Take My Hand At Home

At Home Care

Help! I have questions about caring for an aging parent.

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As we’ve mentioned before in previous TMH Client Profiles, at Take My Hand At-Home Care we hear often from adults who are wondering when and how to decide that mom or dad needs a higher level of personal care and attention.

These certainly are not easy decisions to make, and every situation is different. But read on for an example situation that may include elements of what you’re going through. Perhaps it will help you make those important decisions.

Mom is still pretty active. She lives nearby, so sometimes I accompany her to doctor visits in Bellingham or take her shopping, but she typically can do those things just fine on her own.

The other day, when we were working in her garden, she mentioned that she loves her home — she’s lived in the same home in Lynden for 50 years, after all — and doesn’t want to leave. When she eventually needs care, she said, she wants to stay at home. She doesn’t want to be moved to a long-term care center or assisted living facility; she’d rather just stay right at home.

The problem is that I’m not able to spend the time caring for her that probably would be required. I have a family of my own to care for, and I have to go to work every day, too. How can I meet mom’s desires to stay home while also being sure that she’s taken care of? Sometimes it keeps me up at night.

This is a common concern. Adults in the sandwich generation — those who are sandwiched between caring for aging parents and caring for their own young children — often find themselves having to make difficult decisions about how to spend their time and money. Do I sacrifice my family time to spend evenings and weekends caring for mom? Do I dip into our family savings to pay for upgrades to mom’s home so she can age in place? How do I even know when mom is ready for extra assistance around the home?

No single solution is a perfect fit for every family here in Whatcom County. However, there are some good options for adult children in situations like this to consider:

  • Set up a consultation with a home care provider to discuss your situation. A trained provider with experience in at-home care situations can take a look at your loved one’s situations and offer personalized advice. Take My Hand offers complimentary in-home assessments for folks in Lynden, Ferndale, Bellingham and throughout Whatcom County.
  • Ask an at-home care provider for part-time shifts to cover basic needs. This would help your mom or dad get used to the idea of having people other than family members in the home. Plus, part-time home care would help set a baseline for the care needed. At-home care situations can be new for everyone, and starting off slowly is often a good idea.
  • Caregivers like us are fond of saying that the best caregivers are those who are able to care for themselves and meet their own needs. Honestly, that’s critically important. If you, as a family caregiver, are constantly giving and never receiving, you’re going to run your own batteries so low that you won’t be able to help anyone. Please know that your family — spouse, kids, yourself — needs and deserves your attention, so don’t feel guilty if you can’t be with your aging parent as much as they might like.
  • Independence and self-sufficiency are good things for older adults. We try to keep them from becoming reliant on outside help too early; if they can do something for themselves, let them and encourage them! Of course, pay close attention to signs that they might need extra help — increasing bouts of forgetfulness, difficulty getting around, declining eyesight, lack of ability to process and understand doctors’ orders, etc. — and step in when necessary, but don’t feel obligated to help just because your parents are getting older.
  • Now is a great time to start considering payment options for long-term care. You never know what you might need in the future, and how much it might cost. Consider your family financial situation and the amount of money mom and dad have saved up and start investigating options that might work for you. Long-term care insurance can be a good choice, as can Medicare and private-pay options.

If you’d like to have a discussion about any of these aspects of eldercare in Whatcom County, please feel free to give us a call or send an email.

Providing care to elders at home during COVID-19

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Dear clients, family members and loved ones,

During this time of distancing, we at Take My Hand At-Home Care wanted to let you know that you’re on our minds, even if we’re not able to see some of you in person right now.

We are still caring for our wonderful clients in their own homes, of course, and it’s to that end that we wanted to share important information about limiting the spread of COVID-19 in our vulnerable communities.

Everyone has a part to play in managing public health threats such as this one. Older populations are particularly at risk from this new coronavirus — and from many other viruses as well.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older adults and people who have severe chronic medical conditions such as heart, lung or kidney disease appear to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness.

That is why Take My Hand has outfitted all of our caregivers with gloves and masks to wear while they are providing care. We also are carefully monitoring staff for potential signs of illness and ensuring that those who are feeling sick are staying home.

When TMH representatives drop off supplies for clients and caregivers, we are leaving them at the door to minimize physical proximity.

Take My Hand caregivers continue to work as hard as possible to meet all client needs in light of the current healthcare crisis, which is affecting everyone not only here in Whatcom County but around the world.

