Utah Elder Care Resource Group

Here are some ideas to mull over as the seniors in your life age:
Your loved one falls and you think it is time for additional help. Do you consider assisted living, remodeling the home and letting them age in place or sell it for a better setup? Do you bring home health people into the home? Do you have a geriatric doctor? Is it time for hospice or time to do nothing and wait? What are the finances available to pay for care? Will it be private pay (that's out of someone's pocket!) or has there been any Medicaid planning? Is there eligibility for VA Aid and Attendence benefits? Did you know that eligible veterans can use the Aid and Attendence benefits even if they have in home care...but only with companies approved by the VA?

How do you know what to do next, who to call, or what resources are available?

The Elder Care Resource Group is a council of affiliated professionals in all fields that cover a senior's planning needs. With one call, you have access to information about VA Aid and Attendence benefits to provide in-home or assisted living care, Medicaid planning, Real Estate planning, and information on reverse mortgages, financial planning, Long Term Care Insurance, home, health and hospice issues, plus much more.

On the financial side, our financial planner, elder law attorney and often the Seniors' Real Estate Specialist (SRES) work together to make sure your loved one's assets are protected while planning for medicaid issues down the road. If there is a VA benefit eligibility question, they are available to answer or to help you make sure your loved one remains eligible. The SRES also understands how to sell a home in order to keep the eligibilty in place, what the timelines are for Medicaid eligibility and how to sell a home that already has an existing reverse mortgage.

Our council also consists of resources for caregivers, information about Alzheimers, a Durable Medical Equipment specialist (ramps, chair lifts, wheelchairs, etc), and coming soon, a Geriatric Doctor.

Typically, we receive a medical need call first, usually for help with bathing, walking, cleaning, cooking, etc. Sometimes, it is a more pressing need, such as your loved one is showing signs of dementia, and you are not sure what to do next. With one call, we give you resource information and then our team sends out the specialist your loved one needs now, to do an in-depth, in-home assessment of the situation.

As a team, we go back and discuss each individual case, then put a plan of action together with the families. Unlike most professionals who are looking out for themselves and their business only, we act as a coalition and work in the best interests of the clients. Each affiliate is aware of the situation but knows when to step in or back out temporarily in order to defer to another affiliate who will better serve the senior's needs at that point in time.

We are there to help the families decide when to stay in the home to age in place, or help make the hard decision to move your loved one to an assisted living facility, and possibly sell the home. We understand the emotions behind making these tough decisions and are there to help.

Future articles will have information about each specific area of Senior Planning. When you have financial or medical planning questions, please do not hesitate to call our resource hotline. The call is free, the information is free, and initial assessments are free! Please call 801-544-6829 and let us help!