.
  • You have the right to be treated without discrimination, with respect, and with freedom from abuse and neglect.
  • You have the right to refuse restraint unless you are harming yourself or someone else. Restraints cannot be used for punishment or to ease the workload of the nursing home staff.
  • You have the right to take care of your own money and can ask the nursing home facility to help manage your feels or you can take complete care of your money through a bank account.
  • You have the right to privacy and can keep your personal belongings with you. You can use the telephone privately and are protected from theft.
  • You have the right to medical care including seeing your personal doctor, refusing medications, accessing your medical records, and more.
  • You have the right to have visitors for as long as you’d like them.

Any additional rights as a nursing home resident can be found by searching the Internet under “Nursing Home Rights.”  Make sure you know your rights as a nursing home resident.

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When Should You Purchase Long Term Care Insurance

Long-term care insurance is an insurance policy that many people will need as they age. Long-term care insurance can cover a number of costs associated with nursing home and assisted living facilities. However, many people are unsure of when they should purchase a long-term care insurance policy. Here are some things to consider when thinking of purchasing a long-term care insurance policy.

The first thing to consider is the age and health of the person purchasing the policy. Many people do not need long-term care facilities until they are in their 60s or 70s. This means that if you purchase a policy at the age of 40 years old you’ll be paying for policy that you won’t use for another 30 years. However, if a person is likely to need a long-term care facility before then it might be a good idea to consider purchasing the policy at a younger age to ensure that the person is insured as they get older.

The second thing to consider is the amount of premium you wish to pay. The younger you are when you purchase a long-term care policy the lower the premiums will be due to the fact that you most likely will not use the policy for 30 years. The older you are when you purchase the policy the higher the premiums will be. Also the older than you are you run the risk of being declared uninsurable by the policy company and unable to purchase any long-term care insurance policy.

With these factors taken into consideration many experts recommend that people consider purchasing long-term care insurance policy around the age of 50 to 60. That is because the premiums at this age are not extremely high in you should be whining for the next 10 to 15 years of your life.

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What to Consider With Long Term Insurance Policies

Long term care insurance is often sought by many elderly people. Long-term care insurance is just like any other insurance policy you want to search around for the best policy available. However, with the hundreds of different insurance companies available to you it is hard to compare multiple long-term care insurance providers. If you are considering looking into a long-term care insurance policy there are some things you should consider. Here’s a look at what they consider when purchasing a long-term care insurance policy.

The Insurance Company. You’ll want to ensure that the company that you purchase an insurance policy from it is stable, well known insurance company. This is because you will not be using the policy for a long time. Due to the length of time that will elapse from your purchase of the insurance policy to when you actually use the insurance policy you will want to make sure the insurance company is still in business when you want to use the insurance company.

Coverage. You’ll want to consider what is covered by the insurance policy you are choosing. Some long-term care insurance policies cover healthcare, while others will only cover nursing home and assisted living costs.

Qualifications of Coverage. Many insurance policies require a list of qualifications in order to use the insurance policy. You’ll want to consider what qualifications must be met in order to use the insurance policy. Most long-term care insurance policies require that the elderly person meet three qualifications such as inability to dress themselves, cook for themselves or having problems with transportation.

Inflation of Policy. Some long-term care insurance policies include inflation rate that will allow the insurance provider to raise rates to cover the rising cost of healthcare and nursing home costs. Consider if you want inflation rates to be included in your policy.

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Nutrition Services and the Elderly

Weight loss and malnutrition can be a significant problem for the elderly for a multitude of reasons. It may be difficult for them to prepare healthy meals, travel to the grocery store or market may be challenging or there may be a physical or mental impairment that may complicate the situation. Fortunately, there are several options to assist the elderly in obtaining nutritious meals.

Meals on Wheels Programs: This is a long-standing program that provides healthy meals to homebound seniors during the week. This program originated in Great Britain during World War II. Some programs deliver hot ready-to-eat meals while others may provide additional frozen meals so that the participants can have a nutritious meal during the weekend. Some programs are free but others may require a modest fee for participation.

Community Dining Services: Other type of meal program is community dining services. These are places where seniors can gather to have nutritious meals during the day; depending on the location, breakfast, lunch or dinner may be available. Some of these cafes are associated with adult day care centers but others are just restaurants in the area. Some of the community dining centers may have specific culinary requirements like a focus on a regional cuisine. The cost of meals at these cafes also varies.

Brown Bag Programs: Another meal service is the brown bag program where the senior is given a bag of nutritious groceries each month. There are different types of foods passed out and these selections provide a balanced diet for the elder. This does require that the person be able to cook for themselves or have someone that can help. The bags can be either delivered to the home or there may be a pick-up point.

Nutrition education and counseling services are also available in many communities for both the elder person and his or her caregivers. Registered dietitians provide information about nutritious cooking and appropriate foods for the situation.

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Long-Term Care Insurance 2

Medicare and traditional insurance covers a variety of medical services for the older population but there are limits to the length of coverage for these services. As around 60% of people aged 65 and older will need some form of longer term care such as home care, assisted living, hospice, or nursing home services, these people will need assistance in paying for these services. Long-term insurance helps pay for services that are not covered by other forms of insurance.

There are a variety of types of long-term insurance policies; you can select the range of services that you would like to be covered by the policy. You can select a daily benefit amount for care or you can select a monthly benefit with which you can adjust the amount of care received at different times. Another option is a “facility-only” policy or a policy that is more comprehensive and covers all services. Most policies are comprehensive as a rule.

Riders are generally available to allow you to further customize your long-term insurance policy; one type of rider is inflation protection. Inflation protection allows the amount of your policy to increase as the cost of your services increase with inflation.  Your policy also may come with a maximum life time benefit or you could select an “unlimited” policy that has no limit to the amount of coverage. The cost of your policy will vary depending on the options you select.

