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Who are you caring for?
Which best describes their mobility?
How well are they maintaining their hygiene?
How are they managing their medications?
Does their living environment pose any safety concerns?
Fall risks, spoiled food, or other threats to wellbeing
Are they experiencing any memory loss?
Which best describes your loved one's social life?
Acknowledgment of Disclosures and Authorization
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington. Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services. APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid. We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour. APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment. You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints. Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights. APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.I agree that: A.I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information"). B.APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink. C.APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site. D.If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records. E.This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year. F.You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
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Mostly Independent
Your loved one may not require home care or assisted living services at this time. However, continue to monitor their condition for changes and consider occasional in-home care services for help as needed.
Remember, this assessment is not a substitute for professional advice.
Share a few details and we will match you to trusted home care in your area:
Nohealani, sorry not sure what is going on regarding paying bills.... are you asking about paying your own bills, or the bills for your Mom who is living in a nursing home [per your profile]? I assume it is the latter, correct?
Who is the "financial" Power of Attorney, or are all 3 of you the POA on equal terms, or is one person the primary, another secondary, another the third backup?
Is your Mom self-pay in the nursing home? Or is Medicaid [which is different from Medicare] paying for her care?
If Mom is self-pay then whomever is the financial Power of Attorney needs to have had a checking account with Mom names plus the POA's name, so that the POA can legally sign checks to pay Mom's nursing home and her bills. And if Mom has a house, to pay whatever costs are involved. Have all the bills sent to the POA's address.
Now, if Mom is on Medicaid, she will have very little money allotted to pay bills. And if there is a house, then you and the siblings would need to come up with the money for property taxes, utilities, etc. Later down the road, Medicaid will place a lien on the house so the equity will help pay for reimbursement of Medicaid's cost.
I know, getting older can become so very complicated :(
If you haven't yet, you need to have whoever you are caring for sign bank forms (at the bank, or with a notary-ask at the bank how to accomplish this) to make you a signer on their account. You say you are POA, but do you mean 'Healthcare POA'? You must be a 'Financial (Durable) POA', best accomplished with a lawyer, preferably an eldercare attorney. Yes, forms can be downloaded from the net, but they may not be sufficient or correct for your state-HIRE a lawyer for this, doesn't cost too much and is important to get absolutely correct.
Now, with that Durable POA form in hand, if they have investments, you will need notarized forms making you a trustee. You must also get on any credit card accounts as an approved user/account manager; it's not as hard as it may seem--the card companies are usually pretty helpful)
Once you're on the account, you can write checks/make deposits/whatever is needed. Your name does not have to be on the check in order for you to be a signer.
Keep all receipts for everything; it doesn't have to be complicated, I just use cheap 9x12 envelopes for the major categories (1 for medical, 1 for insurance, 1 for mortgage/other loans, 1 for each credit card etc. and 1 catch-all for things like cash receipts from the drugstore or Walmart for sundry items). For anything I pay online, I keep a pdf of the receipt in a folder on my computer.
If you are able to use a budgeting program or a spreadsheet like Excel, you can easily keep track of everything once you invest the time to set it up. If not, a plain old notebook will do fine; just rule a few columns on lined paper that you can write in consistently (the year/month, then the item, who was paid for it, the amount, the account it came from meaning check/credit card/cash, and the date you paid it.
Having the one notebook will help you maintain sanity and control when little things go awry, and to provide a basis for paying their taxes!! don't forget that part. This is also your friend if siblings start to question your disbursement of funds. Even sibs who 'want' you to handle everything and are friendly now may prove to be pugnacious down the road...sorry but it happens. Your goal is to get the job done best you can, keeping the loved ones interests first always; it is a serious and fiduciary responsibility.
Visit your nearest Social Security office if possible--in person, they can guide you thru becoming your loved one's SS administrator and acting on their behalf. Call any insurance companies and explain your situation; they will mail you forms to add you as payer. Don't get overwhelmed; just make one call every day--once you get everything under your control, you will find your own rhythm to handle things. Try picking 2 days, 1 at either end of the month to review details and pay bills. Using online banking if you are able is a huge help.
Just step in, step up to the plate, and stop worrying. One day at a time, my friend.
By proceeding, I agree that I understand the following disclosures:
I. How We Work in Washington.
Based on your preferences, we provide you with information about one or more of our contracted senior living providers ("Participating Communities") and provide your Senior Living Care Information to Participating Communities. The Participating Communities may contact you directly regarding their services.
APFM does not endorse or recommend any provider. It is your sole responsibility to select the appropriate care for yourself or your loved one. We work with both you and the Participating Communities in your search. We do not permit our Advisors to have an ownership interest in Participating Communities.