We ask that you continue to keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we fight the spread of this disease together. If you would like to help in other ways, too, we would appreciate donations of thermometers, gloves and masks. If you would like to make a donation, please reach out to us at 360-543-5777 or sue@takemyhandathome.com. Thank you so much!

In light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, here are some things you can do to connect with your loved ones even during times of physical isolation:

  • Conduct video chats. For those who are familiar with the technology, a face-to-face video chat via FaceTime, Hangouts or Facebook could be a wonderful way to stay connected. You could share a virtual meal, hold an online book club or play a game together. Think outside the box!
  • Make phone calls. Consider setting up a schedule in which various family members are assigned certain days or times to pick up the phone and call elderly loved ones. These moments can be precious personal times that everyone is able to look forward to.
  • Have packages delivered. During the current “stay at home” order in Washington state, online ordering is still an option. Consider having packages of gifts or home essentials delivered via Amazon or some other service.
  • Visit through the window. As long as you are observing social distancing guidelines, it’s still OK to go outside. Consider dropping by your loved one’s house and visiting through the window. Maybe tape a note or photo to the outside of a window for your loved one to read. Sing a treasured song or hymn, play a musical instrument, juggle… there are so many possibilities!

Thank you for trusting Take My Hand At-Home Care with your needs! It is an honor to serve you. We will get through this together if we all continue to do our part.

Moving? Consider holding a downsizing party

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Elderly people poring over tables full of odds and ends.

Living in a place for any length of time inevitably means accumulating stuff. It happens to the best of us. Dishes, travel mementos, linens and furniture — over time, it builds up.

In addition to the items we use daily, we also have a bunch of other possessions in our Whatcom County homes that, for whatever reason, we’ve never been able to part with. According to Psychology Today, the reasons we collect and keep things fall into the following categories:

  • We are keeping replacement parts in case an item breaks.
  • We are collectors of things.
  • We think that the items we have are worth money — or will be someday.
  • The items have sentimental value because they evoke positive memories.
  • We claim that some items have a useful purpose or will in the future, even if they don’t right now.
  • We find that it takes too much time and effort to decide what to get rid of.

That last point is key: When it comes time to move, how do we decide what to keep from among all that we’ve collected, and how do we part with the rest?

Here are three steps to follow:

Take time

First, it’s important to give ourselves time and space to make these decisions. It’s best not to wait until the last minute. After all, how to dispense of the items we’ve collected over the years can be among the last things on our minds when we’re having to make the difficult and emotion-laden decision to move.

Determine what we need and have space for

Second, we need to determine how much we can (and should) bring with us. Whether we’re moving into a smaller home in Bellingham, transitioning to assisted living in Lynden or taking up residence in a mother-in-law apartment on our kids’ property in Ferndale, we’re naturally going to need and/or have space for fewer possessions. Based on the specific place of residence, we need to spend the time necessary to decide what we truly need and what space we might have for a few mementos.

Throw a downsizing party

Third, we need to find a way to part with all of the items we have left over. It sounds difficult, but honestly, this can be the most fun part of the process!

We can turn the act of parting with our stuff into an enjoyable experience by throwing a downsizing party. This article in The Washington Post offers a great example.

The fun of a downsizing party is that we can experience the joy of giving to others as part of paring our possessions into a manageable pile. Members of our church, grandkids and their friends, neighbors, friends — all would be able to take something with them that they need and that makes them think of us. What fun! We can share some of what has meant so much to us over the years, and our friends and family can have useful items to remember us by.

The idea is simple: After storing all of the items we’ll be bringing with us to our new home, we invite friends and family over for a party – to eat, talk and look over items around the house. What people want, they take! In the end, our friends get new items for their homes that they need, and we get to pare down our stuff, allowing us to move in peace.

How to help widowers connect with others and find new purpose in life

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Elderly man in a sailboat on the water

Imagine one day losing the spouse you’ve had for decades.

Having lived with the same person for most of your life, the loss would be phenomenal. Not only would you lose the love of your life, you’d also need to start doing everything on your own — cooking, cleaning, grocery shopping, visiting the doctor… the list goes on.

Elderly man in a jacket sitting and looking at the camera

You’d also lose a social connection and a major reason to stay involved with others in your community. Without your spouse at your side, you’d be less likely to attend events, go out for meals and travel.

Here at Take My Hand At-Home Care, we have come across numerous situations just like this. Losing a spouse later in life happens quite frequently to senior citizens in the Whatcom County community.

