After all, seniors have a life to lead with places to go, things to do, and people to see. Thankfully, various organizations are setting up new initiatives to make it easier for seniors and their companions to go out. Keep on reading to find out more about this issue and what options you have for yourself as a senior or for your senior loved one.

The Senior Predicament When It Comes to Transportation

When you look around you, you will notice that many elderly Americans must depend on other people for their transport needs, especially at night when visual clarity is compromised. With the senior population steadily climbing, the number of people who need help will also increase. What will happen to all the baby boomers who can no longer drive due to health issues?

Imagine, losing your license to drive is a major setback as it impedes your movement. For those who want to continue living an active and independent life, that is impossible to do if you cannot drive.

Besides, you cannot always depend on other people even if they are willing. Apart from not wanting to abuse their kindness, depending on them puts you at the mercy of their schedules.

Sadly, poor public transportation in some cities may make the problem worse. Even those cities that provide trolleys, buses, or trains offer limited schedules. Hence, it may not work with your schedule, wasting time or making things complicated and inconvenient.

Remember, not being able to drive can affect mental health. Seniors who do not feel free to move around when they want to can feel depressed. At the same time, it can affect their self-esteem and confidence levels when they cannot meet their peers or do what they like.

On top of that, the inability to drive also adversely impacts physical health. Feelings of incapacity and helplessness can lead to the following physical ailments:

• Unexplained aches
• Aggravated body pains
• Poor appetite
• Weight loss
• Less energy and motivation
• Issue with sleep

Fortunately, municipalities, special services, non-profit groups, and technology via ride-sharing apps fill this huge gap. For those of you who are mobility-impaired, you will find comfort in these senior transport options. Let’s discuss them further below.

Learn About Mobility Management Services

Maybe it is your first-time hearing about this kind of services. They are generally provided to seniors by non-profit organizations. These groups support you by:

• Educating the public about senior transport options
• Establishing a critical partnership with different transport services
• Promoting easy, efficient, and seamless access to elderly transportation options

As you can see, these services are to help communities by offering options to get your loved one around town. They do not merely provide one type of transportation. Instead, mobility management services go above and beyond by compiling a broad range of transport services to make life easy for seniors and their families.

This is critical because it gives seniors the power to make decisions about how they move around. Most seniors and their families do not know about this. With access to this service, seniors no longer need to feel helpless and isolated because of their situation.

Keep in mind, even if you offer to drive your senior around town, you will not always be available. In case your loved one has a spontaneous plan or an urgent need to mobilize, you may not always be around to help. With this option, you can also feel at ease because you know your senior family member will always have help even if you are not there.

A List of Affordable Senior Transport Options

With limited pension and no active income from work, seniors do not have a lot of money to spend on transportation. You will find several options for transport that mobility management services recommend for seniors. Here are the most well-known services offered today:

Give Private Riding Services a Try

Private driving service like Care.Com offers an affordable individualized experience for people who need assistance, especially seniors. This means your beloved elderly can go back to doing errands based on their schedule instead of suffering unforgiving public transport timetables. Furthermore, this private service works best for people with special needs that a public bus or train cannot accommodate.

Checking the official company website will show a list of fully vetted private drivers in your area, including:

• Name of drive
• Experience
• Cost
• Client reviews

Do take the time to read the reviews to find the best person to take care of your beloved senior. This is a great option if you are not around to take your elderly loved one from the nursing home, to the doctor. These personalized services are comfortable, but most of all, they are also cost-efficient for occasional trips. However, for regular activities that your senior attends, you may find other cheaper, more suitable options.

Book Senior Transport with Ride-Sharing Apps

Thanks to technology, you can grab your smartphone and book a ride for your senior anytime. Download a ride-sharing app like Uber or Lyft to get started. This option requires you to be tech-savvy, so seniors who have a hard time with smartphones or tablets may need assistance.

Technology should not deter any senior from leveraging the popular apps. Go ahead and ask your techie kids or grandchildren to download, install, and set up the app details. Once the app is up and running, it is easy to understand and use. You only need to provide a payment method via credit card or PayPal, your home address, and the address destination.

