50+ Lifestyles

Are You Ready if the Unthinkable Happens?

Offering Comprehensive Long Term Care Solutions and Patient Advocacy

By Julie Arndt
GolderCare Solutions

Imagine all is well in life, and you receive “the phone call.” Your father has just had a serious accident.  He is in the Emergency Room. You had just talked to him the night before, and he was fine. He was thinking of purchasing a new golf cart. You are in a state of stunned disbelief as you drive to the hospital. You don’t know what to expect. Will he even be alive when you get there? Your world has just changed.

When you get to the hospital, you are escorted into a private room. You are told the doctor will see you shortly.  You ask if your father is ok.  You are told he is in serious condition, and you will need to speak to the doctor. From that moment on, you are essentially at the hands of a medical team who are talking about all kinds of things foreign to you. You are scared.

I’ve received that phone call and have stood in that spot, but I’ve more often been on the medical end, the side helping the family deal with the cathartic medical event that a shatters life. Folks are vulnerable when something suddenly happens that changes their reality. Family members are forced to step into a caregiver role, sometimes literally overnight.

We see folks at all different stages of a crisis like the one listed above. Sometimes we are consulted right away to advocate for care or medical treatment, and there are times that we are consulted months or years later when the cost of care becomes burdensome and public benefits need to be considered to supplement cost of care.

I write this to encourage folks to do a couple things proactively to get their “ducks in a row” so to speak.  First, consider a medical power of attorney so the person who receives that “call” in the middle of the night has the authority to help you get what you need when you are most vulnerable. This person should be someone you can trust to act for you to make medical decisions. Also, consider a durable power of attorney for property, designating someone to help you manage your nonmedical/business affairs if you cannot do so for yourself.

These basic documents streamline things for folks in the event of a care related crisis situation. It’s difficult to watch as a family struggles to deal with the overwhelming stress associated with a life altering event, only to see them thrust into the court system to get the authority needed to legally to do the basic things associated with helping someone they love, such as paying their bills or collaborating with a medical team/making health care decisions. Be sure to talk to your attorney about the power that you are giving to your designated agent. Ask the questions: “Would my agent be able to do for me whatever I could for myself?” “Are there restrictions on what they can do?”

Powers of attorney are the essential building blocks in dealing with this type of a crisis situation. That being said, there are additional legal documents that you would want to talk to your attorney about such a Last Will and Testament as well as a Revocable Living Trust. At GolderCare we often function as an administrative advocate helping our clients identify in “lay terms” what “ducks” they would benefit from getting in place now, should the “unthinkable” happen in their future.  We explain why this is important to them in their situation and give direction as to where to start. I encourage folks to ask themselves, “If the “unthinkable happens” and you get “the call,” are your ducks in order?”

Julie Arndt is a licensed social worker working in the field of geriatrics for over twenty five years with expertise in medical case management and community based services.  You can reach Julie at GolderCare Solutions Unlimited, LLC (309) 764-2273.

Tiffany Whittaker is a Benefits Advocate for GolderCare Solutions. She uses her diverse knowledge and experience in benefits planning to advocate for seniors and those who are disabled.  GolderCare Solutions provides long term care solutions for both Iowa and Illinois clients.  You can reach Tiffany at GolderCare Solutions Unlimited, LLC (309) 764-2273