[Md-sligo] life in order

Thu Apr 30 19:41:30 UTC 2015

Putting Your life in Order
Important Contacts and Information.
Make a list of Key contacts include:
Family members and friends, medical professionals, insurance agents, financial planners, accountants, and lawyers who should be notified if you need care.
Think about a secure location to keep the important documents associated with these individuals, such as a safe place in your bedroom or home office, and then tell a
trusted person where to find them. You may
also want to put a list of important telephone
numbers and email addresses in a central
location, like the refrigerator, and be sure to
keep them up-to-date.
2- Legal Documents that help express your desired health related treatments:
A Durable Power of Attorney
It is important to select a person you trust
for the role of making medical decisions
on your behalf in case you are not able to
do so. Through a legal document known
as a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare
Decisions, you can designate this person to
make health care decisions on your behalf
should the need arise. Talk to the person that
you designate for this role. Ask them if they
are comfortable with the responsibility, and
then let them know your wishes for health
care. Let others know that you have chosen
that person to be the "point person" for your
health care decisions.
b- A Living Will- Advance Directives.
Most people have thought about what they
would want for treatment if they have a
medical emergency. Consider preparing
a living will, also known as an advance
directive, which is a legal document to
state your wishes regarding the care you
desire if you cannot communicate these
decisions. This is your opportunity to decide
on maintaining a certain level of comfort
while also considering the degree of medical
intervention that is important to you.
c- Other legal documents that can help express your
desires are a Physician's Orders for Life
Sustaining Treatment form, also known as a
POLST form, or the Five Wishes form, which
can help medical professionals honor your
preferred health care decisions. Find out
which of these is recognized where you live
as a legally binding document. Be sure to
share it with your selected decision-maker

Suggested conversation starters:
If I have a medical emergency, it is important
to me that
I would like your help to complete a document
that makes these wishes known in case I am
ever unable to communicate my own health care
decisions. I understand there are different legal
forms depending on where I live. Can you help
me with finding the right one?
Can you help me fill out a... (advance
directive, POLST, Five Wishes) document so
that my wishes are known?
Steps for Getting Your Affairs in Order
Put your important papers and copies of legal documents in one place. You could set up a file, put everything in a desk or dresser drawer, or just list the information and location of papers in a notebook. If your papers are in a bank safe deposit box, keep copies in a file at home. Check each year to see if there's anything new to add.
Tell a trusted family member or friend where you put all your important papers. You don't need to tell this friend or family member about your personal affairs, but someone should know where you keep your papers in case of an emergency. If you don't have a relative or friend you trust, ask a lawyer to help.
Give consent in advance for your doctor or lawyer to talk with your caregiver as needed. There may be questions about your care, a bill, or a health insurance claim. Without your consent, your caregiver may not be able to get needed information. You can give your okay in advance to Medicare, a credit card company, your bank, or your doctor. You may need to sign and return a form.
Legal Documents
There are many different types of legal documents that can help you plan how your affairs will be handled in the future. Many of these documents have names that sound alike, so make sure you are getting the documents you want. Also, State laws do vary, so find out about the rules, requirements, and forms used in your State.
Wills and trusts let you name the person you want your money and property to go to after you die.
Advance directives let you make arrangements for your care if you become sick. There are two ways to do this:
A living will gives you a say in your health care if you are too sick to make your wishes known. In a living will, you can state what kind of care you do or don't want. This can make it easier for family members to make tough healthcare decisions for you.
A durable power of attorney for health care lets you name the person you want to make medical decisions for you if you can't make them yourself. Make sure the person you name is willing to make those decisions for you.
For legal matters, there are two ways to give someone you trust the power to act in your place:
A general power of attorney lets you give someone else the authority to act on your behalf, but this power will end if you are unable to make your own decisions.
A "durable" power of attorney allows you to name someone to act on your behalf for any legal task, but it stays in place if you become unable to make your own decisions.
What Exactly Is an "Important Paper"?
The answer to this question may be different for every family. The following lists can help you decide what is important for you. Remember, this is a starting place. You may have other information to add. For example, if you have a pet, you will want to include the name and address of your vet.
Please remember to include complete information about the following:
Personal records
Full legal name
Social Security number
Legal residence
Date and place of birth
Names and addresses of spouse and children
Location of birth and death certificates and certificates of marriage, divorce, citizenship, and adoption
Employers and dates of employment
Education and military records
Names and phone numbers of religious contacts
Memberships in groups and awards received
Names and phone numbers of close friends, relatives, and lawyer or financial advisor
Names and phone numbers of doctors

Medications taken regularly
Location of living will and other legal documents
Financial records
Sources of income and assets (pension from your employer, IRAs, 401(k)s, interest, etc.)
Social Security and Medicare information
Insurance information (life, health, long-term care, home, car) with policy numbers and agents' names and phone numbers
Names of your banks and account numbers (checking, savings, credit union)
Investment income (stocks, bonds, property) and stockbrokers' names and phone numbers
Copy of most recent income tax return
Location of most up-to-date will with an original signature
Liabilities, including property tax--what is owed, to whom, when payments are due
Mortgages and debts--how and when paid
Location of original deed of trust for home and car title and registration

Credit and debit card names and numbers
Location of safe deposit box and key
You may want to talk with a lawyer about setting up a general power of attorney, durable power of attorney, joint account, trust, or advance directive. Be sure to ask about the fees before you make an appointment.
You should be able to find a directory of local lawyers at your library, or you can contact your local bar association for lawyers in your area. An informed family member may be able to help you manage some of these issues.
Resources:
AARP
601 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20049
1-888-687-2277 (toll-free)
1-877-434-7598 (TTY/toll-free)
1-877-342-2277 (Spanish/toll-free)
www.aarp.org
Caring Connections
1-800-658-8898 (toll-free)
1-877-658-8896 (multilingual/toll-free)
www.caringinfo.org
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
7500 Security Boulevard
Baltimore, MD 21244
1-877-267-2323 (toll-free)
1-866-226-1819 (TTY/toll-free)
www.cms.gov
Eldercare Locator
1-800-677-1116 (toll-free)
www.eldercare.gov
National Elder Law Foundation
www.nelf.org
For more information on health and aging including the free booklets So Far Away: Twenty Questions and Answers About Long-Distance Caregiving and End of Life: Helping with Comfort and Care, contact:
National Institute on Aging
Information Center
P.O. Box 8057
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8057
1-800-222-2225 (toll-free)
1-800-222-4225 (TTY/toll-free)
www.nia.nih.gov
www.nia.nih.gov/espanol
To sign up for regular email alerts about new publications and other information from the NIA, go to www.nia.nih.gov/health.
Visit www.nihseniorhealth.gov, a senior-friendly website from the National Institute on Aging and the National Library of Medicine. This website has health and wellness information for older adults. Special features make it simple to use. For example, you can click on a button to make the type larger.

Yasmin Reyazuddin
Aging & Disability Services
Montgomery County Government
Department of Health & Human Services
401 Hungerford Drive (3rd floor)
Rockville MD 20850
240-777-0311 (MC311)
240-777-1556 (personal)
240-777-1495 (fax)
office hours 8:30 am 5:00 pm
Languages English, Hindi, Urdu, Braille
This message may contain protected health information or other information that is confidential or privileged. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by return mail and destroy any copies of this material.
Thank you.
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