The app automatically calculates the rate of the service upon booking. There are no hidden fees or charges. Even the driver’s name, description, and car model will be stated, along with the estimated pick-up time.

1. Enjoy More Cost Savings

To enjoy more cost savings, try Lyft Line or UberPool, which allows carpooling. This means you split the tab with fellow riders going on a similar route. This option is more pocket-friendly, which is a good option for seniors on a budget.

Take note; the transaction is all done online, so there is no exchange of cash. However, you can give a tip if you feel like the service is exemplary. To go home, do the same in reverse order, and make your home address the destination and your current location the pick-up point.

2. Try Lyft With GrandPad

In 2017, Lyft partnered with GrandPad. This means the owner of a senior-friendly tablet can easily book rides. Their companions can also order the rides for them. It is easy since the GrandPad is pre-installed with locations that the senior frequently travels to.

This convenient option minimizes confusion. It even assures that caregivers will not make any mistakes should they book on behalf of the senior. This provides a seamless booking and riding experience for those in the twilight of their years.

3. Consider Uber Assist

Those seniors who need extra help must try UberASSIST. This assures a trained driver will come to help. They can do the following:

• Help should the senior need help getting in and out of the vehicle.
• They can also accommodate walkers, scooters, and wheelchairs.
• The specialty UberWAV also provides wheelchair-accessible vehicles, though availability is highly limited depending on the area.

4. Ridesharing with a Heart

Because seniors have limited transport options and income, these apps have been working with partners to offer discounted rides with the city and non-profit support. For example, Uber has developed partnerships with senior groups, senior advocate organizations, non-profits, and municipalities to assure affordability.

Similarly, Lyft has partnered with senior housing communities. They offer their services even if the seniors do not have their own smart device or credit card. Residents can conveniently book appointments to various destinations. The charges are billed to their monthly fees instead.

Apart from Uber and Lyft, some companies are emerging to serve older people. For example, Silver Ride in San Francisco is an app that supports the elderly by providing comfy, clean vehicles with trained drivers who can help. The vehicles can accommodate wheelchairs and other mobility devices. The company hopes to expand to nearby cities and all over the country soon.

Take the Bus and Paratransit Services

In bustling cities, you will find public transport. For instance, San Diego offers buses, rails, and shuttles. However, this service is only suitable for your older adult who can still mentally and physically remember a complex transport system, including routes, times, and fees.

Those who need more specialize help can try the American with Disabilities Act or ADA paratransit services. This is an affordable alternative that offers curb-to-curb pickup. It means your senior can conveniently travel to the same areas that other public vehicles go to.

Noteworthy, to avail of this ADA paratransit service, you need to apply the senior first to the registry. After certification, that’s the only time seniors or caregivers booking on their behalf can enjoy the service.

Enjoy Contracted Transport

Usually, seniors who are part of senior groups or assisted living communities may enjoy services offered by the group. This is a worthy option as the rates are often lower than the private transport option. With this, you will have a longer list of options to address your seniors’ transportation needs.

For best results, ask your organization ahead of time. This way, you can book an affordable ride for yourself or your senior loved one. Having the chance to freely move around will certainly improve their disposition, alleviating their sadness and stress.

Work with RideFACT

If you and your senior loved one reside in the San Diego County area, you are in luck. FACT (Facilitating Access to Coordinated Transportation), a comprehensive organization for seniors and caregivers, created RideFACT. Since FACT is committed to giving safe, timely, and efficient transport, they came up with this solution.

You can count on RideFACT as it was curated specifically for individuals who cannot enjoy the senior transport services listed above. When it is not possible for any senior to access another mobility option, FACT will offer their own service, the RideFACT.

It is an affordable curb-to-curb transport service that covers all counties in San Diego. This convenient option is available on weekdays from 7 am to 8 pm. The best part, the cost of the fare starts at only $2.50 for short rides, with the caregiver or senior companion riding free of charge.

For additional information, FACT is a non-profit organization headquartered in Oceanside. They were assigned by the SANDAG (San Diego Association of Governments) to act as the CTSA (Consolidated Transportation Service Agency) for all the counties in San Diego. They strive hard to offer reliable transport services to resident, so entrusting them with your beloved senior should not be a problem. You can find out more information about this group here.