Not only must widows or widowers deal with the loss of a loved one, but they also must cope with major lifestyle changes. They lose the person with whom they used to watch TV or go on walks. They lose the person who used to remind them to take their medications; they lose the person who used to help them plan fun things to do. They lose their social connections.

These are all real consequences of losing a long-time partner, and the effects can be drastic.

Loneliness after the death of a spouse

According to the National Institute on Aging, social isolation and loneliness are linked to increased risks for high blood pressure, heart disease, obesity, a weakened immune system, anxiety, depression, cognitive decline, Alzheimer’s disease and even death.

“Losing a sense of connection and community changes a person’s perception of the world,” according to the NIA. And it’s not just perception. Biological defense mechanisms are activated in those who experience chronic loneliness because they feel threatened and mistrustful.

While older women are more likely than men to report being lonely, the effects of loneliness can be more drastic in older men, who are more likely than women to be depressed and suicidal when lonely, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Men’s Health.

How to help people stay connected to life after loss

What can change someone’s outlook after loss?

Being social provides an enormous benefit, as does having another person around to provide support and motivation or to offer assistance with daily tasks of living. In particular, men benefit from having purpose in life, according to the AJMH study, which notes that improvements in mental health and purpose in life can help reduce loneliness — and thus reduce many of its negative consequences — in older men.

Elderly man taking photos outdoors, with mountains in the background

Pursuing hobbies and other passions is one great option for combating the consequences of loneliness. Joining a senior center, too, can help the elderly make new friends and find new hobbies. Those who have experienced recent loss might also benefit from having their family and friends take them to activities and events, or even just pick up the phone and invite them to dinner.

Mindfulness meditation: What it is, and how it can help the elderly

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Have you ever considered meditation as a way to improve aspects of your health?

There are many reasons why older adults in Bellingham, Lynden or throughout Whatcom County might want to start practicing meditation. Meditation can enhance memory, slow cognitive decline, improve digestion, boost circulation, reduce stress, lower disease risk and even decrease loneliness.

At its core, meditation is a way to calm the mind and body. There are various styles of meditation, but most involve either concentration, mindfulness or both. Concentration meditation is that classic example in which we focus our minds on a single, specific thing — a sound (perhaps the ringing of a bell), an image (perhaps a flickering candle flame), an action (perhaps the repetition of a specific word) or some other focal point.

Mindfulness meditation, on the other hand, is the practice of being mindful of thoughts as they occur. Essentially, it is attentive awareness of the moment. To practice this form of meditation, we simply sit, relax and pay attention to the thoughts we have, trying not to react to them but just to observe. For a brief explanation of mindfulness meditation and how it can integrate with everyday life, watch this short video from the Western Washington University Counseling Center in Bellingham.

Let’s take a look in more detail at some of the ways that mindfulness meditation can improve the lives of older adults here in Whatcom County:

  • Less stress and worry: According to Bob Linscott from the Center for Mindfulness at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, meditation can help older adults tamp down worries associated with growing older. “Meditation is like a pause button that breaks the cycle of worry,” he said in an article in NextAvenue. “It can help older adults better accept their changing bodies or chronic pain. It puts them more in control of their lives.”
  • Cognitive improvements: According to research published in the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, “meditation may be able to offset normal age‐related cognitive decline or even enhance cognitive function in older adults.” The research noted preliminary improvements in attention, memory, executive function, processing speed and general cognition as a result of meditation practices.
  • Digestion enhancements: The calm, deep breathing associated with meditation boosts circulation and increases the oxygen content of the blood, both of which are important factors for digestion. What’s more, meditation can have the long-term effect of improving our mindsets, limiting the likelihood that we will overeat.
  • Decreased loneliness: A study from Carnegie Mellon University that tested older adults over an eight-week period showed that participants reported lower levels of loneliness after just 30 minutes of mindfulness meditation each day, in addition to a daylong retreat and weekly two-hour meetings. “We know that loneliness is a major risk factor for health problems and mortality in older adults,” said one of the researchers involved in the study. “This research suggests that mindfulness meditation training is a promising intervention for improving the health of older adults.”

If you’re interested in getting started with mindfulness meditation in Bellingham, Lynden, Ferndale or elsewhere in Whatcom County, there are several professional services in the area that offer courses and training in meditation, including Mindfulness Northwest, Bellingham Insight and Red Cedar Zen Community.

