Full Description

Your Guide to Senior Planning

The Complete Legal Guide to Senior Care contains all the information you need to make the right decisions for the seniors you care about and for yourself.
Written by an attorney who practiced in estate planning, this book explains how to manage residential, financial and medical matters as well as the legal issues that accompany them. In addition, it addresses how to help seniors cope with the emotions that accompany aging and how to discuss with them the delicate issues that aging brings.

Checklists, tips and evaluation forms are included to help you organize your thoughts and keep track of paperwork. These include tips for talking with doctors, checklists for evaluating the quality of care provided by nursing homes and other residential options and tips on how to handle appeals for Medicare or Medicaid.

This reference also provides extensive appendices that contain organizations, contact information, specific books and websites that refer you to even more helpful information and support.

This book will guide you in:
--Arranging wills, living wills, powers of attorney and estate planning
--Evaluating and selecting assisted living residences, continuing care retirement communities, nursing homes and other options
--Considering long-term care
insurance, Medigap coverage
and reverse mortgages
--Determining the level of care required
--Managing a senior’s finances
--Working with other family
members to coordinate care
--Balancing your life as a caregiver
--Obtaining hospice care

Table of Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1: Understanding and Facing the Situation -
Understanding Age
Assessing
Talking to Your Parents about Needs and Choices
Discussion Early On
Understanding How Your Parent Feels
Coping with Your Emotions
Developing a New Attitude and Relationship with Your Parent
Involving Other Family Members
Dealing with Resistance from Your Parent
Fulfilling Your Role
Support Organization Evaluation Worksheet
Tips for Coping with Stress
Tips for Working with Family Members

Chapter 2: Understanding the Medical World -
The Medical World
Dealing with Medical Personnel
Hospital Care
Dealing with Hospital Visits
Coping with Long-Term Medical Problems
Becoming a Medical Care Manager
Managing Lifestyle
Dealing with Disabilities
Mental Health Issues
Dental, Vision, and Hearing
Sleep Problems
Doctor Evaluation Worksheet
Medication Evaluation Worksheet
Hospital Care Worksheet
Questions to Ask Medical Personnel
Tips for Having a Good Conversation with a Doctor
Tips for Helping Your Parent Cope
Tips to Get Medical Personnel to Listen to You
Tips to Finding Medical Information

Chapter 3: Financial Issues -
When to Become Involved
Getting a Handle on Finances
Helping Your Parent Think about Finances
Legal Authority
Organizing Records
Bill Paying
Budgeting
Planning for the Future

Chapter 4: Legal Matters -
Finding an Attorney
Knowing Who the Client Is
Wills
Trusts
Powers of Attorney
Health Care Directives and Proxies
Guardianship
Attorney Evaluation Worksheet
Attorney Interview Worksheet

Chapter 5: Paying for Health Care -
Health Insurance
Medicare
Medicaid
Private Insurance
Veteran’s Health Benefits
Other Options
Medigap Policy Evaluation Worksheet
Long-Term Care Insurance Evaluation Worksheet
Tips for Handling Medicaid/Medicare Appeals

Chapter 6: Remaining at Home -
Evaluating the Situation
Modifying the Home
Creating a Plan
Getting Help
Coping with Emergencies
Emergency Systems
Transportation
Maintaining a Social Life
Spiritual Needs
Staying Active
In-Home Health Care
Self-Provided Care
Your Role
Downsizing
Home Care Provider Evaluation Worksheet
Home Care Agency Evaluation Worksheet

Chapter 7: Closing or Selling the Home -
How to Make the Decision
Involving Your Parent
Coping with Emotions
Dealing with Belongings
Pets
Securing the Home
Utilities and Bills
The Selling Process
Letting Go
Deciding to Sell or Maintain the Home
Tips on Home Security
Tips for Preparing a Home for Showings

Chapter 8: Family Living -
Family Member Living at the Senior’s Home
Sharing Your Own Home with Your Parent
Coping
ECHO Housing
In-Law Apartments

Chapter 9: Senior Living -
By Definition
Assistance
Costs
Who it is Appropriate for
Finding a Senior Residence
Evaluating
Involving Your Parent
Evaluating the Contract
Making the Move
Adjusting
Your Role
Dealing with Your Feelings
Dealing with the Future
Senior Residence Staff Evaluation Worksheet
Senior Residence Staff Evaluation Worksheet

Chapter 10: Assisted Living -
Assistance
Cost
Who it is Appropriate for
Finding a Place
Evaluating
Involving Your Parent
Contracts
Your Role
Your Feelings
The Future
Assisted Living Faculty Staff Evaluation Worksheet
Assisted Living Faculty Evaluation Worksheet
Tips for Assisted Living

Chapter 11: Nursing Homes -
Understanding Nursing Homes
Costs
Finding a Nursing Home
What to Look For
Evaluating
Involving Your Parent
Understanding the Contract
Nursing Home Policies
Making the Move
Getting to Know Staff and Procedures
Settling In
Your Role
Dealing with Problems
Nursing Home Staff Evaluation Worksheet
Tips for Filing Complaints with Government Agencies