The Final Wrap Up

Remember that aging is an inevitable part of life, so you must treat your senior relative with compassion. If you do not want your elderly loved ones to suffer depression, you cannot keep them isolated at home. Though they may have lost their ability to drive, it does not mean they have to stay grounded.

With various senior transport options, your senior and the assigned caregiver can readily go around town with ease. Seniors with mobility issues or those suffering from dementia need special care. If you need help, get in touch with our team at the Lakeside Manor. We offer a clean facility and loving community where your elderly loved one will feel right at home. Give us a call if you have questions or schedule a free facility tour to see how everyone in our community spends their day.

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We got to know them growing up as these gentle, loving, and caring people. To see them suddenly become more aggressive, unruly, and even borderline abusive can be heartbreaking. It’s a challenging transformation to deal with for sure, but there are ways to make that task more manageable.

In this article, we’ll talk about the things you can do to better cope during situations where your elderly relatives are misbehaving. We’ll also discuss the different reasons why they exhibit such behavior and highlight some examples too.

The Possible Causes of Bad Behavior in Elderly Individuals

Before you can attempt to reach out and reconnect with your misbehaving relatives, you first need to understand where they’re coming from.

Putting yourself in their shoes to understand how they feel is next to impossible. Even so, we can take what we know about aging and its impact on people and use that information to deepen our knowledge. We can use what we understand about aging to gain some insight into why the behavior of an older loved one has changed.

Loss of Independence

Part of growing into a mature individual is becoming independent. After years of relying on our parents and relatives for food, shelter, and other living expenses, we can work on our own and sustain ourselves.

Plenty of people value that independence. They love the fact that they are in complete control of their own lives.

When you reach a certain age, though, you may wind up having to give up that independence. Whether it’s due to health problems or an inability to earn money due to old age, you may find yourself having to rely heavily on others again.

Many people don’t like being in that situation. As a result, they may lash out, disobey, and rebel even if they know it’s detrimental to them. It’s a plight that many of us still cannot wrap our heads around, but one that is profoundly frustrating for older individuals.

Deterioration of Physical Capabilities Due to Illness or Injury

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, millions of people over the age of sixty-five suffer from falls every year. Furthermore, about three million annually are taken to emergency rooms across the country to get their fall-related injuries treated.

Weakened lower bodies, poor eyesight, and struggles with coordination all combine to make older people more prone to falls. For younger individuals, falls are mostly no big deal. If you’re older, however, even a fall in your living room can lead to broken bones and other serious injuries that can leave you bedridden.

Certain illnesses also have a way of impacting the body that can leave senior citizens struggling to move.

No longer moving on their own is another likely source of frustration and anger. Being stuck in bed could cause them to lash out in negative ways.

Depression Due to the Loss of Friends and/or Family Members

Many of us tend to envision depression as a condition that keeps people wallowing in misery while they stay under the covers. It’s true that for many people that’s how their depression seeps out, but that is not the case for all.

You may find people who become angrier as they spiral deeper into depression. A previously mild-mannered and kind individual may grow resentful and often become irate due to their condition.

Older people can exhibit signs of depression in that way as well. They could be behaving badly because they are depressed.

As for the reason why they’re depressed, it could relate to them losing their friends and family members. Dealing with the loss of so many loved ones is never going to be easy. You can quickly find yourself mired in the pits of despair because so many people you love dearly are now gone.

Processing that grief is not easy. Some may sob quietly, but others may let their anger take over.

The Onset of Dementia

Dementia is a condition often associated with old age. We still don’t know everything about dementia, but we are aware of the changes it can bring about in people.

The condition is known for having a significant impact on a person’s mind. It can cause memory problems, disorientation, and general struggles with reasoning and critical thinking.

The Mayo Clinic also notes that dementia can cause psychological changes. People who have dementia are known to display symptoms of anxiety, depression, and paranoia. They also tend to become agitated more easily and display inappropriate behavior more often.