Eldercare: Paratransit vs. private transportation

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The bus rolled up outside her home. The driver engaged the wheelchair lift and helped her maneuver to the sidewalk. He was so helpful! As she rolled toward her home, she eyed the temporary ramp leading to the front door. It was starting rain; she was nervous about navigating that ramp on her own.

Thankfully, she had arranged for a private caregiver to be there to help her get up that ramp and settled into her home. The friendly caregiver was walking toward her now and greeting her by name. What a relief!

The benefits of paratransit services

Paratransit from Whatcom Transportation Authority is a fantastic service at a great price (just $1 per ride, generally). They help many, many people move around Whatcom County, including the elderly, disabled and those with mobility challenges.

To be eligible for paratransit rides, an application needs to be submitted to the transit operator. Riders (or their representatives) may be able to take part in a phone interview as an alternative. Either way, the paratransit operator will need to know why the rider is unable to ride buses on existing fixed routes throughout Whatcom County.

Signing up for paratransit can be a fairly easy process, and WTA does a nice job providing this service in our community.

Shared transportation is not always a good fit

Sometimes, however, public transportation does not line up with the needs of a rider.

For example, paratransit services generally mirror the times and locations of fixed routes, so riders may not be able to use the service on their schedule or at the time they need if they’re in an unserved part of the county or if it’s early or late in the day. Those living in rural areas of Whatcom County may find it a challenge to use paratransit services on certain days of the week.

Another item to note is that paratransit trips are shared with other riders. Transit operators schedule their daily service routes to include picking up and dropping off people along a certain route. They work to include the time it takes to load passengers who use mobility devices and the time it takes to wait through unforeseen traffic.

For a 1 p.m. appointment, for example, the bus may need to pick the rider up at 11:30 a.m. or noon to account for other stops along the route. That’s totally understandable; that’s how public transportation works.

Due to bus rides that may be 45 minutes or longer, using public transportation can be difficult for older adults with a variety of health conditions, such as joint stiffness and bladder issues.

An alternative for paratransit in Whatcom County

For those looking for an alternative to paratransit, caregivers from Take My Hand At-Home Care can be hired to provide personal transportation that gets older adults and disabled individuals from door to door — inside a doctor’s office and inside their home (settled in, even) — on a schedule that works for them.

Hiring a caregiver to provide private transportation is an efficient, worry-free way to be transported to many places, such as social outings, family events and medical appointments.

Licensed caregiver companions can even sit in on doctor’s appointments and relay info to family members who could not be present. They can ask questions on behalf of the patient and advocate on their behalf. This is a great option for adult children who are trying to help their parent while residing in another city or state.

The benefits of hiring private transportation

No long periods of waiting. No concern about being too early or late for appointments. No worrying about making it through a long bus ride without access to a restroom. No wondering about managing mobility challenges into the home. The benefits are many!

If you have loved ones living in Lynden, Bellingham, Ferndale or somewhere else in Whatcom County, and if they would benefit from personal transportation and help from a part-time caregiver – maybe because they’re recovering from surgery, or maybe because they’re older and need assistance getting around – please connect them with Take My Hand At-Home Care.

At any age, pursue your passions

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An older woman and man hold hands while dancing in a park. Black and white photo.

Pursuing our passions is good for us.

A study of 115 people published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine found that when pursuing hobbies, participants’ moods were more positive, and they had lower stress and heart rates. That’s a pretty good result just for doing something you enjoy. The study’s conclusion? Leisure activities can improve a person’s health and well-being.

Our health is an important consideration throughout our lives, but as we age we start to pay even more attention to how to help our bodies and minds function as well as possible. Eating well, making friends and getting exercise are an important part of staying healthy in old age.

Read more: Five things to do now
for a happier, healthier future.

Pursuing passions also can play a big part in maintaining good health as we age. Studies have shown that pursuing our passions does wonders for the health of our brains. According to Total Brain Health, pursuing hobbies that we enjoy and that we’re good at can be a buffer against memory loss and can lead to improved neuroplasticity, our brain’s ability to form new connections. Pursuing passions also can help improve sleep quality, lower blood pressure, and lower our risks of heart disease, stress, anxiety and depression.

But what kind of leisure activities should you pursue? How do you find your passion?

For starters, try to remember a moment when you’ve lost track of time.

“Life just feels better when you have things in your hours that you want to do,” said productivity expert Laura Vanderkam in The New York Times. “There’s moments where time almost has no meaning because we’re so happy about what we’re doing. The more time you can spend in that zone, the better life feels.”

