Page 19 - Leisure Living Magazine Spring 2018

Preparing And Planning
For Caregiving
By Theresa Bowen, Ph.D., Email - theesajb@gmail.com
Many of us will be caregivers at some point in our lives. Statistics indicate that one in three persons will become a caregiver for a spouse, an aging parent or beloved friend. Although there are paid caregivers available, most of us will rely on family and friends. According to the Family Caregiver Alliance, family caregivers provide bil- lions of unpaid hours of care each year and 75% or more are women. Along with stages of Alzhei- mer’s there are also stages of caregiving. In the early stages of Alzheimer’s your loved one may still drive, work, and be active socially. This can be a good time for you both to plan for the future.
How can we prepare for the first stage of care- giving? There are some logical steps that can help everyone prepare for
this role. First, and maybe
the most difficult, is to start
a conversation with your
loved one to discuss their
health care wishes. AARP
recommends beginning with
“I am concerned about your
current needs.” If the con-
versation does not go well
try it again at another time.
Timing is important. A good
time is when your loved one
has time to talk and you have
time to listen. The care conversation
can also begin by making it related, indirectly, to a friend or an article you have read.
If the conversation progresses, it is important to gather information about finances, and pos- sibly become a co-signer, if your loved one be- comes unable to manage their money and bills in the future. A loose leaf notebook is a highly recommended tool to help organize all the infor- mation that you collect. If there is a family team in place there are technical apps for your phone, tablet, or computer to help organize everything as well. For example, there is a Notes App on smart phones and important medical numbers can be added in your contact list.
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Next collect information about investments, assets, pensions and retirement data such as So- cial Security income and banking information. A list of insurance policies that includes Medicare numbers for Part A, B, C, and D (if applicable) along with supplemental health insurance infor- mation, life insurance, and/or long-term care in- surance. Your loved one may not want to share this information with you, but you can ask for contact information for someone that keeps track of this like a financial advisor or an attorney. A list of doctors (names, addresses, and phone num- bers) is very important and can help when you have to schedule appointments and diagnoses.
Finally, list all their medications and possibly
One in three people will be a caregiver during their lifetime.
review them with a pharmacist to see if there are any duplications or conflicts. AARP recommends a one-stop organizer. AARP Rx is a free app that helps you organize medication lists and contacts. This information can also be shared with fami- ly members. You can access all the information from your computer, smart phone, or tablet and the app also allows you to take a picture of the medication bottles. All the information is in one place and you can set access limits for privacy.
Remember to “talk early and often.” You may be surprised to lean that your loved one is as con- cerned about their future as you are. Your care- giver role is one of love, support and partnership.
Spring 2018 LeisureLiving | 19