HEALTH
Caregivers:
Here’s Help
The Jewish community offers support to those caring for the sick or infirm. ASHLEY ZLATOPOLSKY CONTRIBUTING WRITER
A
s parents and spouses age, the possibility of running into a situation where you either become a caregiver yourself or need to find a caregiver is something many people may encounter. A caregiver is a family member or paid helper who helps take care of a sick, elderly or disabled individual. While caregiving
may feel like a scary or uncertain experience, many resources are available in the local Jewish community that can help make the transition a bit easier. CAREGIVER RESOURCES One of the first places people can turn for caregiving assistance is Jewish Family
Service of Metropolitan Detroit. “We have a whole host of services that might be helpful to people who are new to caregiving,” explains Lynn Breuer, JFS director of community outreach and wellness. The agency provides geriatric case management services to older adults who are struggling to meet basic needs, as well as more intensive fee-based geriatric care management services through its ElderCare Solutions of Michigan division. This intensive program supports older adults and helps Lynn their families plan for caregivBreuer ing while offering guidance, advocacy and emotional support. “Sometimes a caregiver just might need one or two meetings with a geriatric social worker,” Breuer explains of one possible scenario where help may be provided. This can be an individual whose father was recently diagnosed with dementia, or an individual whose loved one became disabled after experiencing a stroke. “We would walk people through some of the steps to take care of the elderly,” Breuer
Legal Steps to Take to Plan for Caregiving While health management is undoubtedly one of the biggest elements of caregiving, caregivers should consider legal steps to protect their rights and the rights of cared-for loved ones. Here’s what Mount Clemens-based elder law attorney and wealth Patrick preservation specialist Patrick Simasko Simasko of Simasko Law, simaskolaw.com, recommends doing to ensure legal safety in the caregiving process: 1. Sign a medical power of attorney. “You absolutely need to have your loved one sign a medical power of attorney,” Simasko says. A medical power of attorney allows you to make medical decisions if your loved one is unable to. It’s important to have this document made before a person gets sick. Because of COVID-19 restrictions in hospitals, he explains, families and lawyers will not be able to enter a hospital all together, which makes it harder to try and get these documents signed and notarized should your loved ones fall sick with anything.
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2. Sign a financial power of attorney. “Another essential document for your loved one to sign is a financial power of attorney,” he says. A financial power of attorney grants you the power to make money decisions on behalf of your loved one. When creating a financial power of attorney and medical power of attorney, make sure to list more than one person in these documents, Simasko suggests. That way, if the person listed first is unable to perform their duties for any reason, there is another person in line to take over. 3. Create an estate plan. “The next thing you need to do is create an estate plan, which will include the medical power of attorney, financial power of attorney and revocable trust, if you want to avoid probate,” he continues. At the same time, double-check all the ownership and beneficiary designations on your loved one’s various financial accounts to make sure they’re going to the right people. 4. Understand FMLA rights. “It’s important for caregivers to under-
stand their FMLA rights if they need to care for a family member,” Simasko says. “Make sure to look into the Family and Medical Leave Act so you can get extra time off to help care for your loved one.” With many people working from home, he says it’s now easier for caregivers to attend to family needs. 5. Monitor for signs of elder abuse. “If you need to place your loved one into a facility or have caregivers come into the home, make sure you monitor the situation closely — regardless if the caregiver is a professional, neighbor or relative,” Simasko cautions. “These caregivers have access to vulnerable individuals and may start to financially exploit them. Be very careful and watch for the signs.” These can include a misuse of personal checks, credit cards or accounts, along with intimidation and blaming of the individual being cared for.
