The Caring Resource

The Senior Years: Part Three

Are you prepared?  It is time to realize that in order to have Peace of Mind in your future – YOU MUST PLAN today.

Here is a startling fact:  It is estimated that over 70% of all Americans do not have a formalized estate plan. To make matters worse, of those who have taken the time to plan - most mistakenly created only a simple will or are relying on joint tenancy ownership of their assets to distribute their estate. Do you know that a will is not enough?  Did you realize that for those of you who do not have a plan in place, state law will dictate how your estate is to be distributed at the time of death? As you can imagine, the government's distribution plan has no particular concern for what you may think is best for your family. Don’t become just a number in the system….protect yourself and your family today!  With all of the hard work you have dedicated to building your assets – take the time to plan for the future.  Planning will help protect you, your assets and ensure that they are passed along to your family– not to probate attorneys and the government.

Serena L. Brock

The Senior Years: Part Two

You Are NOT Alone

Your mother is recovering from a broken hip, and she is unable to keep the house clean or do her laundry.   She refuses to go and stay with your sister, who lives closest to her. You and your brother are exhausted from providing 24-hour care for your father. You live across the country from your mother and worry that she spends too much time alone. Dad needs daily physical therapy and special medical treatments, but he can't afford a nursing home.

Situations such as these are very common today, especially amongst the sandwich generation. Most aging parents prefer to stay at home even when their needs for care are great. As a result, families take on care responsibilities, which may involve estate planning, managing medical treatments, assisting with daily activities and dealing with issues around dying.

Too often, adult children feel that they should take care of everything themselves—a point of view some parents may encourage. However, caregivers who get help with tasks and relief from pressures are, in fact, less likely to burn out and better able to provide long-term support for their parents. Where can you turn for help?

Community-based services that can help older parents can include everything from help with household chores to around-the-clock care. In both my professional and personal opinion, I would suggest researching and speaking with 3 different agencies before making a decision. You will discover a variety of unlicensed and licensed agencies that offer the following levels of help:

• Companionship services. These services may include companionship, home supervision, telephone reassurance and friendly visits..
• Help around the house. Homemakers and chore aides do basic tasks such as laundry, cleaning, cooking, errands and shopping.
• Meal programs. Meals can be delivered to the home or eaten in group settings, such as senior centers. Check with your local aging office to see what meal programs are available in your area.

Health care

• In-home nurses and therapists. Registered Nurses (RNs) and Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) provide skilled care as set by physicians, such as monitoring medications and teaching recipients and their families about special care procedures. Professional therapists provide respiratory, physical, speech and occupational therapies in the home. Sometimes these services are covered by Medicare, Medicaid or other insurance.
• Home health aides. Assistance with personal care tasks such as bathing, dressing, eating and exercising. These services may be covered by Medicare, Medicaid or other insurance.  If not eligible, private pay aides are available through agencies.
• Hospice care. Hospice care involves professionally coordinated support services, including pain and symptom management, social services, and emotional and spiritual support for the terminally ill and their families. The care is provided both at home and in other settings. Medicare, Medicaid or other insurance may pay for hospice care for eligible people.
• Adult day services. Local centers provide structured, comprehensive programs, including a variety of health, social and other related support services during any part of the day. Costs vary dependent upon the older person's needs. There are also private, more specialized centers in some metropolitan areas.

Serena L. Brock

Attention Employers!

I’m sure it wouldn’t surprise you to learn that the annual cost to U.S. businesses due to lost productivity of working caregivers is a whopping $17.1 to $33.6-billion dollars*.

As Boomers grow older, the number of workers raising kids while simultaneously caring for aging parents is skyrocketing. When they are torn between caring for elderly loved ones and the demands of their job, the impact on work performance can be staggering.

·         Missed deadlines!

·         Loss of productivity!

·         Absenteeism!

It all adds up. It’s estimated that businesses lose $2,441 per employed caregiver each year.

