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Planning Ahead for Legal Matters

While it’s important for everyone to plan for the future. Legal plans are especially vital for a person diagnosed with dementia.

Why plan ahead?

Early planning allows the person with dementia to be involved and express his or her wishes for future care and decisions.

Also allows time to work through the complex legal and financial issues that are involved in long-term care.

Legal capacity

Legal capacity is the ability to understand and appreciate the consequences of one’s actions and to make rational decisions.

As long as the person has legal capacity, he or she should take part in legal planning.

Meeting a lawyer

You can complete certain legal documents without a lawyer. But getting legal advice and services from an attorney can be especially helpful.

Gather all documents relating to the assets of the person with dementia ahead of time so you can bring them to your appointment.

If you already have a lawyer, he or she may be able to refer you to an attorney that specializes in elder law.

Quick tips

The person with dementia should name a successor (back-up) agent for power of attorney.

Consider choosing an attorney or a bank to manage the individual’s estate if the person lacks a trusted individual with the time or expertise.

Thank you to Alzheimer’s Association for this content!

See full article HERE.

5 Stages of Alzheimer’s

These 5 stages of Alzheimer’s can help you understand and prepare you for what to expect.

Preclinical Alzheimer’s

Usually identified only in research settings. You won’t notice symptoms during this stage.

This stage of Alzheimer’s can last for years, possibly even decades.

Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI)

People in this stage have mild changes in their memory and thinking ability.

The ability to make sound decisions can become harder for people with MCI.

Mild Dementia

This stage is often diagnosed when it becomes clear to family and doctors that a person is having significant trouble with memory and thinking.

Moderate Dementia

During this stage people grow more confused and forgetful and begin to need more help with daily activities and self-care.

In this stage people experience increasingly poor judgment and undergo significant changes in personality and behavior.

Severe Dementia

Mental function continues to decline, and the disease has a growing impact on movement and physical capabilities.

Your loved one may also lose the ability to communicate and require daily assistance.

On average, people with Alzheimer’s disease live between three and 11 years after diagnosis.

Pneumonia is a common cause of death because impaired swallowing allows food or beverages to enter the lungs. This is where an infection can begin.

Other common causes of death include:

  • Dehydration
  • Malnutrition
  • Falls
  • Other infections.

Thank you to MayoClinic.org for this content!

See full article HERE.

9 Tips: The Art of Long Distance Caregiving

Caregiving for someone in your own city or home who lives with Alzheimer’s is challenging enough.

So how can you manage long-distance caregiving?

Here are 9 points to ease your worries and help smoothe the long-distance caring journey.

1. Provide a Cell Phone.

Plan on spending time explaining the phone’s features and programming some important numbers to speed-dial. Find the simplest, most user-friendly phone you can.

2. Stay In Touch

Stay in touch by sending your loved one digital movies of yourself. And set aside a time each day or week for phone calls.

3. How to talk on the phone with someone with Alzheimer’s.

Identify yourself, the person with Alzheimer’s may recognize your voice, but may not be able to match it to your name.

Keep it short, limit phone calls to a minute or two and say something positive: “I was thinking of you and wanted to call and say hello.” Stay simple, avoid open-ended questions. “Did you have a good lunch? I heard you ate salmon.”

4. Take full advantage of your visit.

Check to see how your loved one is doing. Are there piles of laundry and unopened mail lying around? Has he or she been ignoring personal hygiene?

5. Check for potential hazards.

Check for unlocked cupboards full of medications, cleaning liquids and solvents; or loose rugs that could contribute to falls.

6. Keep a record of your older relative’s Information.

Things like social security number, bank account, credit card numbers, insurance policies, deeds, investments, and wills.

7. Consider hiring a geriatric care manager.

To locate one of these professionals, contact the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.

8. Take leave from work.

If the demands become overwhelming, you may be eligible to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave as authorized by the Family and Medical Leave Act.

9. Read Books.

Get a copy of So Far Away: Twenty Questions and Answers About Long-Distance Caregiving, a very useful guide produced by the National Institute on Aging.