Is there anything you love to spend hours doing or that you have to be told to stop? That’s probably something you’re passionate about, something that could be developed into a hobby that lasts long into old age.

Consider the inspiring story of the ballet dancer who’s still going strong at age 77. Why? She loves what she does.

“Life is too short not to do what you want to do,” she says in a video produced by BBC One. “It’s never too late, so start doing what you love doing now.”

Other ways to identify your passions include taking an inventory your talents (what are you good at?) and thinking of what you liked to do as a kid. Those, too, might be hobbies worth pursuing that could lead to joy and contentment long into retirement years.

Is your mom or dad ready for care? A TMH client profile

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We often hear from concerned sons and daughters that their parents might be ready for some at-home assistance, but they’re not sure. Sometimes the kids are hesitant to suggest the idea to parents, and sometimes parents aren’t keen on accepting care.

It can be hard to know when is the right time to suggest care. To offer some assistance, consider this sample profile of a TMH client. Not every client will look like this, certainly, but this is one good example of the type of people who can benefit from at-home care.

Mom and dad are both in their 80s, living in a small, one-floor home in Birch Bay. They have two children, but neither lives close enough to provide regular assistance. The daughter lives in Seattle, and the son lives in Sedro-Woolley. Both of them are married with children, and their days are full and busy.

Dad still drives, which has been helpful for making the extra doctor’s appointments lately that have arisen from mom’s advancing dementia. He has gotten into a couple minor fender-benders in the last couple of months, though, and that’s beginning to be a worrisome trend. Some family members have questioned whether dad should still be driving. He already has stopped driving at night, because it can be so hard to see, and that has placed a few limitations on he and mom. For example, they don’t go out to bingo nights or dance events at the senior center any more, and those used to be beloved hobbies.

Even without going to dances, the couple is still pretty active. They try to walk every day. Dad had a fall last week, though — slipped on a stray magazine in the living room — and that left him with some painful bruises on his right hip. Nothing is broken, thankfully, but the experience reminded him that getting around isn’t as easy as it used to be.

There’s a small grocery store about four blocks from their house, but they’re not walking there as much anymore, and even less so with dad’s fall. They could probably use a few groceries to stock up the fridge and pantry.

This couple is the perfect candidate for two or three half-day shifts per week. They’re pretty active and healthy, and they’re far from needing 24-hour care. However, they would really benefit from assistance getting to the doctor’s office and help with the weekly grocery shopping. They could use someone to tidy up the house once a week and ensure that everything is in its proper place. They could also use some help communicating with doctors and ensuring that medicines are taken on time, and it would be good to have someone around to monitor mom. (Her dementia isn’t far along, but it would be good to have someone checking in on her now and again and looking at how it’s affecting dad, too.)

The 12-hour shifts would take a lot of pressure off of dad and would allow the couple to relax a bit, worrying less about the details and spending more time enjoying each other’s company.

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, perhaps your mom or dad — or someone else in your life — could benefit from having a licensed caregiver helping out on half-day shifts. Just give us a call and we can talk about your options.

Work for your health: Five things to do now for a happier future

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As caregivers, we often find ourselves in the role of helping people whose health is failing. We get called in to provide needed support to elders whose bodies and/or minds just aren’t working like they used to. It’s a fulfilling line of work, and we enjoy it.

We also enjoy offering tips and advice for seniors to maintain their good health, and for younger people who want to ensure that their minds and bodies are in top form as they grow older.

With that in mind, here are five important things to do throughout your life to ensure that you stay strong and health for as long as you can:

Eat well. The value of eating well cannot be overstated. For a great look at what different foods are good for and how various nutrients are used by the body, check out this comprehensive overview from the University of Minnesota or this brief look at how nutrients affect the body. Why do we need Vitamin A, and where do we get it? How can eating more whole grains help us reduce weight gain? What are beneficial fats? Spend some time researching the value of good nutrition, and make changes in your diet today to maximize the benefits of great food.

Learn more: Are the loved ones in your life
eating healthy? Here’s how to help.

Sleep well. You might have heard that people can go longer without food than without sleep. Good sleep is incredibly important — critical — to good health. And not only that, it’s important to be consistent. Here are some easy ways to improve your ability to sleep well: Avoid caffeine and alcohol late in the day, keep your room dark and quiet, stay off of screens just before bed, and get plenty of exercise during the day.

Learn more: Sleep is important for caregivers, too!
Here’s how to ensure you’re getting what you need.

