Plan While You Still Can Do you know what healthcare treatments you would and would not want if you could not speak for yourself? Have you considered what wouldhappen if you were no longer able to make decisions for your healthcare or finances? These are hard questions to think about but taking time to answer them and make them official is essential. To make your decisions knownand give power to those you choose, you need legal documents in place; specifically, a Healthcare Durable Power of Attorney, an Advanced Directive,and a Financial Durable Power of Attorney. A Healthcare DPOA allows you to document who makesmedical decisions about your healthcare. The person designated as your agent is authorized to speak ONLY if you cant speak for yourself. An AdvancedDirective is a document that states your wishes for medical treatments at the end of life. These documents are essential for making your healthcare wishesknown and avoiding a Guardianship during incapacity. You can prepare these documents with an Estate Planning or Elder Law Attorney, or there are freeversions of them available with the Center for Practical Bioethics. A Financial DPOA is a document that gives authority from oneperson (the principal) to another person (the agent) for the agent to act on behalf of the principal. These are much more technical and require theassistance of an attorney to ensure they are prepared properly. Creating a Financial DPOA is essential for you to ensure your finances are in the hands ofsomeone you trust. If this year has taught us anything, its to plan while you can. Talk to your attorney to get started.Disclaimer: This is not intended to be legal counsel. The choice of an attorney is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.This article was submitted by Aaron L. Love, JD, an attorney with The Love Law Group, LLC and may be reached at 816-554-3330 or by email at planning@lovelawgroup.com.

Whenever you think of lifes big moments, its hard to find one without Mom and Dad. Theyve been an unwavering source of comfort, inspiration and strength. So when its time to talk to your parents about assisted living, you might find yourself overwhelmed with emotions.Youre not alone. Many adult children face the arduous task of finding a safe place for their parents to age. However, you can make the transition a lot less stressful for everyone by following these 4 steps in planning for assisted living with your parents.1. Hold a family meeting.The choice to transition into assisted living is life-changing, which is why its essential for your parents and supportive family members to be involved in the process as much as possible. The best way to get the conversation about assisted living started is by holding a family meeting.Here are some tips on how to hold a family meeting about transitioning your parents to assisted living:Include everyone who will be part of the caregiving team for your parents. This could include family members, close friends, neighbors, their minister, or a paid caregiver.Prepare an agenda to keep communication successful and the group focused on supporting your parents. Be sure to stick to a clear timetable, so you dont overwhelm those attending the meeting.Choose a comfortable setting to keep tension low and positivity high. Find a location that has adequate seating and few distractions.Make sure everyone is heard. Moving your parents into assisted living can stir up emotions for everyone involved. People are more willing to talk about the situation if they feel they have a safe place to speak.2. Evaluate their needs.An in-person visit with their primary care physician is the ideal way to accurately evaluate the needs of your aging parents. Not only will you get a comprehensive evaluation of their functional abilities, youll get an assessment of their physical health, too.In order to provide the right level of care, their doctor will evaluate how well your mom or dad perform Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs . These are activities in which your parents engage on a day-to-day basis, such as:BathingEatingDressingGroomingOral hygieneClimbing stairsWalkingUsing the toiletYou also need to evaluate how well your parents perform Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, or IADLS. Adults need to perform these activities in order to live a successful, independent life. Evaluating IADLS is also a way to measure what level of care your parents might need when they enter assisted living. Examples include:CookingDriving or using public transportationDoing houseworkKeeping track of financesDoing laundryUsing the phone and looking up numbersManaging medications3. Create a sound financial plan for assisted living.After youve determined the level of care your mom or dad might need, its time to take a deep look at what your family can afford on a monthly basis. Most families use private funds to pay for assisted living. Your parents may be able to pay for this by combining their  personal savings, Social Security payments, pension payments and retirement accounts; they may also be willing to sell their home. In some cases, adult children may contribute some of their own funds to supplement their parents resources.You may be surprised to find out the average cost of assisted living is about the same as the cost of at-home care, which is when you choose to spend retirement in your home. However, aging in place comes with a big caveat: major home renovations.To live safely at home, your parents will probably need rooms in their home, like the bathroom and kitchen, completely reworked. This could end up costing more money and stress than originally planned.Talk to your parents about their finances and discuss the difference between aging-in-place and choosing a community that offers assisted living. That way, you can be sure youre choosing the right path for your parents retirement.4. Delight in exploring the possibilities.Assisted living communities are not the dreary and sleepy halls you may remember at your grandparents nursing home. Upscale assisted living offers unsurpassed care, services, and amenities that help your mom and dad thrive through every stage of their retirement.Housekeeping and laundry services eliminate many daily concerns,  scheduled activities help your parents stay social, and state-of-the-art fitness facilities keep them active. Theyll also have convenient access to lifes little luxuries like a hair salon, restaurant-style dining, and scheduled transportation for fun-filled shopping trips.While your parents are spending their retirement in style at a luxury community offering assisted living, you can rest easy knowing their health is always in caring hands.LIVE LIFE THE SANTA MARTA WAY WITH LUXURY ASSISTED LIVING IN OLATHE, KSDiscover Tuscan-inspired views, top-of-the-line amenities, and world-class cuisine at Santa Marta. Not only will your parents  be able to enjoy the fabulous amenities and services we offer, but theyll be able to receive  uniquely tailored care as their health needs change.To schedule a tour or learn more about our assisted living neighborhood and other senior living options, contact us online, and a senior living counselor will get in touch with you as soon as possible.

