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Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical
Health Tips

Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical

by Carol Marak
written by Carol Marak

This week at the Aging Well Conference in Arlington, I was invited to speak on the critical topic, The Decisions A Health Care Proxy May Make On Your Behalf. I’ve written several times about legal documents and selecting an executor and agent. While researching for the presentation, I came across valuable information on the American Bar Association website and want to share with readers. Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical

The decisions a healthcare proxy will make on your behalf

  • Choices about medical care, including medical tests, medicine, or surgery
  • The right to request or decline life-support treatments such as medical devices to aid breathing, medical devices to provide food and water, CPR, blood transfusions, dialysis, and antibiotics
  • Choices about pain management, including authorization or refusal of medication or procedures
  • Admission to an assisted living facility, hospital, hospice, or nursing home
  • Choices about where to seek medical treatment, including the right to move you to another facility, hospital, or state
  • The right to see and approve release of your medical records
  • The option to take legal action on your behalf in order to advocate for your health care rights and wishes
  • The right to apply for Medicare, Medicaid, or other programs or insurance benefits on your behalf

Good advance planning for health care decisions is, in reality, a continuing conversation–about values, priorities, the meaning of one’s life, and quality of life. When making a health care advance directive like a durable power of attorney for health care, be aware that just having a written advance directive by itself does not ensure that your wishes will be understood and respected. Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical
There are several key points in choosing an ideal healthcare proxy and it begins with talking about your wishes and finding out if the person will follow them. These questions will help you assess and choose the best healthcare proxy.

  • Will this person speak for you in case you cannot?
  • Act on your wishes and separate their own feelings from yours?
  • Live close by or could travel to be with you?
  • Knows you well and understands what you want?
  • Is someone you trust with your life?
  • Will talk with you about sensitive issues?
  • Will be available long-term?
  • Able to handle conflicting opinions between family, friends and medical team?
  • Can be a strong advocate in the face of an unresponsive doctor or institution?

This guide will help you do a better job of discovering, clarifying, and communicating what is important to you in the face of serious illness. Remember once you know exactly how you want to be treated if you should become incapacitated, write it down and let you healthcare proxy, family and friends know.

Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical

Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical Why Choosing the Ideal Healthcare Proxy is Critical

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6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose
Age-In-Place

6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

After retirement, seniors often struggle to find purpose in their lives. Many are surprised at their lack of direction without a Monday-to-Friday job. This lack of motivation can have a damaging effect on seniors’ well-being. Without this sense of purpose, seniors often slip into a sedentary lifestyle. Others find themselves feeling listless, anxious, or depressed. 6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose
At Visiting Angels, we’ve seen how lack of purpose takes a toll on older adults, time and time again. When seniors first get started with a home care assessment, many report feeling a lack of energy, motivation, and direction. When designing a personalized care plan for a client, we often focus on how home care can assuage these feelings.
While there are many ways that home care services can help seniors re-discover purpose in their lives, here are six that we’ve seen work especially well.

1. Volunteering

Volunteering is a great way to give older adults a sense of purpose and meaning during retirement. However, some seniors feel intimidated if they’ve never volunteered before, or feel uncomfortable in social situations. Other seniors have physical difficulties and need assistance to attend volunteering events. A caregiver’s presence can be helpful in these situations.

2. Taking a Class

A lot of seniors find that retirement is a great time to further their education. Older adults can take the time to learn about subjects that have always held their interest, or can become fluent in a new language they’ve always wanted to learn. Home care services can make it easier for elderly adults to attend classes in person or online.

3. Learning a Skill

While some seniors prefer book learning, others enjoy developing new skills. Some get a kick out of building hands-on skills, like woodworking or refinishing furniture. Others learn computer skills, like coding or building websites. Seniors with creative streaks might find themselves picking up a paintbrush or flexing their writing skills. Whatever the activity, a caregiver’s support and encouragement can often be a crucial boost.

4. Reconnecting Online

Email and social media have made it easier than ever before to reconnect with long-lost friends and communicate across long distances. Unfortunately, many seniors find these tools difficult or intimidating to use. Home care services like Visiting Angels’ social care program connect seniors with caregivers who can help them navigate online spaces.

4. Telling Your Story

Retirement is a particularly ripe time for reflection. Many older adults find themselves with the urge to record their personal history. This creates a cherished document for their children, grandchildren, and future generations. Home care services can give seniors a partner for genealogical research, sorting through old photos, recording important memories, and compiling a personal history.

6. Meaningful Relationships

Sometimes, purpose comes from something as simple as social interaction. Companion care is a type of home care service that pairs seniors who feel lonely or isolated with friendly and compassionate care companions. The conversation, company, and face-to-face contact offered by this type of care can be vital for elderly adults, and caregivers can offer a helping hand when needed.
If you worry that your mom or dad is having trouble finding purpose in their golden years, we invite you to get in touch with your local Visiting Angels. We will be happy to discuss your options for home care services and provide a free, no-obligation assessment. Get started by contacting your local Visiting Angels or by calling 800-365-4189 today. 6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose

6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose

6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose 6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose 6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose 6 Ways Home Care Can Help Seniors Rediscover Purpose
 
 

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When is the Right Time for Seniors to Downsize?
Aging

When is the Right Time for Seniors to Downsize?

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

Come a certain age, retirees are bound to face the question of whether or not to downsize. After all, a three- or four-bedroom home is an essential investment when you’re raising a young family, but when once the kids have graduated college, the extra space is just that — extra space. When is the Right Time for Seniors to Downsize?
There are a number of reasons to consider downsizing. For one, it makes taking care of your home much more manageable. For another, when the kids have moved out, a smaller home can feel more comfortable and cozy. When is the Right Time for Seniors to Downsize?
But one of the most compelling reasons to downsize — and downsize early — is the financial benefits that come with a move to a smaller home. When is the Right Time for Seniors to Downsize?

Making the Most of Your Nest Egg

It’s everyone’s goal to make the most of their retirement savings. But not everyone considers how much further a nest egg can go with a downsize to a smaller home, or even a rental unit or condo.
As the Wall Street Journal noted in 2014, downsizing to an apartment with a higher monthly rent than your mortgage and property taxes can, in some cases, actually save you money in the long run. That’s because the costs of owning a home are often hidden, tied up in constant maintenance projects that you’re on the hook for.
While it takes some number crunching, it’s worth looking into how much you can save by making the switch from a family-sized house to a smaller home. One striking thing you may find is how quickly the yearly savings add up, giving you plenty of bumper space for your retirement savings.

Moving While You’re Able

Another reason to move earlier rather than later in retirement is the physical demands that come with owning a home. A larger space is often tougher on your body than a smaller one, especially when it comes to cleaning and day-to-day tasks. While you can get help with these activities of daily living, services like home care or professional cleaning are an added cost that you should factor into your financial plans.
But it’s not just the way your home makes demands on your body that you need to be concerned about. As physically taxing as a large home may be, it pales in comparison to the challenge of a big move. By putting off downsizing, you risk delaying your move until a time when its far more difficult than it needs to be.
That’s why some surveys indicate that the right time for downsizing is right around retirement age, a time when many adults first report having difficulty living in a bigger space, but when they still have the physical and emotional energy to handle a move.
Visiting Angels home care assists seniors with tasks of daily living in the comfort of home — big or small. For a no cost estimate and care consultation, call your local Visiting Angels home care agency.

When is the Right Time for Seniors to Downsize?

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