Thank you to AlzLive.com and Susan Grimbly for this content!

 See full article here

Impact of falls and Alzheimers Disease

About 1 in every 4 seniors falls at least once a year. That’s even more common for people who have Alzheimer’s disease.

Most of the time, people who fall aren’t hurt or only have minor problems that you can manage at home.

If they’ve fallen and are awake but haven’t gotten up, ask them not to until you’re sure they’re okay.

Ask them if they hurt anywhere, especially their:

  • head
  • neck
  • shoulders
  • wrists
  • hips
  • knees

In the 2 or 3 days after the fall, stay on the lookout for any sign that your loved one might have a new illness or a change in their condition.

To keep falls from happening you can do a few things to make it less likely your loved one will fall and get hurt.

Help them start an exercise program to make their legs stronger. You can ask their doctor about exercise programs for people with Alzheimer’s disease.

Many medications can cause dizziness, sleepiness, or confusion. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if there are safer ones they can take.

Do a home safety check up and fix any problem areas. Poor lighting, slippery or uneven floors and shoes that have slippery soles all make falls more likely.

Sometimes, older people are afraid to go up or down steps or get up to use the bathroom at night.

To get around this, you can put handrails in stairwells, or light the path to the bathroom at night.

Add grab bars near the toilet and near the shower or bathtub to help them stand up. A shower chair is also a good idea.

Thank you to WebMD for this content!

 See full article here

Memory Care Resources for Veterans

Receiving an Alzheimer’s diagnosis can be devastating for both seniors and their loved ones.

Research is finding that veterans who experience TBIs and PTSD are at risk for cognitive problems later in life.

As veterans who served in conflicts from World War II to the Gulf War and beyond. Reach mature ages and many experience Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia.

VA Programs for Memory Care

Veterans who qualify for VA Healthcare have access to a wide variety of help with the treatment of dementia. Often times, the VA allows a veteran to use multiple programs at once.

Even if there’s no obvious connection between dementia and the veteran’s time in service. He or she may still be eligible for some VA Healthcare or pension benefits.

As patients enter the late stages of dementia, they often need more support for activities of daily living (ADLs). They may pay for a community aid agency to send a trained aide to your home if the veteran needs 3 or more ADLs.

These can include:

  • eating
  • bathing
  • moving around in the home

Managing Care

Programs that are most helpful can include:

  • Veteran Directed Home Based Care
  • Community nursing homes
  • State veteran nursing home
  • Aid & attendant benefits

Other programs help with providing:

  • Home improvements to age in place
  • Skilled home care
  • Telehealth
  • Palliative care teams
  • Hospice

There’s also respite care, where a temporary caregiver steps in to give family members a break.

Respite care can be a regular part of a care plan, or it can be a rarely-used service that comes in handy during stressful times.

One of the most loving things you can do for a veteran with dementia is to connect them to the care that’s best for them.

Thank you to MemoryCare.com for this content!

See full article HERE.

Professional in the Driver Seat: Parent Projects & AK Racing Team Up

“Something a lot of people don’t realize is how much data it takes to give a driver the best possible chance at winning under stressful conditions and high expectations; much like how families need to work through a lot of content and resources to find the best path forward in their lives.”

Media Contact

Stephanie London

Communications Manager

Press@ParentProjects.com
(480) 757-5750

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Senior Living Options for Veterans

There are 3 types of senior living for Veterans

  • Community Nursing Homes
  • State Veterans Homes
  • Medical Foster Homes

Community Nursing Homes are places for Veterans to live and receive care 24/7. The VA will pay for this care if you meet eligibility criteria involving service satus, level of disability and income.

State Veterans Homes provide nursing home care for veterans disabled by age, disease or other disability that leave them incapable of earning a living.

Medical Foster Homes are private homes where veterans recieve 24/7 nurse care. The VA does not pay for your stays. Charges are based on income and level of care.

Who qualifies for these benifits?

