Emergency Planning: Why You Shouldn’t Wait
Emergency planning sounds like something your mother used to lecture you about, right? And how often have you wished that you’d followed your mother’s good advice?
Nobody really wants to think in advance about accidents or illness. But if no advance emergency planning has been done, and if an elderly parent has broken a hip, say, and is about to be discharged from the hospital, the family must make crucial decisions in a highly stressful situation. There may be little, if any, time to figure out which living option is the best.
So, listen to your mother. Plan ahead with your parents, if possible, so you will have your strategy ready when it’s needed. As the saying goes – if you fail to prepare, you’ve prepared to fail!
Would your parents want to stay home? Move to a retirement community? Relocate to be closer to children?
Research the options. You might be surprised at how attractive many retirement communities are. There are increasing opportunities for independent or assisted living. Some facilities also offer transition into memory care, if that becomes needed.
Look into Caring.com, or call (800) 973-1540. This is a comprehensive resource that offers information and guidance nationally, for living options and caregivers. Then, when you have researched what’s out there, talk with your parents about the pros and cons of the various choices.
Most people want to stay home for as long as possible. In-home care might be an option.
To connect with caregiving services for older adults and families, consult Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. Administration on Aging, on-line at eldercare.acl.gov or at (800) 677-1116. The Eldercare Locator also provides information on local Area Agencies on Aging. These can be very helpful.
A care manager might be an option. These people have the experience and expertise to coordinate the many elements involved in elder care: medical providers, financial planners, elder-law attorneys, and rehabilitation specialists. Find care managers through the Aging Life Care Association, aginglifecare.org, or at (520) 881-8008.
If possible, urge your parents to get their legal documents in order while they are still in good health.
That is the best time to make sure that your parents have done the necessary legal documents. They may want to visit our office by themselves, but suggest to them that they provide you with copies of the documents. That way you will have the papers ready when you need them, and you won’t have to search for them under time pressure.
You can hope for the best, or you can plan for your parents’ well-being.
Do both. Call Andre O. McDonald, a knowledgeable Howard County, Montgomery County and District of Columbia estate planning, special-needs planning, veterans pension planning and Medicaid planning attorney, at (443) 741-1088; (301) 941-7809 or (202) 640-2133 to schedule a consultation today. We would be happy to discuss your situation confidentially
DISCLAIMER: THE INFORMATION POSTED ON THIS BLOG IS INTENDED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT INTENDED TO CONVEY LEGAL OR TAX ADVICE.
