By Heather Frenette, RN, MSN, CMC, Chief Operating Officer
The Sun Valley Group, Inc.
Arizona Care Management
In the past, most Americans lived their lives without any emergency plans. Times have changed. Fear of another terrorist attack, an increase in crime and more children living away from their parents has caused us to look more closely at contingency plans. Although many people have a Medical or Financial Power of Attorney in place, most people do not have a basic plan in place for other types of emergent situations. Do you have food, water, batteries and other emergency supplies available for a catastrophic event? Do you have a plan for the more common types of crises seniors face?
What would those who depend on you do if you got hit by a bus, or had a stroke? What would you do if your spouse were unable to take care of him or herself? These situations happen every day, and most of us do not have a plan in place. Unfortunately, without a plan these emergencies often become a crisis and families end up making quick, uninformed decisions to deal with the crisis. Those who have planned ahead and put a plan in place are usually able to make better decisions because they have more time, information and resources.
All of us have preferences for handling emergencies, our finances, medical decisions, legal matters and end of life choices. The problem is that we often do not discuss our preferences with anyone, even our spouse, children or Power of Attorney. These issues can be difficult to discuss, so often we just avoid the topic all together, tell ourselves we will deal with it “tomorrow” or assume our loved ones or nominated Power of Attorney will know our wishes and be able to make decisions the way we would have wanted. Unfortunately, if you do not discuss these topics, your loved ones will not have the information necessary to make the choices you would have made if you had been able to do it yourself.
If you or your loved one are uncomfortable talking about these issues, consider having an independent third party talk to you and your loved one. A Certified Geriatric Care Manager (GCM) can be a valuable assistance for discussing these topics. GCMs are independent, knowledgeable about resources available in the community and will know the questions to ask to gather important information for the contingency plan. Some of the topics a GCM will address include Medical such as current medical providers, current medical conditions, current medications and allergies. Secondly, legal, such as location of legal documents, they will verify that the people nominated in legal documents have a copy of the document and are willing to serve if needed. Thirdly, end of life, such as feelings about death, importance of dying at home, feelings about Hospice, burial and cremation and funeral/memorial preferences. Be specific! Fourth, emergency assistance, such as whom will be called first/second in the event of an emergency, Is there someone local who can assist if family lives far away? Lastly, financial, such as the location of bank/investment accounts, safe box and keys, financial documents and who is monitoring bank and credit card statements?
A great way to have an umbrella of these services would be to bring these needs to us. Our parent company, The Sun Valley Group, Inc., is a Professional Fiduciary Service designed to meet the needs of the incapacitated population. Our business is a vocation of compassion and caring, meeting clients' needs with consideration and dignity. Professional fiduciaries act by court appointment (guardian, conservator, trustee, personal representative) and as agents under powers of attorney. Being someone's fiduciary can be far more complex than just accounting for an individual's financial situation. The work can range from assessing the needs of the client, selecting a new home, buying furniture, and arranging for caregivers; to managing investments, controlling visitation schedules among warring family members, and handling burial arrangements. With Arizona Care Management all the needs listed above can be met.
Once you have a plan in place, share it with anyone who could be responsible for making these decisions. If you are geographically distant from the person(s) who will be acting on your behalf in an emergency, look for a local GCM who can be available for emergencies. GCMs are valuable because not only do they know the local resources, but they can also be available on an emergency basis to get things stabilized while the nominated agent is in route. The GCM can also take a proactive roll, making recommendations to help prevent potential crisis or monitoring unstable situations.
Whether you work with a GCM or do it yourself, take the time to put a contingency plan in place. It will give you and your loved one peace of mind knowing you have a plan in place for an emergency. You may never need it, but it is good to know it is there if you do!
Arizona Resource Links
http://www.sunvalleygroup.com/- Licensed Fiduciary
http://www.azcaremgt.com/- Certified Care Management
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