If you’ve noticed a sudden change in your older loved one’s behavior, don’t hesitate to take them to a doctor. Their new personality may not be the manifestation of a foul mood. It could be indicative of a long-term condition.

A General Sense of Distress

One more possible explanation for why your loved one is suddenly displaying difficult behavior could be due to a general sense of distress. They may be worried about their health, about their loved ones, and about their status in general.

Experiencing that distress can be incredibly difficult. They may try to cope any way they can, even if that means displaying bad behavior.

The Examples of Difficult Behavior Elderly Individuals May Exhibit

Bad behavior in seniors can take on many forms. You can get caught off guard if you’re not aware of them beforehand. Included in this section are ways in which elderly individuals often misbehave.

Yelling

It’s shocking to see your older relatives yelling and lashing out at the people around them, but it can happen. They may struggle to express their anger and frustration through physical actions, but they can verbalize it clearly through yelling.

Fits of Rage

If you’re older loved one is still moving around on their own, their outbursts of bad behavior may involve them going into a fit of rage. They may start throwing things around the place or cause a ruckus in other ways.

Physical and/or Verbal Abuse

Difficult behavior can also become more targeted. Some older individuals may exhibit abusive behavior as a last-ditch effort to rebel against their current reality.

Having to deal with so many complicated and sorrowful emotions all at once can lead to a person taking out their anger on whoever’s nearby. You or a caretaker could be the person on the receiving end of that abusive behavior.

Excessive Clinginess

The manifestation of bad behavior in some older individuals is that they become clingy. They always want you around and demand all your time, even while knowing that you have other important matters to handle. You can understand why they cling to you so dearly, but at the same time, it’s not good for you or them.

Disobedience

There are times when an older person misbehaving can have a real impact on their wellbeing. They may refuse to shower, eat their meals, or even take their medicine.

That behavior is obviously concerning. You must act right away if you want to save them from doing lasting harm to their health.

Delusional Behavior

Hallucinating and becoming paranoid are unfortunate symptoms of diseases that are related to aging. Seeing your older loved one suffer from hallucinations and paranoia is genuinely heartbreaking. You must learn how to deal with their behavior properly if you want to help them out.

How to Deal with the Difficult Behavior Exhibited by Your Older Relatives

Even if you do understand why your older relative is misbehaving, it’s still not something you should tolerate. Tolerating the bad behavior could lead to more serious problems down the line for both you and your older loved ones.

Included in this section are the different ways to cope with the difficult behavior exhibited by older relatives.

Talk to Your Older Relative

It all must start with communication. You won’t understand how to help your older relative unless you talk to them first.

Reach out to your loved one. Tell them that you’re here to listen to their problems. Let them know that they can confide in you and that you’ll do everything you can to help them out.

You’ll be amazed at how effective simple communication can be in these situations.

If you’re loved one has been diagnosed with a condition such as Alzheimer’s disease, communicating with them will be tougher. Still, there are ways to get them to communicate if you put in the effort to bridge the gap between the two of you.

Once you know the specific reason why they have been acting out, it will be easier for you to react and provide an appropriate response.

Acknowledge Their Concerns

This may seem counterintuitive at first. If your relative is suffering from paranoia or delusions, one would think that acknowledging what they’re saying could lead to their condition getting worse.

What we fail to understand, though, that to them, those are not delusions. They may look and feel real to them due to their condition.

By dismissing what they’re saying, all you’re doing is giving them a reason to distrust you. That’s the last thing you want.

Instead, acknowledge their concerns, say that you understand, and present them with a way to handle the problem. Since you’re acknowledging and listening to their concerns, they are more likely to welcome the help you’re offering.

You should also try to acknowledge their feelings. Don’t dismiss their grievances right away, even if they may seem minor at first.

Allow your loved ones to voice their feelings of fear, abandonment, and other negative emotions. They may be suffering from depression at the moment. You may never find that out until you take the time to listen to what they have to say.

When they do open up, make sure you’re there for them. Comfort them and let them lean on you for a while.

Give Them Opportunities to Make Decisions

The loss of independence can be tough for some senior citizens. Imagine for a second if you had to cede the decisions in your life suddenly. You probably wouldn’t be too keen on that either.

