Are You a Caregiver for a Loved One?

The job of caring for someone with a physical or mental disability, such as Alzheimer’s disease, is one of the biggest challenges you as a caregiver will ever face. In addition to juggling your own schedule, you are constantly on call, making sure your loved one’s needs are met. We have found that caregivers are most concerned with ensuring their loved one is properly cared for and receiving the best medical treatment, all without spending down their hard-earned life savings.

Caregivers often put their needs on the back-burner, leading to burn out and feeling overwhelmed.  Caring for an aging or ill loved one is extremely difficult. But there are tools available to help caregivers make the right decisions while also taking care of themselves.

How to Find Relief

There are many places where you can turn for relief:

• Another family member or friend
• Home health care agencies
• Services such as Meals on Wheels

At some point, you may realize you have done everything you can but are unable to provide a high level of care. Although difficult, placing your loved one in an assisted living community may be in his or her best interest.

You can take certain steps that will make life easier on you as well as your loved one. Contact us (520-529-4000) for more information regarding legal and financial planning.

Taking Care of Yourself

Are you tired? Burnt out? These feelings will likely only increase over time, especially if you have no relief. Medicaid, which, in Arizona is called Arizona Long Term Care System (ALTCS for short) can help pay for different types of care, depending on your need and circumstances:

• In-Home Care – this provides assistance during the day, as the primary caregiver remains in charge on the evenings and weekends. You will not relinquish all responsibilities.
• Adult Day Care – provides occasional and/or scheduled breaks for the caregiver, and can also be scheduled around work and vacation schedules.
• Nursing or Assisted Living Care – Full-time relief for the caregiver.

What resources and support are available so you can get the help you need?

If you are concerned about the cost of quality care, consider the following benefits of legal planning:

• Emergency Medicaid planning to discuss qualifying for government benefits
• Ability to make decisions that can preserve some of your assets and pay for long-term care
• In the event of nursing home care in the future, planning with public benefit triggers can safeguard your assets if completed and funded prior to the look-back period

We can also help you and your loved one put together a disability plan should they become incapacitated and be unable to make their own health care or financial decisions. Having this plan in place will help you avoid the guardianship or conservatorship process.

Click here to download our free report on The Alzheimer’s Survival Guide for Caregivers: Practical Tips on Caring for Your Loved One or contact us today to schedule a free private consultation.