5.4 million people living in the U.S. has Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias – and approximately 800,000 Americans are living alone, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. The report, “2012 Alzheimer’s Disease Facts and Figures,” estimates that one in seven people with Alzheimer's or dementia lives alone, and that up to half of those people have no identifiable caregiver. Most are older women with milder impairment. Additionally, as the baby boom generation ages, more people diagnosed with Alzheimer’s will be living alone. The analysis finds that Alzheimer’s costs the country about $200 billion per year in Medicare, Medicaid, and personal out-of-pocket expenses. As enormous…
A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, found that in regions of the U.S. that tend to spend the most on end-of-life care, patients who have "advance directives" cost Medicare about $5,600 less per person. (Advance directives allow patients to communicate their end-of-life wishes if they are unable to do so themselves.) These patients' quality of life also appeared to be better; they were more likely to receive hospice care and to be at home when they died. But the differences in spending and care did not hold up in regions of the country with low-…
Important Documents To Keep Handy: Keep these documents about your aging parent or loved one in a designated file/folder: Contact Names and Numbers Medication Workshhet Allergy and Condition Worksheet Physician Visit Worksheet Health Care Proxy DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) Order Advance Directives such as Living Will and Durable Power of Attorney Insurance Policies Will and Testament Copy of Medicare/Medicaid Card Copy of Health Insurance/Cards Valuables Designation List
National Health Care Decisions Day is set for April 16. According to their website, this initiative is a collaborative effort of national, state and community organizations committed to ensuring that all adults with decision-making capacity in the United States have the information and opportunity to communicate and document their healthcare decisions. You also can learn more on their Facebook Page. You can learn more about medical and advance directives or health care agents – on our website.
A Wall Street Journal Online article discussing end-of-life planning through advanced directives and an increasingly powerful tool of “Physician Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment” or POLST, that are meant to compliment advanced directives. The orders have been adopted in 14 states and similar programs are developing in another 16, and allow for greater control over decisions.
Retaining control and dignity as the end of life approaches is an often overlooked aspect of comprehensive estate planning. Regardless the size or value of your “estate,” proper planning should address these difficult issues. US News & World Report ran an article last week, How to Ensure Your Last Wishes Are Carried Out. As they outline, there are two primary ways to ensure your final wishes are followed: one is through legal documents, and the second is by communicating your wishes to those who may be involved in carrying them out should you become incapacitated. As regards legal documents, you’ll…
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