Veterans who served in the active military, naval, or air service. National Guard members and Reservists may also qualify. Also eligible are Veteran’s dependent and Surviving spouse, child or parent of a deceased Veteran.

Paying for Veterans Senior Housing.

As a Veteran, you may qualify for money that can help pay the cost of a senior living community. These benefits include VA pension, Aid and Attendance Program, and the Housebound benefit.

VA Pension

A pension is paid to wartime Veterans with limited or no income, who are 65 or older, or under 65 and are permanently and totally disabled.

You must meet these additional eligibility requirements:

  • You must have been discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.
  • Served at least 90 days of active military service and “at least 1 day was during a war time period.
  • Your income for VA purposes must be below the maximum annual pension rate as set by Congress.

Aid and Attendance

This is a benefit paid in addition to a VA pension and can help offset the cost of assisted living, nursing homes and other senior living options.

Even if your income is above the minimum required for VA pension. You may still qualify for Aid and Attendance if you have large medical expenses.

Housebound Benefit

This benefit is a payment in addition to basic pension for those who are receiving care in-home or in the home of a family member.

These benefits are based on a higher income limit than a VA pension. So even if income ineligible for a pension, a Veteran could qualify.

Thank you to SeniorLiving.org and Jeff Hoyt for this content!

See full article HERE.

Military Funeral Honors FAQs

Who is eligible for Military Funeral Honors?

  • Members who died while on active duty.
  • Veterans who served and were honorably discharged.
  • Certain civilian groups who have been given active-duty determinations may also be eligible.

What do Military Funeral Honors consist of?

A minimum of a two-person military service detail who provide the three core elements of the playing of Taps, the folding of the flag, and the flag presentation.

Who receives the burial flag?

The VA authorizes only one flag, and the order of precedence is surviving:

  • spouse
  • children according to age
  • parents
  • brothers or sisters
  • uncles or aunts
  • nephews or nieces
  • others such as cousins or grandparents.

How can Military Funeral Honors be requested?

Families of eligible veterans may request Funeral Honors through their funeral director.

The funeral director will contact the appropriate Military Funeral Honors coordinator to arrange for the Funeral Honors detail.

Families in possession of their veteran loved ones cremated remains may contact the appropriate Military Funeral Honors coordinator to assist in arranging honors.

How to acquire the necessary documentation for Honors.

You may submit a request following the guidance on the Veterans Service Records website.

There are specific Emergency Requests and Deadlines procedures for those who need a replacement DD Form 214 in order to schedule Funeral Honors.

How much do Military Honors cost?

This ceremony is provided to eligible veteran’s families by the Department of Defense at no cost to the family.

How do I request a grave headstone, marker, or medallion?

The VA furnishes a government headstone, marker, or medallion at no charge. Your funeral director or cemetery representative will assist you with ordering.

ARIZONA FUNERAL HONORS REQUEST FORM

Thank you to Military OneSource for this content!

See full article HERE.

Arizona Veterans and Access to Health Care

According to the budget the VA submitted in May, the 2022 funding represents a 10% increase over 2021. More than $30 billion will be devoted to various types of infrastructure updates and modernization.

The VA estimates there are 19.2 million veterans worldwide. As of 2017, Arizona is home to more than 500,000 veterans. The VHA website includes a page that estimates wait times for general health care appointments.

Veterans seeking benefits must go through the VBA, which is in charge of determining and allocating benefits. The VBA recently announced its strategy to address systemwide backlogs that have been exacerbated by the inclusion of “presumptives”

Entitlements are provided to veterans who served in areas where exposure to toxic environments. The VA stated that outpatient care provided in 2021 was at an “all-time high. More than any other time in the (VHA’s) 75 year history.”

As for staffing at the Phoenix VA Health Care System. More than 600 new (external) employees were hired in the past fiscal year. The VA also offers “same-day” services to those in need. 24/7 through the emergency department at the Phoenix VA, including treatment for injuries and mental health issues.

Thank you to AZMIRROR and David Abbott (author) for this content.