Life After StrokeNearly 800,000 individuals in the United States have a stroke each year, and there are nearly 8 million survivors of stroke in the United States alone.  With increased awareness of stroke symptoms, fast response in calling 911, and new medications, more and more individuals are surviving a stroke each year.  Following a stroke, a person will typically recover in the hospital and then progress to other rehabilitation options, with the optimal goal to return home.  Once home, there may be more therapy and/or assistance required.  Eventually the therapy may stop as progress slows down, but recovery does not have an expiration date and will continue for the individual.  As such, there is the continued need for support and services.   Explore options with the hospital and rehabilitation staff regarding the types of programs and services offered in your community post stroke.  Ask the following:1.    Are there support groups in the community for the survivor of stroke?  For family members, caregivers/care partners?  2.    Are there community based wellness programs to help continue the improvement and independence being regained by the survivor of stroke?  Look for programs that address physical and cognitive wellness, along with social and emotional well-being.  Stroke can happen to anyone at any time.  So BE FAST in identifying a stroke and call 911.  Time is brain.  The acronym BE FAST relates to the following indicators of a stroke.  Balance = Sudden onset of dizziness or balance issues.Eyesight = Sudden changes, blurred vision or trouble with eyesight in one or both eyes. Face = Sudden weakness or numbness in the face, with one side appearing droopy.Arm = Sudden weakness or numbness of one arm.Speech = Sudden inability to speak or slurred/garbled/strange speech. Time = Call 911 immediately if you observe any of these signs.   This article submitted by Jeanette Boucher, OTR/L.  Jeanette is a Program Coordinator at the American Stroke Foundation and may be reached at 913.649.1776 or by email at jeanette@americanstroke.org  

Hospice And Palliative Care To Empower Your Loved OneChris DiMaso | July 28, 2021Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort 2 Cor 1:3Hospice and palliative care are unique services available to help empower you and your loved one during end-of-life. This article is to help you make a decision on what services you need and provide you with resources to move forward.What is hospice?Hospice is a unique service that focuses on patients and their caregivers who are facing advanced end-of-life illness. Hospice provides compassionate care for people in their final phase of life so they can live in peace and comfort. The guiding philosophy of hospice is to regard death as the final stage of life. It respects life without trying to postpone death. Hospice focuses on the needs of the person and alleviating the symptoms afflicting them, related to their disease process instead of aggressively trying to cure the disease. Hospice works as a holistic team to manage symptoms, so the patients final time is met with quality and dignity. Hospice care is family-focused and includes the patient and their loved ones when making decisions.What does hospice do?When a care provider deems hospice is the right course of action, the patient will choose a hospice agency that suites their needs. Often the hospital or nursing facility can help provide options if the family doesnt already have a choice in mind. The patient will be visited by a hospice nurse for an evaluation. Two doctors must agree that the patients prognosis is 6 months or less to qualify for services. If a patient qualifies, they are admitted and services begin. An interdisciplinary team is assigned to the patient/family that includes: an RN Case Manager, Social Worker, Home Health Aide, bereavement coordinator and a Chaplain and volunteers if they wish. Often hospice agencies also have complementary therapies such as music therapy, massage therapy, aromatherapy, and beautician services. This team approach is overseen by a hospice medical director who will collaborate with the primary physician of the patient. A patient can choose to have the hospice medical director as their primary physician if they prefer.Services offered in hospice care include, but are not limited to:Symptom and medication management from a nurse.Coordinating resources with a social worker.Personal care and assistance with bathing needs from a home health aide.Spiritual support from a chaplain.Companionship from volunteers.Bereavement support for 13 months after their loved one passes away.Supplies/delivers medications that relate to the course of treatment, medical equipment that the patient needs in their home such as a hospital bed/wheelchair/shower chair etc.Supplies personal care protection such as bathing supplies and dignity items.On-call nursing support 24/7. Outside of business hours, there will be a nurse available to make visits for emergent needs at all times. Hospice wants to be the new 911 for their patient.Who needs hospice?Hospice is considered when you or a loved one has been diagnosed with an illness that will limit the length and quality of life. Speak with your care provider about all options, including hospice. Frequent reasons to consider hospice include but are not limited to late-stage dementia and Alzheimers, cancer, heart disease, AIDS, ALS, COPD and others. Patients can become eligible for hospice care services when their provider deems that the natural course of illness has a life expectancy of six months or less. It