When preparing care for an adult with Alzheimer’s (still in early stages), what changes can I make now to prepare for the future challenges? Lisa F., Morton, IL

Think of what you can afford to commit later on down the road. The average caregiver can easily spend up to 20 hours (or more) a week caring for someone with this disease. This can obviously cause one to have to quit or cut back on work.  Some basic things you can do now to prepare are:

• Prepare legal documents in advance (any possible future inheritance to be changed
• Align insurance with future needs (review beneficiary arrangements)
• Get in touch with the whole family, get them on board with any plans now if possible
• Investigate, and potentially contact, home health and facility options
• Monitor the disease, be prepared for changes before they are necessary
• Stay informed! Be realistic.  Ask questions and seek out professional guidance

It is important to remember you are not alone. Utilizing tools now can take you a long way in the future.

How should I determine which assisted living options might be best to consider for my parents? -Anonymous, Peoria, IL

The better question in this regard is “what do I need to ask?” The idea here is that you need to ask yourself, your parents, and anyone else involved what needs have arisen already, and where the future will take you. For instance, depending on a diagnosis the answers here could change greatly.

If considering home health care the questions you should ask are things like:

•       A tough question - When should my parents stop driving
•      Who will take care of them
•      Who will pay for it

·         Is home health a long-term or short-term solution

Similar questions can be posed for facilities, and you can find a good deal of information on local facilities at http://www.livingbyyourdesigninc.com/facilities.php

The key to any plan for later years is tailoring to fit your family’s specific needs.  Remember, your parents are the captain of their ship.

In recent posts and articles you have mentioned “preparing legal documents,” what exactly does this mean beyond just assembling a will, and what should I watch out for? -Suzanne K, Peoria, IL

Suzanne,

Jargon and industry terms are sometimes difficult to understand, for many families going through this time in their lives. When we say the term ‘legal documents,’ typically we are referring to Powers of Attorney and a will, or any preparatory legally binding document that gives direction for the future.

Primarily, this includes the following, all of which should be discussed in detail with all parties involved and should only be done through a lawyer:

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• Getting a will written that includes advance directives and wishes.
•  Include POA (powers of attorney) for healthcare and finances.
•  In some cases a trust may be in order.

There is a lot to say on this matter, and each family will have different needs. My recommendation is to secure legal advice if there have been changes since you last had legal documents drawn up, and assess where your family’s greatest needs are.