Get moving. Simply put, staying independent almost always requires staying fit. Good regular exercise can keep your heart strong and prevent such problems as arthritis and diabetes. It’s good for your brain and can help stave off depression, and it’s good for your heart and can prevent heart disease. There is no substitute for an active lifestyle. If you love your body, make use of it and get moving! As a fun way of getting started, connect with a local walking group. You might find one on this list from the Washington Trails Association.

Make friends. All those friends you make on the trail — or at the senior center, at the park, at church, at your favorite volunteer activity — also are important to your long-term physical and mental well-being. Social isolation is a risk factor for depression, and loneliness may be a preclinical sign for Alzheimer’s disease. What can help? Friends.

Challenge your brain. Stimulating social and mental activities can help keep brains sharp, improve memory and help with daily life skills. Here are seven fun ways to ensure you’re getting plenty of great brain exercise.

If you need help with any of these tasks, please feel free to reach out to us here at Take My Hand At-Home Care. We provide non-medical companion and home care services throughout Whatcom County, in daily shifts or even 24-hour live-in assistance.

Important documents to set up with an elderly loved one

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As our loved ones advance in age or dementia, it becomes increasingly important to establish procedures that will make dealing with health or medical issues much easier in the future.

A person in a blue Oxford shirt signs a document.
There are four types of documents to consider creating for aging parents, grandparents and other loved ones: advance directives, physician orders for life-sustaining treatment, standard wills and living trusts.

In particular, there are four types of documents to consider creating for aging parents, grandparents and other loved ones: advance directives, physician orders for life-sustaining treatment, standard wills and living trusts.

Advance Directive: An advance directive is a legal document that provides guidance about what types of treatments your loved one may want to receive in the event of a medical emergency, and who they would like to make decisions on their behalf regarding medical treatment. This person is called a surrogate.

NOTE: Depending on where your loved one lives, an advance directive might instead be called a living will, health care power of attorney or something else.

Every adult should have an advance directive in place so that if something happens, the surrogate can ensure that the patient’s wishes are respected and carried out.

In Washington state, care providers like Take My Hand At-Home Care are required to ask whether patients have an advance directive.

NOTE: As with the rest of the documents on this list, it’s important to put an advance directive in a place where it can easily be found. Make sure your surrogate knows where it is, and have it added to your medical record, if possible.

Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment: This is another document we’re required to ask about at Take My Hand At-Home Care. Physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) forms are specific to each individual. In the event that your loved one has a medical emergency, this form describes the specific medical treatments he or she would like to receive. While all adults should have an advance directive, a POLST form only becomes necessary upon diagnosis of a serious illness or when health begins to deteriorate near the end of life.

NOTE: While an advance directive is a legal document, a POLST is a medical order. Only an advance directive can legally designate a surrogate to make healthcare decisions on behalf of a loved one.

A will sets out instructions for how assets should be distributed in the event of death.

Standard will: A will sets out instructions for how your parents or grandparents would like their assets distributed in the event of death. The will also designates the person who will be in charge of that. It’s a good idea to establish a will as soon as possible and then to review it once a year to ensure that it’s an accurate reflection of your loved one’s wishes. When a person dies with a will in place, the person’s estate goes through probate court to, among other things, determine the will’s validity, total up the assets and distribute those assets according to the will’s instructions. Without a will in place, that process gets a lot more complicated.

Living trust: A living trust places a person’s assets into a separate entity that allows for the avoidance of probate court. It explains who will manage that entity upon your loved one’s death and who will distribute its assets — and to whom and how much. A living trust can be more expensive to prepare than a standard will, but it can save the costs associated with probate court.

If you have any questions about what documents might be necessary in your family’s case, consult an attorney who specializes in elder law. There are a number of options in Bellingham, Lynden and throughout Whatcom County for lawyers who specialize in situations regarding the elderly.

Differences between communal living and at-home care

Nearly 9 in 10 elderly people want to live at home for as long as possible, according to the AARP. Why? There are many reasons why a person might choose to age in place rather than move to an assisted living center or other communal living arrangement: cost, independence and the level of personal care needed all have a role in the decision-making process. One of the most  obvious … [Read More...]

ABOUT US

Sue Sorensen became involved with Whatcom County eldercare and aging-in-place services in 2009. She launched Take My Hand At-Home Care in January 2012 … Read More...

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Phone: 360-543-5777
Fax: 360-255-7564
*If you need immediate assistance for a loved one please contact us by phone.