Leaving your elderly loved one to their own devices is not advisable, but you can still involve them in making some decisions.

It can be small decisions. Ask them what they would like to eat today and deliver that meal. You can also ask about what activities they would like to take part in.

Give them some semblance of control over their lives again, and they will surely appreciate it.

Also, seek their feedback regarding some more important decisions. For example, if you’re planning on moving them to a new assisted living facility, you can ask them where they would like to stay.

Take a Break

The difficult behavior can wear on you too. You may find yourself feeling exhausted every day because you’re trying to keep up with their demands.

Don’t allow that to continue.

You must watch out for yourself. Ask a family member or a professional caregiver to help now and then. Doing so will also discourage the excessive clinginess that your older relative may be exhibiting.

Seek Professional Help

Unfortunately, there are times when you cannot do enough to help your older relative. This is especially true if the reason why they’re misbehaving is due to a condition of some kind.

Don’t be afraid to ask for professional help.

Approach a doctor and seek help from professional caregivers. They are the ones who can handle the situation, and they can also tell you how to deal with your relative’s behavior moving forward.

Dealing with the difficult displays of behavior coming from your older loved ones can be incredibly taxing. Know that you don’t have to do things on your own.

Partner with us at Lakeside Manor if you’re looking for an assisted living facility that can care for your elderly relative. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

The post How to Deal with Difficult Behavior appeared first on Lakeside Manor.

For starters, there is no guarantee that your older relative will agree to the move. They are more likely to decline if they have grown attached to their current living arrangements.

Sometimes though, you still need to make those difficult decisions. Please feel free to continue with this article to learn more about making the transition from assisted living to memory care facilities.

How Do Assisted Living and Memory Care Facilities Differ from One Another?

To determine what kind of care your loved one needs, you must first learn about the capabilities of the available options. They are not all the same, and you may find that a particular facility is better suited to take care of your family member.

Assisted Living Facilities

Starting with assisted living facilities, these establishments focus on helping residents keep up their regular routines.  As we get older, some of the chores we’ve been doing seemingly forever become harder to complete. Cleaning may start to take a huge toll on your body, and bathing may become more troublesome, given how slippery everything is.

The staff members at assisted living facilities can help residents with those daily tasks. They can also assist residents who need help eating or moving around.

Assisted living facilities also give their residents opportunities to join several activities. Those activities help the residents enjoy their time at the facility more and to create a more tightly-knit community.

When it comes to the living quarters themselves, residents usually have their own rooms. Open areas are also available, and residents can spend time in one of them if they so desire.

Notably, the staff members at assisted living facilities allow the residents to be independent, according to MedlinePlus. Residents are usually free to go about their day in whichever way they choose, although they will receive reminders about meals and medication.

Speaking of medication, assisted living facilities don’t focus on providing medical care to residents. They will monitor a resident’s intake of medication and offer reminders to take them on time, but that’s about it.

You will need to seek out a different type of establishment if you wish to secure more comprehensive medical care for your loved one.

Also, assisted living facilities provide round-the-clock supervision over their residents to ensure that they are always safe. However, the residents still receive the chance to manage their schedules on how they see fit.

Memory Care Facilities

Memory care and assisted living facilities are remarkably similar. The two offer assistance for daily tasks, handle meals, and provide 24-hour monitoring.

Where memory care facilities differ is in the way they approach monitoring. It’s an aspect of care they take more seriously because doing so is a necessity.

Among the more troubling symptoms of dementia are confusion and disorientation. People diagnosed with that condition are more likely to get lost and/or forget where they were going. They also tend to wander away from their place of residence, only realizing they have strayed too far.

Understanding how susceptible people with dementia are to getting lost, memory care facilities put more safeguards in place to keep them safe. Staff members at memory care facilities pay closer attention to residents and keep closer tabs on them. They may also ask residents to participate in more structured activities so that they are engaged better.

Residents of memory care facilities don’t experience the same level of independence as those in assisted living facilities do. Unfortunately, that’s a necessary change to ensure their safety.