Ideally, no one would have to look to outside help when a loved one needs care, but sometimes, it can’t be avoided. The days of large extended families are gone. Without that safety net, more and more often, care of an aging parent falls on a single caregiver. Few of us have the luxury of staying home to do so. How many of your employees are part of this “ Sandwich Generation”? If I could show them how to maintain a healthy home/work life balance would they want to know?

Here are just a few topics I can cover:

Stress Management. Taking on the responsibility for an elderly loved one’s health and wellbeing can be overwhelming. With the proven and effective stress management tools I will outline, caregivers will learn how to lessen anxiety at home and increase productivity on the job

.

Practical Tips. I can teach your readers how to trouble-shoot a home with a special focus on elder issues, and explain safe lifting techniques to maximize safety and comfort for caregivers and their families.

Why listen to me? I am president and CEO of Avenue HomeCare, a Charlotte, N.C.-based provider of home healthcare services. Since launching this company in 2004, my vision has been to be the preferred and trusted leader in home care, respected for providing the most effective, compassionate and innovative care possible. The experience of my staff, which, unlike other homecare providers, includes licensed clinical nurses and nurse practitioners, is unparalleled.

In addition, I currently run two other successful companies. I am CEO of Brock MacNeill Consulting/Marketing, a national marketing, business strategy and consulting firm, also headquartered in Charlotte, and a principle partner in VitaShapeMD™ an all-natural, cutting edge, anti-aging supplement. With more than 15 years’ entrepreneurial experience directing and writing marketing campaigns, creating shareholder reports and conducting road shows, I am nationally recognized as an authority in several diverse areas of business and advocacy, helping clients define and achieve growth objectives through innovative approaches to sales, public relations, marketing and business development.

As a speaker and writer, I’ve lent my expertise to such topics as sales training and motivation, recruiting and retention, business development and planning, brand definition and implementation, investor relations, and strategic marketing.  Most recently, and perhaps closest to my heart, I’ve been addressing issues that impact the healthcare industry, especially as they relate to the aging population’s urgent need for pro-active strategies regarding future healthcare plans and the engagement of quality caregivers.

Bottom Line: If you want to help your employees bust stress, boost productivity, and find a happier, healthier work/life balance, I can show them how.

Serena L. Brock

The Senior Years: Part One

For many, the senior years mark a wonderful time with less pressure, stress and the enjoyment of watching their grandchildren grow!  For others, those years can include unforeseen issues, factors and additional stress.  We see many situations – some very favorable and others that can break your heart.  Over the next few weeks, I would like to share with you answers to your questions, resources and options that are available.  I hope that you will find it useful for yourself, a friend or family member.  In addition, should you have other questions, please feel free to email me or post.

What is an Elder Law Attorney?

Attorneys who work in the field of elder law have knowledge of the senior population and the unique needs and areas critical to estate planning. They are typically sensitive to the needs of the aging population and are experienced working with factors such as competence, aging, children, age and health. Their overall broad knowledge allows them to more thoroughly address the legal needs of their clients whether they are planning for their future, or faced with a crisis situation.

For example, when planning an estate, an elder law attorney would take into consideration the health of the person or couple, the potential for nursing home care and the wishes and concerns of the person or couple if that event were to occur. If need arises, the elder law attorney will associate other legal experts.

Elder law covers all aspects of planning, counseling, education, and advocating for clients. Elder law attorneys are a resource to their clients because they understand their clients' needs may extend beyond basic legal services and stay informed about and connected to the local networks of professionals who serve the elder population.  An elder law attorney would be able to assist you with Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Disability, Long Term Care, Estate Planning, Asset Preservation, Guardianship, Power of Attorney, Advance Directives, End-of-Life decision making, Probate, and Trusts.

The National Association for Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) offers a certification program for those attorneys who wish to specialize in the area.  If the attorney that you are considering is a certified elder law attorney, he or she will have the designation “CELA” (Certified Elder Law Attorney) after their name and/or other credentials. 

For more information, please visit www.naela.org, www.elderlawanswers.com, or www.ncfirstelderlawfirm.com.

Serena L. Brock