Some things that long-term insurance does not cover include services provided by family members, care that results for intentional harm, or care or services that are associated with drug or alcohol addiction.

It is important to investigate long-term insurance policies before you need it. Some insurance companies will not allow you to purchase a policy once your health status changes or the premium may be exceptionally in order for you to obtain a policy. Being  proactive is always the best plan.

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Alzheimer’s Disease and Elder Care

Caring for a relative with Alzheimer’s is challenging and you should be familiar with the available options for the management of these patients.

Home Care: During the earlier stages of this disease, Alzheimer patients tend to do well at home. Some services may be available in your area to make this care easier such as respite care where someone arranges to watch the senior while the caregiver gets a break. You may be able to find adult care programs and home health in your area as well. Adult day care can offer respite for the primary caregiver while allowing the senior to socialize and participate in outside activities. Home health services can range from bathing and feeding assistance to nursing care for those patients who need it.

Once it becomes too difficult to take care of your relative at home, you should investigate the residential care options for your loved one.

Residential Care: If your relative is still able to perform some of the tasks of daily living, an assisted living facility may be a good option. For people who need more medical care, a nursing home may be better; some of these residential facilities have specific wings established for patients with Alzheimer’s where the patient receives the specialized care that they need. There are also some facilities that were created only to care for people with Alzheimer’s patients. More emphasis is placed on helping the patients navigate in unfamiliar surroundings.

One of the difficult choices while caring for a relative with Alzheimer’s is the decision to make a change in their living situation. These patients do better in familiar surroundings but it may be too hard to care for them at home – even with outside aides. Speak to your physician and investigate your options. The local Agency on Aging, AARP and other organizations can offer guidance and information on selecting the best care options for your relative.

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Long-Term Care Insurance

The costs associated with nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home health care aides are astonishing. Unless you are hugely wealthy, the costs associated with any of them may be well beyond your reach. However, you have the legal right to purchase long-term care insurance, which will help you avoid worrying about who will take care of you should you need assistance as you grow older. 

Shopping for long-term care insurance is tedious because it is hard, if not impossible, to compare policies. A good approach to finding a policy that suits your needs is looking at the specifics of each plan. 

Start by using a reputable insurance company that has a solid history. Then start looking at policy details. For instance, find out the daily benefits and the amount at which your benefits top out. For example, you may find a policy that will pay $300 a day up to $300,000. This means that when you have reached the $300,000 limit, the insurance company is no longer responsible for providing your coverage.

You want to check on the claims record of the insurance company, as well. Make sure the company provides the benefits you are entitled to without too much hassle. Companies are mandated by law to provide needed and covered services, but many make it very hard to actually obtain those services. If the company has a history of making it extremely difficult to receive benefits, go with another company. 

While long-term care insurance is not something most people look forward to buying, it can make your life and the lives of your loved ones much easier if you ever get to a point in your life where you are unable to live unassisted. Everyone has the right to age in a dignified manner and purchasing a long-term care insurance policy will help you do just that.   

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Independent Living Communities are Great for Active Seniors

GREAT FALLS, MT - JULY 23: Walter Breuning, a...
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There comes a point in our live when for various reasons we need to move out of our home.  Depending on how sick or how well we are, we might need to move into an assisted living facility or possibly a just a retirement community.  Either way, it is best to be prepared mentally for the move as it can be tough to leave the home you have lived in for so long and love so much.  If you start thinking about the move now, you can also get an idea of where you feel most comfortable and can even take the time to visit some facilities in person.  This is a good idea so you can get an idea first hand of what it will be like to live there once you move.

For someone seeking a senior/elder care facility when they have little to know medical needs, then a retirement home will suffice.  And just for your information, these days you should research the term independent living communities as many people are still more than able to do more than just sit around in a rocking chair.  These facilities are great if you are still an active senior.  One of the benefits that it offers is that you can keep from being lonely and meet new people that are your age.  This is often tough as we age because many of our friends are passing away.  Another benefit is that meals are often provided and you no longer have to cook if you do not want to.  They have busy social calendar full of activities and entertainment options as well.  Some of the newer facilities have apartments that are built for couples also.  You can sell your home and not worry about mainting it anymore.  Plus, if you do have minor medical needs, those can be catered to as well.

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What do I do when my Mom gets Alzheimer’s?

Senior portrait 2
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There comes a time in most people’s lives when an aging parent will become ill and require some kind of care.  In nearly all cases this is a difficult time with difficult decisions that need to be made and issues that need to be addressed.

The level of independence is an important point.  Often there are other options other than a residential homes for the elderly such as temporary care or getting someone in daily while you are at work, to take care of the elderly in their own home. One needs to consider the disease and how it is likely to progress when making long term plans.

If the patient is relative well now, but as in Alzheimer‘s, the condition is going to worsen to the point that the family member cannot safely take care of them or that the impact on the rest of the family will be detrimental, then it is wise to consider other long term arrangements.

Family should never feel guilty or that they are abandoning their parents.  Retirement residences are designed for the elderly and a good one is not a “dumping zone” for unwanted parents.  Rather, it shows the extent of love and concern felt for the elderly and the need to get them safe care in an environment that they will feel comfortable in.

The most important thing is that your visit the patient as often as possible and let them feel as loved as possible.  Bring them little gifts, remember birthdays and dates that are important to the patient.  Keep them updated with events happening on the outside world and arrange for “field trips” if their condition allows it.

Placing your loved ones in a residential home is not meant to be a jail sentence where they are dumped and forgotten.  It is a facility that will take care of your parents while you take care of your family.  Keeping in touch with them and visiting often is time consuming and sometimes may be inconvenient, but it is essential if you wish to make sure that your elderly parent is to feel loved and wanted and content.

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