According to AARP, memory care facilities also have more security measures in place compared to assisted living facilities. They often feature doors monitored by alarms, and their outdoor spaces are enclosed. Residents are also often required to wear monitoring bracelets.

With those additional security measures in place, you can feel more at ease knowing that your relatives are always safe.

When Should You Move Your Loved One from an Assisted Living to a Memory Care Facility?

The decision to transition from an assisted living facility to a memory care facility is not an easy one to make. As much as possible, we want to give our older relatives the chance to live as independently as they can.

Still, there comes a time when your loved one needs the type of supervision and security only a memory care facility can provide. To better determine when that time has arrived, it helps to ask yourself the questions listed below.

Is Your Loved One Being Monitored Adequately?

You need to prioritize your loved one’s safety. That always must be the first thing on your mind whenever you’re deciding which facility to choose.

If you’ve heard from the staff at the assisted living facility that your loved one has tended to wander off more recently, alarm bells should start ringing in your head. Look around the facility and see if they have the security measures in place to monitor your loved one diligently.

Since they need to strike a balance between giving their residents some measure of independence while simultaneously monitoring them, it may not register right away that your relative could be wandering off accidentally. If you want them monitored better, looking for a memory care facility is the right move.

Has Your Loved One’s Condition Worsened?

Dementia is not a stagnant condition. Over time, it can worsen, and its effects on your family member may become more pronounced.

Activities they could handle on their own not too long ago may prove too complex due to their deteriorating condition. Even something as important as eating may slip their mind due to their dementia.

A person affected that significantly by dementia requires more diligent and attentive care. Assisted living facilities can offer more than adequate care for people dealing with the early symptoms of dementia. However, they may not be accommodating residents displaying more advanced symptoms.

Continuing to let them stay at a facility that may not be well-equipped to deal with their condition is risky. It’s best to move them to a memory care facility to manage their condition the best way possible.

Are the Staff Members Adequately Trained?

One of the more unfortunate symptoms of dementia is erratic behavior. Someone affected by that condition may lash out at times or suddenly become aggressive. Dealing with residents who exhibit those symptoms is not easy.

Staff members must be experienced in handling those situations to prevent any unfortunate incidents from taking place. You’re more likely to find staff members with extensive training at memory care facilities.

It’s easier to entrust your loved one to a memory care facility since you know their workers are fully capable of handling situations that may arise.

Are the Activities Offered Helpful to Your Loved One?

There is still no known cure for dementia, but there are ways to manage the symptoms. One such approach involves keeping the minds of those with dementia consistently engaged.

Assisted living facilities present their residents with various activities, but not all of them focus on mental stimulation. The greater emphasis placed on those mentally beneficial activities offered by memory care facilities is a real plus for people with dementia.

Considering the long-term benefits of mental stimulation in the fight against dementia, it’s not a bad idea to move your loved one to a memory care facility sooner rather than later.

How Should You Handle the Move from an Assisted Living Facility to a Memory Care Facility?

It’s difficult to predict how your loved one will react after telling them your plan to move them to a new facility. Some may agree with the move with no complaints while others may strongly dislike the idea and decide that they want to stay put.

Obviously, you’d prefer it if your loved one was open to the move. They may reject the idea at first but following the tips below should better communicate to them why the transition is necessary and why it will ultimately be good for them.

Include Your Loved One in the Decision-Making Process

Probably the most important thing you can do as you plan the move to a new memory care facility is to first consult your relative. Don’t spring your plan on them like a surprise. Inform them ahead of time of what you have in mind and ask for their feedback.

They may disapprove of the move initially, but that’s why communicating ahead of time is so important. By taking this step, you can tell them why you think the move will ultimately be more helpful and ask why they disapprove.

You can also take this opportunity to talk about the new facility. Discuss its features, services, and how they can help. Once you’re able to tell your loved one the benefits, they may become more amenable to it.

It’s also worth taking their suggestions regarding which facility they want to stay in. They may have a reason for wanting to stay in a facility and accommodating them will make the transition smoother.

Be Honest About How Their Living Situation Will Change

The more intensive monitoring conducted by memory care facilities could rub your loved one the wrong way. They may start to think that the staff members at the new facility dislike or distrust them, hence the increased monitoring.