is important that comfort and care of symptom management becomes the priority, and continuing treatment of the illness is no longer beneficial. Hospice care provides a level of support that is unrivaled. An interdisciplinary team of clinicians, social workers, spiritual and grief counselors, and volunteers rally around you or your loved one to meet their needs. This can range from medical treatment and cessation of pain, to coordination of services, or making peace with family and a higher power.At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, its simply comfort, respect, love. -BJ MillerWhat are the options in hospice?End-of-life care is personal and should be tailored to meet the needs and desires of the individual. This can include everything from the level of care needed to directives of where someone wishes to pass.Hospice vs palliative careHospice and palliative care address many of the same issues, but can look very different on a case-by-case basis. Hospice is intended for individuals will a life expectancy of fewer than six months, where palliative care isnt limited to this time period. Your loved one could benefit from advanced care even if their illness is not life-limiting in the near future. End-of-life goals and symptom management are crucial in both scenarios, and it is important to meet with your healthcare provider to discuss which is appropriate for you or your loved one.Home-based careDepending on the resources needed, some patients choose to remain in the home at the end of their journey. This decision is closely linked to the goals of the patient, their condition, and the amount and quality of support available. It is important to note, that the hospice benefit does not include private duty care/or around the clock nursing services.Long-term care facilitiesFacilities like Villa St. Francis offer higher levels of support and can address needs on a case-by-case basis. We offer tranquil settings both in private and semi-private rooms. Our team works closely with Hospice services to ensure pain and symptom management is addressed 24 hours a day, and our nurses and CNAs are available to take care of the patient around the clock and coordinate care plans with hospice professionals who supply supplementary care. We have social workers and spiritual care on-site. Working with Villa St. Francis and a hospice service offers a comprehensive level of care.General inpatient careThe highest level of care under hospice is called GIP- general inpatient. A patient can qualify for this if their symptoms are unmanageable in their home. GIP is considered the ICU of hospice. This can occur in the hospital, but most patients prefer not to return to or remain in the hospital at end of life. Villa St. Francis has a dedicated wing, called The Hospice Suites, with private rooms that can accommodate GIP level of care, with 24 hour RN support.Who pays for hospice?The majority of patients requiring hospice services will be eligible for Medicare Hospice Benefit, which covers up to 100% of services. You should not defer hospice due to concerns about payment or financial concerns. Medicare covers hospice as an inclusive benefit and all services related to a life limiting illness are included up to 100% by Medicare Part A. Services unrelated to the illness are covered by Parts A and B where normal rules apply.Little known facts about hospiceHospice isnt giving up; it is speaking up. Working with a hospice service ensures you or your loved ones needs will be heard and addressed.People can live longer with hospice. It is not unusual for someone to live longer when the quality of their life increases. Pain management and peace of mind are contributing factors to someones life expectancy.Hospice isnt a place; it is a philosophy of care. Most hospice patients receive care in their home, but even when it is it elsewhere it remains about the treatment.Hospice gives you control, not take it away. Death, just like life is very personal. Hospice professionals work diligently to ensure that the wishes of the patient and their family are upheld.Hospice isnt about giving up medical care, it merely changes the goal. Rather than focusing on length of life, you focus on quality of life.Through medical treatments and therapies, you or your loved one can enjoy the rest of their life.Hospice is for the entire family, not just the patient. End of life is a stressful time, not just for the patient but also the family. Hospice can relieve some of the burden by offering care and respite to the family.Working with social workers and bereavement counselors can help in planning.What to look for in a hospice provider.Talk to the professionals. Your doctor, nurses, and social workers are great resources when it comes to choosing a hospice provider. Also, speak with friends and neighbors for advice, it is likely they have had the experience you can draw from in making your decision. You are encouraged to interview hospice agencies to choose the one that is best for you and your family.Consider asking some of the following questions of the hospice agencies before making a decision:Are you Medicare-certified?Who is on the hospice care team and how often do they make visits?Are you non-profit or for-profit?Do you have a dedicated pharmacy for medicine and do they deliver medications?How are pain and other symptoms managed?What services are offered in your program?What complementary therapies do you provide?What services do you offer the family?Read more about what Villa St. Francis has to offer you and your loved one during this time.