It seems our quality of life decreases as our life expectancy increases. For our elderly, it appears that healthy and independent aging is true only in magazine advertisements. Sadly, in real life, most elderly persons face frailty, unscrupulous salesmen, some type of loneliness, and unavoidable medical issues. Most of our elderly seem to have a list of medications that are impossible to keep track of, let alone take in the right dosage, at the right time. An advocate is needed for the elderly person and being an advocate can seem like a full time job.
In our society, the advocate is usually the adult child who lives nearby.
Getting the correct healthcare, knowing when caregivers are needed in the home, monitoring the medications, making sure the parent is eating correctly, knowing when the elderly parent should no longer drive — all these tasks usually fall on the adult child. There are other tasks the advocate must consider, such as knowing whether the parent has adequate funds for full-time assisted living care or skilled nursing care if the need arises, knowing what the parent’s health insurance will cover, knowing if the parent can qualify for Medi-Cal benefits if needed, and ensuring that the advocate has the legal ability to effectively assist the parent if needed (through properly drafted Durable Power of Attorney documents and Advance Health Care Directives).
Of course, the care and best interests of the elderly parent are always at the forefront of any decision. With thought and planning, the elderly parent can enjoy the assistance of a well-informed and legally equipped advocate to guide the elderly parent through the complex maze of issues, and provide the best quality of life possible.
Jane M. McNamara, Esq. may be reached at www.JaneMcNamara.com or by calling 661-287-3260.