Chapter 12: Continuing Care Retirement Communities -
How it Works
Requirements
Considering this Option
Contracts
Problems
Evaluating
CCRC Staff Evaluation Worksheet
CCRC Facility Evaluation Worksheet

Chapter 13: Hospice -
Getting Hospice Care
Payment for Hospice
What to Look For
Making the Decision
Creating a Hospice in Your Parent’s Home
Spiritual and Emotional Support
Hospice Program Staff Evaluation Worksheet
Tips for Keeping Your Parent Comfortable

Chapter 14: Coping with End of Life Issues -
What to Expect
Your Emotions
Helping Your Parent Cope
Finding Your Own Way to Say Goodbye
Pain Management
Quality of Life
Understanding the Procedures that Follow Death
Taking Care of Yourself
Grief
Funerals and Memorial Services
Obituary
Notifying Friends and Family
Protecting Your Home
Caring for Your Other Parent
Finances
Probate and Estates
Making Your Peace
Tips for Coping with Your Emotions
Tips for Helping Your Parent Cope

Chapter 15: Alzheimer’s and Dementia -
Understanding Alzheimer’s and Dementia
What to Expect
Coping
Being Prepared
Leaving Home
Moving Forward
Alzheimer’s Facility Evaluation Worksheet
Tips for Helping Your Parent with Alzheimer’s

Chapter 16: Keeping Your Own Life Alive -
Getting a Handle on What You are Facing
Setting Priorities
Managing Your Time
Accepting Change
Involving Your Family
Managing Your Job
Keeping a Social Life
Battling Guilt
Battling Resentment
Battling Anger
Dealing with Grief and Loss
Maintaining Your Relationships
Finding Help
Helping Your Children Cope
Holidays
Thinking About Your Future

Chapter 17: Senior Couples -
How to Talk to a Couple
Helping Them Make Decisions Together
Helping Them Face Each Other’s Situations
How They Can Help Each Other
Effect of Aging on Their Relationship
The Desire to Stay Together
Respecting their Relationship
Decision-Making
Managing Temporary Separations
Dealing With Grief
Tips for Dealing with Couples

Chapter 18: Long Distance Management -
Understanding Your Limitations
Making Decisions and Getting Information from a Distance
Finding Local Help
Considering a Move
Dealing with Your Emotions
Dealing with Family Members
Getting Medical Updates
Handling Finances from a Distance
Staying in Touch
When to Visit

Conclusion -
Glossary -
Appendix A: State-Specific Resources -
Appendix B: General Resources -
Appendix C: For Additional Reading
Appendix D: Nursing Home Resident’s Rights
in the United States -
Appendix E: Nursing Home Checklist -
Appendix F: Sample Forms -
Index -

Excerpt

Editorial Reviews

Law Library Journal
"The Complete Legal Guide to Senior Care was written by Brette McWhorter Sember, an attorney who formerly practiced law in the areas of estate planning and probate. It is targeted at laypersons who are either caring for an elderly relative or spouse or preparing for their own future. The book is easy to read, practical, and does not contain unnecessary jargon. As such, this title is appropriate for a public library or county law library. It is not appropriate for the practicing attorney or legal professional.

This book takes a balanced approach to dealing with an emotional subject, stressing the need for communication and respect. The Complete Legal Guide covers the full spectrum of issues, from broaching the subject of needing help or care to make funeral arrangements. Each chapter contains tips, checklists, and worksheets. Sember frequently refers to these tips and checklists within the text, noting that the reader should see the worksheet at the end of the chapter. It would be even more helpful if an exact page number was provided with such references. The worksheets help the reader make basic information available in a clear-cut, unemotional way to all the decision makers. According to a statement on the verso of the title page, purchasers of the book are granted a license to use the forms in the book for their personal use. It might be handy to make multiple copies of the worksheet, keep them in a binder, and take them along when visiting doctors, hospitals, or nursing homes. For future editions, the publisher might want to release this title in spiral-bound form to make photocopying easier, or perhaps include the forms on an accompanying disk.

The book contains six appendices covering state-specific resources, general resources (including national agencies), medical Web sites, a bibliography arranged by subject, Nursing Home Residents’ Rights in the United States, and nursing home visit checklist and forms. Many references to Web sites and numerous agency addresses are also provided. I tested the Web site for Missouri provided in Appendix A: “State-Specific Resources.” It led me to the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services Web page, an excellent source. The one Illinois link, to the Department of Public Health, was also good, but a better source, the Illinois Department on Aging, was not listed.

The type is easy to read and large headings are used, both musts since many care givers of elderly parents are approaching middle age. The Complete Legal Guide to Senior Care is not a book that you would sit down and read from cover to cover, but it would be a good resource to consult as you come to each elder care milestone."

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