As we come to the end of November, I wanted to mention that November is National Family Caregivers Month- where we honor the time, care, and energy people give to help members of the family. A caregiver is a family member or friend who provides unpaid care for a love one and assistance in daily tasks.
Family conversations about personal wishes regarding dignity and autonomy can be very challenging. Often times family members must look to the small things of a loved one to really find out their need. For example are they having troubles walking?
Along with providing care, it is important your loved ones prepare the necessary documents reflecting their wishes, so that as they age or become incapacitated their wishes our followed. It is important to have an estate planning attorney prepare powers of attorney for health care, powers of attorney for financial and business decisions, and a living will for your loved on so their wishes are respected.
Family conversations about personal wishes regarding dignity and autonomy can be very challenging. Often times family members must look to the small things of a loved one to really find out their need. For example are they having troubles walking?
Along with providing care, it is important your loved ones prepare the necessary documents reflecting their wishes, so that as they age or become incapacitated their wishes our followed. It is important to have an estate planning attorney prepare powers of attorney for health care, powers of attorney for financial and business decisions, and a living will for your loved on so their wishes are respected.
You can read an AARP article about National Family Caregiver Month at their website http://www.aarp.org/family/caregiving/articles/ginzler_family_caregivers.html?cmp=NLC-WBLTR-CTRL&DET=F5-112808
Here is a short excerpt:
Oakland County Estate Planning Lawyer
Here is a short excerpt:
Many of us do assess our loved ones' living situations reflexively. We look in the refrigerator to check the expiration dates on food products, inspect the home to determine whether repairs are needed, and, most important, sit down with loved ones to talk about how they are doing. Discussing these kinds of issues with family members means dipping our toes into the caregiving pool.-Christopher J. Berry, Esq.
Family conversations about personal autonomy can be challenging. Mom or Dad may say everything's fine, something akin to "Don't worry about me." But you may see your mother having trouble walking, or notice a pile of unopened bills going back several months. You may see dents or scrapes on cars that were unblemished before; or you might notice prescription bottles that have no refills remaining.
Here are some tips for how to start the family conversation:
• Take the focus off the person who may need caregiving. Use the famous "I" statements: "I'm worried about you, Mom"; "I want to be sure that everything is OK"; "I noticed the car had a broken side-view mirror."
• Try finding a local news article to jump-start the conversation. It might have a title along the lines of, "Senior Center Open: Offering Classes and Meal Program."
• Talk about a friend who's having issues with her older parents. For example, say, "My friend Jean's mom is getting frail. How do you think she should talk to her mom about getting help?"
No matter how you start the conversation, always remember that everyone would like to remain independent and in charge all our lives. Caregiving is NOT about taking away control; it's about helping the people you love to lead the best possible lives.
Oakland County Estate Planning Lawyer
