“Where do I Start?” For months that panicked question was the refrain in my head as I tried to fall asleep. It is the question I asked myself over and over again as it became clear that my father was dying, that I was about to become responsible for my disabled mother, and this responsibility would include among other things: her safety, finances and home. Being prepared is … [Read more...]
Healthcare Safety and Investment Includes Your Family Home
Just how old is the plumbing? My parents’ house was 57 years old when my father died. Not long after he passed I noticed a crack in the ceiling in their dining room. Was it from the house settling or something more serious? (Jump to Lessons Learned) The last months of my father’s life he made sure I knew where important documents were kept and how to access them. He left me … [Read more...]
Help in Caring for Parents Using Community Resources
Do you know what help is available? It wasn’t until my father’s release from the hospital that I had any idea how many community resources are available to help our aging parents. (Jump to Lessons Learned) If I could do it over again, I would have done research on community resources when dad's heath first started to fail. We were in such crisis mode when he got out of the … [Read more...]
Smart Strategies for the HIPAA Privacy Law
Will I be able to talk to my parent’s doctors? When my father asked me to accompany him into the doctor’s treatment room, I had no idea the impact that had on my ability to discuss his health and care with his doctor. (Jump to Lessons Learned) My father’s primary care doctor and heart doctor were wonderful. Each visit began with a discussion of the New York Giants – gleeful … [Read more...]
Six Things to Know About Living Wills and Healthcare Proxy
Living Will and Healthcare Durable Power of Attorney: What is the difference? I felt secure in knowing that my parents each had a living will and had named my sister-in-law, a registered nurse, as their healthcare proxy. Little did I realize that even with these two documents their end of life wishes could be at risk. (Jump to Lessons Learned) A Living Will, also known as … [Read more...]