Help for Caregivers of Seniors

Being a caregiver to your senior parent can be a stressful experience if you aren’t prepared.  Even if you think you have lined up all your “ducks”, you still may find yourself overwhelmed by personal and emotional issues.  While Donna always advices that you consult with an Eldercare Attorney, CPA, Insurance Agent, Doctor or Clergy for specific advice in your circumstances, she believes that her 20 years of experience as a caregiver, speaker, Alzheimer’s Association speaker and author can greatly benefit you on your caregiving journey.

Please feel free to ask questions or add comments.

DONNA’S ADVICE:  The first 5 things you want to do as a caregiver are:  (1)  Be sure you have a legally recognized Last Will and Testament or Trust in place with primary and secondary named executors.  (2)  Draw up a Living Will and make several copies to be made available to a senior facility or hospital.  (3)  Have Power of Attorney over Finance papers drawn up with primary and secondary named POAs on hand with several copies for use with any financial establishment or persons.  (4)  Have Power of Attorney over Health papers made up with primary and secondary named POAs and several copies for use with medical facilities or personnel.  (5) Be sure all financial papers (from life insurance to IRA accounts) include a TOD (Transfer on Death) clause.  Which simply means that all heirs to any of the money in those accounts are already noted by the senior who designated those distributions.

It’s important that you get these papers completed while your parent is able to legally sign the papers.  If they have experienced a stroke or are going deeper into dementia, they may not be able to sign and that could complicate matters for you.  One of the other important things to do is to set the example by getting these areas completed for yourself.  It will make your parent feel less pressured that they are getting old or even nearing death.  And it will give you both peace of mind.

My book, Caregiving 101 will give you over 1001 helpful ideas to help you with all the financial, medical, housing, record keeping, emotional and relational issues.  Bourse a copy on Amazon.com.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE:  Our daughter died at age 5 and my husband and I were only in our 30s.  We had to plan for a funeral with no idea of what we would do.  I had been in the car accident with our daughter, and had I been on life support or died, we had no living will, POA papers or will in place.  Very soon after that, we began to get our “ducks lined up” and have changed a few things since…but having the legal papers in place was priceless.  It will definitely take a lot of pressure off anyone, 18 or older.