Making Caregiving Manageable. Sally Balch Hurme, JD Checklist for Family Caregivers

Transcription

1 Making Caregiving Manageable Sally Balch Hurme, JD Checklist for Family Caregivers

2 Thank You o For all you do as a caregiver o Many things to juggle o Many difficult decisions to make o Help you get organized o Explain some legal issues o Highlight tips in Checklist for Family Caregivers

3 Checklist for Family Caregivers o Tips on how to make decisions for another o Legal responsibilities o Legal documents may need to decipher o Place to gather information o Forms at ambar.org/aarpforms o Download slideshow from this webinar

4 Gather Information o Personal medication record o Health care providers contacts Mileage o Emergency contacts o Numbers and more numbers SSN, Medicare, health insurance Bank accounts, credit cards

5 Set Up Systems o Chart medical bills Provider/Medicare/Supplemental/Patient MSN: Aarp.org/decoders o Sources of income Deposit dates o Track routine bills Autopay o Passcodes, PINs

6 Money Management Difficulties o Executive function and MCI Stress and frustration More likely to take risks Less likely to see problems

7 Be Alert for Fraud/Scams o Know the signs Wire transfers Sweepstakes Charity solicitations Imposters Telemarketing calls Trinkets and prizes Investment offers Sweethearts

8 What To Do o Educate o Report Police FTC Attorney General CFPB

9 Signs of Difficulties o Difficulty managing checkbook o Missed payments o Multiple payments o Unusual payments o Cash o Utility shutoff o Falling for scams

10 Other Legal Authority May Need o When being just a caregiver is not enough o Legal roles that give authority to make decisions Agent with powers of attorney Signatory on accounts Representative payee Guardian/conservator

11 o NEVER get a POA Need a POA? o ONLY given a POA o Thankful for or resistant to help o Must have capacity Fluctuates

12 So You Are An Agent o Do what they tell you o Follow directions o Carry out the decisions they would make o Keep records o Not your money

13 o More than one type Bank Accounts o Big consequences Individual (not your money) Joint (is your money, sort of) POD (not your money yet) Agency or convenience (access only)

14 So You Are on a Bank Account o May have right to access $ o Fraught with issues o Ripe for abuse

15 Representative Payee o Social Security Retirement, disability o Administrative process o Only that benefit o Separate, special bank account

16 So You Are the Rep Payee o Spouse not enough o Joint account not enough o Spend only on necessities o Keep records of how spend o Account to SSA

17 o Last, last resort Guardianship o Nothing else works or too late o Court process o Costly emotionally and financially o Creates court-supervised decision maker o Guardian of person and/or property

18 So You Are a Guardian o Letters of Guardianship o Know extent and limits of authority o Fiduciary responsibilities o Include in decisions o Make the decision they would make if could o Report to court

19 o Part 1 Advance Directives Living will End of life decision preferences o Part 2 Selection of spokesperson Legal authority to make decisions on behalf of patient

20 So You Are a Health Care Agent o Patient makes decision whenever can o Authority can come and go o Stand in wings to make sure wishes carried out o Follow directions in the directive o Not the decision you would make o Eyes, ears, and mouth of patient

21 o Signed by doctor Medical Orders o Part of medical record o Instructions to hospital staff o DNR o Out of hospital DNR o POST/POLST Physician s Order for Scope of Treatment Physician s Order for Life Sustaining Treatment

22 Resources o AARP Caregiving Resource Center o ABA Commission on Law & Aging Health Care Decision Making o Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Managing Other People s Money guides o National Guardianship Association Fundamentals of Guardianship Standards of Practice

23 oquestions? Your Turn

24 ABA/AARP Checklist Books 40% discount to AARP members o Checklist for Family Caregivers o Checklist for My Family o Checklist for Family Survivors

25 Next Checklist Webinar o Checklist for Family Survivors Making decisions when a loved one dies From organ donation at moment of death to recovering from grief a year out October 12, 2016 o Webinar based on retirement book November 16, 2016