Amber Alert for Elderly

An article in today’s Lansing State Journal (LSJ) grabbed my attention. Rep. Mark Meadows, D-East Lansing introduced legislation requiring police to issue missing persons reports on seniors as soon as possible after receiving the information, much like the Amber Alert for missing children.

Several years after her dementia diagnosis, my mother would occasionally leave the house and head down the street and through neighbors yards.

Thankfully, my parents have lived on this street since 1962 and many of the neighbors recognized Mom. While Dad was trying to locate her, they would stop her from going further and then get a hold of Dad or start walking her back home.

Numerous stories in recent years have not turned out as well as ours.

According to Eric Hall, president and CEO of the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, about 16 million people will develop Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia by 2050.

Meadows’ bill, called the Mozelle Senior Medial Alert Act, passed the Michigan House this spring, and is pending in the Senate according to the LSJ. The bill is similar to the national Amber Alert program and drawing federal attention.

According to the LSJ, others supporting the notification system include the Michigan State Police and AARP.

Due to the growing number of seniors and the rise in Alzheimer’s-related diseases, this bill needs to pass the senate and become law in Michigan. An alert system for missing seniors could prevent needless deaths.

Three Keys to Aging in Place

A growing number of aging senior citizens consider staying in their homes a priority. In the last few years a new term as emerged identifying those who desire to stay put.

The term? Aging in place.

Recent studies show approximately twenty-five million U.S. households are headed by someone over sixty-five. That number will grow as the leading wave of aging boomers arrives on the scene. With eighty-five percent wanting to remain in their homes, the challenge to do so will increase.

The following three factors are key in making that happen.

1. Physical and mental health. To age in place, seniors must be able to care for themselves. Families can prepare ahead of time by obtaining physical and mental examinations to determine what needs may arise and what services are required, if any.

Assess what community services are available. Often nearby family and friends are able to lend a hand. Public transportation, senior citizen centers, and programs such as Meals-on-Wheels quite often are available. Paid or unpaid caregivers can provide much needed assistance.

2. Financial Health. Especially vulnerable to forced moves are the low to moderate-income elders. Unable to pay for upkeep or expensive repairs on a house, many people must move in with other family members or make other less desirable living arrangements.

Experts say mortgages should be paid off prior to leaving the work place in order to reduce the likelihood of future financial stress. Some may consider an alternative course of action such as a reverse mortgage. Make sure to discuss options with a trusted financial advisor.

3. Physical condition of the home. If possible, make sure the senior’s home has been properly maintained. Homes are in constant need of upkeep and as people age, they will not be able to do the work themselves. Addressing as many needs as possible will assure a pleasant living experience.

Sometimes people know their needs ahead of time and are able to remodel. For example, removing steps and adding a ramp will make the home wheelchair accessible if health concerns warrant. Widening doors and adding grab bars to the bathroom will help the handicapped senior live alone. Remodeling a home to make it handicap accessible should be a priority.

Many people desire to remain where they feel a sense of warmth and comfort. They are familiar with the neighborhood and may still be active in the community. Their home is comfortable, convenient and feels safe. Strong memories and traditions are difficult to leave.

Helping people age in place will contribute to healthier, safer, and happier lives for millions of older Americans. Using wisdom and preplanning may allow many more of our aging population to remain in their homes.

4 Must Have Documents During a Crisis

Two weeks after I moved in with Dad, he went into the hospital for an important heart-related procedure. Because of the possibility of adverse outcomes during or following the procedure, we made certain important legal documents were in place.

They were still in place when he went back to the hospital six months later in a diabetic coma. The medical staff kept me actively involved in the decision making process throughout his stay.

It is important as a caregiver that we know our loved one has expressed his or her wishes in writing. Those documents should include:

1. Durable Power of Attorney. This document allows a person to give another person the authority to make legal, financial, and medical decisions. Separate documents can be prepared for health care and for finances.

2. Advanced Directives, sometimes called medical advance directives. This legal document outlines a person’s decision as to how to treat them under certain medical conditions. This gives the senior a choice regarding the use of life support machines and possible resuscitation efforts.

People may or may not want extra measures performed in order to keep them alive. This document places the decision in the hands of the loved one rather than a family member or caregiver.

3. Living Will. A written document stating the care the patient does or does not want if incapacitated. A “do not resuscitate” (DNR) order may be included.

4. Will. This document states how an individual wants his or her estate distributed after death. It can include burial arrangements and wishes such as the desire for cremation.

Having documents such as these in place ahead of time allows the caregiver to know and follow the wishes of the senior when they can no longer speak for themselves. Preplanning will make decision making easier in case of a medical or financial crisis.

There is nothing more heartbreaking than a family squabbling about health care issues as they are gathered around their loved one’s hospital bed. And yes, it does happen.

Consult an attorney who specializes in elder law as soon as possible while your loved one can still articulate his or her wishes. Being proactive will allow you and your family to make the best possible decisions for everyone involved.