Living With the End in Mind

Avoid Crises In End Of Life Care

Long-term care is often a stage in life we neglect to think about until we’ve found ourselves in the middle of very transformative circumstances––facing the unexpected journey of a sick loved one or experiencing physically debilitating health challenges of our own. 

Taking the necessary steps to make a plan as an individual or a family can save you or your loved ones the hassle of having to make tough decisions in the middle of a crisis. From assisted living options to designating a power of attorney for you or a loved one’s care, there are many complex factors to consider and ways we can educate ourselves regarding the process.

Included in this realm of wellness arrangements is guardianship/guardian litigation, sickness, death, disability, planning for wills and trusts, government benefit planning and more.

Where do mom and dad want to live? What decisions would you want to make should you encounter a health crisis? Who is going to manage your finances? These are questions to ponder as you begin to navigate preparing your family for end of life or future assisted living situations.

Here are ways to think with the future in mind to help your family be set up for success.

To avoid future stress for you and your family, have the hard conversations now

According to VA Accredited Attorney Kevin R. Albaum, of Clark, Campbell, Lancaster, Workman & Airth, P.A., the ideal time to plan these decisions is in your 60s, if not sooner. Whether you are a parent needing to determine who will look after your children in the event of your absence, or you are needing to designate a power-of-attorney to distribute your loved one’s living will according to their wishes, talk openly with your immediate family about these decisions to set arrangements ahead of time. 

Once you have sorted out these details or are needing assistance legally designating these family decisions for long-term care, consider meeting with a local attorney to ensure these decisions are legally documented––whether it be a living will designating division of assets or guardianship documentation expressing who will be responsible for dependents. 

Attorneys who specialize in these matters are able to provide guidance and legal assistance to match your family’s needs. They will be able to help with your official designation of a power of attorney to ensure the correct decision makers are in place to carry out the family's wishes.

Support through geriatric care management is available

To assist an elderly or sick loved one, geriatric care management provides exclusive one-on-one support to families and their dependent loved one by engaging them with helpful resources to guide them through stressful decisions for end-of-life care.

These licensed social workers assist and work to alleviate family caregivers by advocating for senior patients and giving helpful medical referrals and planning assistance to families.

In Polk County, All About Aging, a geriatric care management group, offers this with their mission of giving patients “quality of life, quality of care and peace of mind.” From around-the-clock support to health management at home, their team creates solutions for families locally who are functioning as caregivers for a loved one. 

If you find yourself in a situation where you are alone and need assistance, or your family gets burnt out from caregiving, this would be a great opportunity to call and learn more information. Learn more at allaboutagingllc.com

There are medical and financial assistance for qualifying veterans

For our brave women and men who have served our country, there are a variety of assistance programs offering medical and financial support to veterans needing assistance. This covers everything from living arrangements, caregiver programs offering compensation and medical teams dedicated to caring for all health needs. 

Lakeland’s VA Clinic, located at 4237 South Pipkin Road, offers advanced medical treatment for veterans, including but not limited to mental health care, primary care services and lab services. 

Each veteran is designated a social worker and medical team to oversee their care and offer support through education of Veteran Affairs resources.

Connect with an Aging and Disability Resource Center and the Department of Elder Affairs.

They are available to guide you through questions regarding living assistance and government aid to help with the cost of proper care. Many families miss out on government funding because they simply don’t know about it. 

There are currently 11 agencies of Aging and Disability Resource Centers in the state of Florida, and the Department of Elder Affairs provides programs designed to engage with senior citizens locally. These programs and resources give a ton of insightful information for seniors and their families, such as connecting them to helpful referrals and qualifying financial assistance programs. 

Both the Department of Elder Affairs and Aging and Disability Resource Center can help find out more information on what’s currently available with the criteria necessary for qualifying.

Explore assisted living options in the area.

Nearly 1 in 5 Polk County residents are age 65 or older, and there are a growing number of facilities that provide quality assistance and housing for an elderly or incapacitated loved one. 

Places, such as Estates At Carpenters, located at 1001 Carpenters Way, are designated to create positive living experiences surrounded by medical care professionals to help rehabilitate their residents to a good quality of life. 

In addition to their health care unit, they have independent living apartments with community-driven amenities, such as a heated swimming pool, salon for self-care and engaging cultural events. Their residential team is available to offer tours and answer questions about enrolling your loved one to live at their facility. It is common for residents to naturally transition into the health care unit should they need rehabilitation or have specific needs that require medical attention or service.

Palliative care and hospice care offer specialized at-home care and support.

If you are a caregiver with a loved one needing medical assistance, palliative care or hospice care might be an option to consider that you may be qualified for. VITAS Healthcare, located at 115 S. Missouri Ave. Suite 350, or Good Shepherd Hospice, located at 3470 Lakeland Hills Blvd., are both highly rated centers that give care at-home for your loved one as they journey through end-of-life. 

While palliative care focuses on treatment and care support whether the patient is continuing treatment or not, hospice care provides medical support and care for patients who have decided to no longer continue treatment. Hospice will partner with caregivers to provide ways to keep patients comfortable at-home. 

As caring for a sick family member can take a stressful toll on a family emotionally, it can also be physically demanding, which is where hospice or palliative care is able to step in and provide relief and medical care.

The goal is to help guide the family through those final moments and to keep the loved one comfortable as much as possible.

When you fail to plan, you plan to fail.

Whether you are interested in finding more information for your family or are wanting to be proactive by making a plan, taking a step is a phone call or an email away. 

It can truly put you and your family at ease to think through these options and to know what you ultimately wish to do when a crisis or life altering change takes place.

Our lives are so ever-changing. Remaining proactive protects you and the ones you love most.