II. How We Are Paid.
We do not charge you any fee – we are paid by the Participating Communities. Some Participating Communities pay us a percentage of the first month's standard rate for the rent and care services you select. We invoice these fees after the senior moves in.
III. When We Tour.
APFM tours certain Participating Communities in Washington (typically more in metropolitan areas than in rural areas.) During the 12 month period prior to December 31, 2017, we toured 86.2% of Participating Communities with capacity for 20 or more residents.
IV. No Obligation or Commitment.
You have no obligation to use or to continue to use our services. Because you pay no fee to us, you will never need to ask for a refund.
V. Complaints.
Please contact our Family Feedback Line at (866) 584-7340 or ConsumerFeedback@aplaceformom.com to report any complaint. Consumers have many avenues to address a dispute with any referral service company, including the right to file a complaint with the Attorney General's office at: Consumer Protection Division, 800 5th Avenue, Ste. 2000, Seattle, 98104 or 800-551-4636.
VI. No Waiver of Your Rights.
APFM does not (and may not) require or even ask consumers seeking senior housing or care services in Washington State to sign waivers of liability for losses of personal property or injury or to sign waivers of any rights established under law.
I agree that:
A.
I authorize A Place For Mom ("APFM") to collect certain personal and contact detail information, as well as relevant health care information about me or from me about the senior family member or relative I am assisting ("Senior Living Care Information").
B.
APFM may provide information to me electronically. My electronic signature on agreements and documents has the same effect as if I signed them in ink.
C.
APFM may send all communications to me electronically via e-mail or by access to an APFM web site.
D.
If I want a paper copy, I can print a copy of the Disclosures or download the Disclosures for my records.
E.
This E-Sign Acknowledgement and Authorization applies to these Disclosures and all future Disclosures related to APFM's services, unless I revoke my authorization. You may revoke this authorization in writing at any time (except where we have already disclosed information before receiving your revocation.) This authorization will expire after one year.
F.
You consent to APFM's reaching out to you using a phone system than can auto-dial numbers (we miss rotary phones, too!), but this consent is not required to use our service.
Who is the "financial" Power of Attorney, or are all 3 of you the POA on equal terms, or is one person the primary, another secondary, another the third backup?
Is your Mom self-pay in the nursing home? Or is Medicaid [which is different from Medicare] paying for her care?
If Mom is self-pay then whomever is the financial Power of Attorney needs to have had a checking account with Mom names plus the POA's name, so that the POA can legally sign checks to pay Mom's nursing home and her bills. And if Mom has a house, to pay whatever costs are involved. Have all the bills sent to the POA's address.
Now, if Mom is on Medicaid, she will have very little money allotted to pay bills. And if there is a house, then you and the siblings would need to come up with the money for property taxes, utilities, etc. Later down the road, Medicaid will place a lien on the house so the equity will help pay for reimbursement of Medicaid's cost.
I know, getting older can become so very complicated :(
Now, with that Durable POA form in hand, if they have investments, you will need notarized forms making you a trustee. You must also get on any credit card accounts as an approved user/account manager; it's not as hard as it may seem--the card companies are usually pretty helpful)
Once you're on the account, you can write checks/make deposits/whatever is needed. Your name does not have to be on the check in order for you to be a signer.
Keep all receipts for everything; it doesn't have to be complicated, I just use cheap 9x12 envelopes for the major categories (1 for medical, 1 for insurance, 1 for mortgage/other loans, 1 for each credit card etc. and 1 catch-all for things like cash receipts from the drugstore or Walmart for sundry items). For anything I pay online, I keep a pdf of the receipt in a folder on my computer.
If you are able to use a budgeting program or a spreadsheet like Excel, you can easily keep track of everything once you invest the time to set it up. If not, a plain old notebook will do fine; just rule a few columns on lined paper that you can write in consistently (the year/month, then the item, who was paid for it, the amount, the account it came from meaning check/credit card/cash, and the date you paid it.
Having the one notebook will help you maintain sanity and control when little things go awry, and to provide a basis for paying their taxes!! don't forget that part. This is also your friend if siblings start to question your disbursement of funds. Even sibs who 'want' you to handle everything and are friendly now may prove to be pugnacious down the road...sorry but it happens. Your goal is to get the job done best you can, keeping the loved ones interests first always; it is a serious and fiduciary responsibility.
Visit your nearest Social Security office if possible--in person, they can guide you thru becoming your loved one's SS administrator and acting on their behalf. Call any insurance companies and explain your situation; they will mail you forms to add you as payer. Don't get overwhelmed; just make one call every day--once you get everything under your control, you will find your own rhythm to handle things. Try picking 2 days, 1 at either end of the month to review details and pay bills. Using online banking if you are able is a huge help.
Just step in, step up to the plate, and stop worrying. One day at a time, my friend.