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Scott M. Fischer, BSN
Here we are, half way through 2015. The next thing we know, it will be Christmas!
Options for Senior Living has kept busy this past month. Tammy and Stacey have both been actively working with families and bringing great value to what we do. Running a reliable business can be challenging at times and it's nice to know I have have these two to count on.
PASRS also had a great month. We continue to have great a turn out at our monthly meetings, and we are blessed to have the interest and input of more and more affiliates. We have had the good fortune of knowledgeable and helpful speakers. This last meeting focused on a better understanding and use of the VA Aid & Attendance benefit. Topics like this and the relevant speakers that we welcome are a large part of what makes PASRS so impactful. The growth of the PASRS organization is a huge step in the right direction for our industry. I am proud to be a part of it!
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Don't Get Scammed!
Nearly everyone will run into a financial scam attempt. While some are aware of the red flags, others fall prey and take a dramatic financial and emotional hit. Seniors are a large and common group for financial scammers, and they are easily taken advantage of.
Our friends over at Elderflower Group are providing useful information on how to avoid being scammed. You can sign up for the weekly email updates, too, if you would like.
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Safely Somewhere helps families find assisted living options for their mother, father, grand-mother, grand-father, sister, brother, child, neighbor, loved one or friend. 75% of the time our clients are living on a low social security income and can not afford the care they need to live safely and flourish independently as much as they can.
THIS need is why the Safely Somewhere Foundation was created. Safely Somewhere is a 501(c)(3) accredited non-profit organization that aims to provide financial assistance with the cost of assisted living for underfunded or uninsured individuals during the medicaid application process.
The founders of Safely Somewhere have been helping families for the last 4 years with advocacy, guidance, education, and placement assistance to ensure that frequent hospital admissions and re-admissions stop.
You can donate to Safely Somewhere's Go Fund Me account HERE.
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Giving the Gift of Preparation
Blog post
I wanted to share with you a wise and helpful idea that a client of mine implemented for her family. Years before she and her husband reached the age of retirement, she put together a handy binder that outlined nearly every detail of the couples’ personal information, documents, contacts, and wishes. I was very impressed with the detail that she included. In this binder she had neatly tabbed sections that included copies of important documents and the contact information for brokers and customer service. She detailed funeral arrangements, including flower choices and receipts for the things that were already paid for. She included Lists of all accounts they held and the online login information. It had me thinking about how much work I have to do!
While you may not have every last detail worked out, consider gathering together your current, most important information and having it all available in one safe, secure place. If you keep it in a safe, make sure someone you trust knows this information exists and has a way to gain access in the event that you cannot get it for them. And remember, this is something you can build on over time.
Here are some things you may want to include:
• Copies of ownership titles
• Insurance papers with account numbers
• Agent and/or agency contact numbers
• Durable Power of Attorney paperwork – medical AND financial
• Revocable Living Trust
• Will
• Advance Health Care Directive
• Bills and Loan information
• Passwords and login info
• Personal wishes and desires
• Notes or letters to friends and loved ones
• Write your own obituary!
• Pictures
A resource like this can be invaluable. Not only is it extremely helpful for obvious reasons, but death is often accompanied by grief and stress. You will be doing your family a huge favor by relieving them of the time consuming and confusing efforts of locating documents, making endless phone calls and enduring the legal system during one of the most stressful times in their lives. Plus, if you do get around to adding the personal touches of letters and pictures, it will be a nice gift to give them and possibly help them find a smile when they need it most.
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Refresh your knowledge and skills and be prepared. You NEVER know when you might find yourself in a life threatening situation.
Right Care offers evaluation tools that families and facilities alike can use to ensure highest quality care is delivered. Take a moment to visit their site and become familiar with the easy to use tools available to you!
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Shoebox Ministry
"It takes a village" - Join us and Shoebox Ministries in aiding the less fortunate in our community. You can donate via the Summer Toiletry Drive. Toiletries are often overlooked, yet very much in need. The next time you see a good sale at the store, consider picking up a couple extras. These type of donations cost minimal, but go a loooong way for the person receiving your kindness. 
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You know you're a Baby Boomer when...
- You are not positive what a blog is.
- You know what “duck and cover” means and in elementary school you believed doing that would save you from a nuclear bomb.
- Your lawyer, doctor and accountant are younger than you are.
- Your eighty-something year old mother thinks you’re a genius about computers and wireless communication, but your twenty-something year old child thinks your technology questions merit eye rolling.
- You have to be reminded that if anyone under 35 says something is “sick”, s/he means it’s cool—i.e. good.
You can see a much longer list of these funny references here at Boomeresque.
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