Q. My parents live on the west coast and, although they are healthy and have done their estate planning, I’m worried now with the current travel bans and social distance restrictions that if something happens, we wouldn’t be able to get to them and we haven’t planned well enough for this type of emergency. Any recommendations?
A. You aren’t alone in this thinking as the pandemic has many of us with time on our hands to imagine worst case scenarios. But it is good to plan ahead and try to be proactive by having things in place to address many different situations. We try to plan for possibilities such as events happening when people travel or live in another state from a loved one, but who could imagine we wouldn’t be allowed to accompany someone to the hospital or nursing home? Yet, this is the case now and our plans must accommodate this new reality. Our own family recently encountered the need to have Power of Attorney documents faxed to a hospital on the other side of the state due to an emergency surgery for a relative being transported from assisted living. This presented quite a challenge for us and begged the question why copies of these important papers weren’t where they needed to be, when they were needed.
This column has previously covered the need for family emergency plans, having an emergency kit with supplies available (www.ready.gov) and keeping medical and do not resuscitate information readily available for emergency responders. Along these same lines, having a health information binder that is easy to find and take, or send with an individual, is something we should all consider. Recommended contents would include emergency contact and medical power of attorney information, a current list of medications, insurance information, and copies of any advance directives. This info could also be kept up-to-date on a flash drive which could be kept with the individual. Another option is storing info online with a health information website/app such as MyKinergy or CareZone, or setting up care coordination for your loved one, which multiple family members/caregivers can access, through sites such as CaringBridge and Everplans. These are just a few that popped up on my recent online search and I am sure there are others.
The key is to take steps now before they are needed. Area Agency on Aging can provide some general planning tools such as Five Wishes and Planning For Your Peace of Mind. Call our Info Line for Aging and Disability to request a copy, 800-654-2810. Other good organizations for long-distance caregiving resources include Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, https://eldercare.acl.gov; National Alliance of Caregivers at 202-918-1013, www.caregiving.org/resources; or AARP at 877-333-5885, www.aarp.org/caregiving.
Turning 65 and new to Medicare this year?
It can be daunting to consider Medicare options, especially with all those letters and the terminology. What is the difference between original Medicare and Advantage Plans? When is the best time to enroll and when can you make changes to your coverage? One good thing is that you have a full seven months to make these choices — three months before you turn 65, your birth month, and the three months after you turn 65. The other good thing is that Region IV Area Agency on Aging and MMAP (Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program) will be offering free “New-to-Medicare” classes in the coming months. (These might be “virtual” if the stay at home order is still in place.) For more information, contact our MMAP Regional Coordinator at 269-408-4354.