Misunderstandings like that can happen easily if you don’t talk to your relative beforehand.

Prior to the move, make sure that you give your loved one a clear idea of how their living situation will change. Talk to them about the new security features that will be in place and how the staff members will approach them.

Your loved one won’t grow frustrated over changes they didn’t anticipate. Instead, they can adjust better because they already have a good grasp of what’s going to happen thanks to you.

Try to Make Their New Home as Familiar as Possible

Moving to a new home is intimidating. Interacting with all the unfamiliar faces and places can be overwhelming for your elderly relative.

To help them get settled faster, try to make their new home feel like their old one. Take their possessions from their room at the assisted living facility and move them to the memory care facility.

You can even transfer an old couch or chair they’ve been using. Doing so may help them relax better at the new place.

It’s also worth checking if someone from your loved one’s old facility is currently working at the memory care facility. Having a familiar face on the premises can help your loved one get used to their new home faster.

Maintain Contact with Your Loved One and Visit Whenever Possible

Nothing can replace family.

The best way to make the move to a memory care facility easier on your relative is to assure him/her that you’ll still be around no matter what. During the first few days after the move, make a point of spending time with your loved one. Join them in walking around the facility so they can interact with the other residents and staff members.

In the days, weeks, months, and years ahead, remember to check in regularly with your relative. Regular phone calls can work wonders at lifting the spirits of our elderly loved ones.

The most important thing here is to let your loved one know that they are not alone even if they’re in a new facility. You can do that by staying in touch.

Moving to a memory care facility is a big change. It can be tough for your loved one to adjust to right away. Regardless, that kind of move becomes necessary if their safety starts becoming a bigger issue.

Hopefully, the information included in this article will help as you prepare for your loved one’s move to a new facility.

Still Unsure What to Do?

We at Lakeside Manor are ready to serve anyone in need of diligent everyday care. Contact us today to learn more about our facilities and services. Together, we can help ensure that your loved one’s golden years will be full of joyful experiences.

The post When to Move from Assisted Living to Memory Care appeared first on Lakeside Manor.

You’ve likely heard of the term at some point and have a general idea of what it is, but it’s a subject worth exploring in greater detail. Learning more about powers of attorney now can save you and your loved ones from potentially nightmarish situations in the future.

We’ll devote much of this article to discussing durable power of attorney, but let’s start by first recapping what power of attorney is in the first place.

Understanding the Power of Attorney

Power of attorney is a topic we’ve discussed previously but in case you missed that, let’s take the time to learn more about this legal term.

As its name suggests, the power of attorney is a legal power that you give to a different person or persons that enables them to act on your behalf. Once you give someone power of attorney, they become your agent or attorney-in-fact while you assume the role of being their principal.

A legal document outlines the terms of the power of attorney you’re giving to another party. This document will indicate which actions a specific agent can perform on your behalf.  Whoever you designate as your agent will likely be required to present the document every time you execute an action, according to the American Bar Association.

You often use a POA as a safeguard against potential accidents. They ensure that the decisions involving you or your estate will continue to follow your best interests, even if you can’t make them yourself.

Furthermore, POAs are also sought after because they are highly useful in business. Instead of you having to personally travel from one place to another to complete business deals and other transactions, your empowered agent can do that for you.

POAs also differ in terms of type.

First, you have what is known as a general power of attorney. An individual granted a general power of attorney can make all decisions for you if they are deemed eligible by the law.

In contrast, a limited power of attorney is more restrictive. Someone granted an LPOA can make decisions regarding one of your bank accounts, but not all of them. You can also specify the exact matters they can decide for you.

If you desire, you can also restrict a limited power of attorney by designating a period of effectiveness for it.

POAs also vary from one another in terms of their longevity. In many cases, a power of attorney will stop being effective if the principal is incapacitated. They regard the POA in that scenario as a non-durable power.

On the opposite side, you have what are known as durable powers of attorney.

Defining Durable Power of Attorney

The durable power of attorney can remain effective for a long period of time. That power will remain usable even if the principal has become incapacitated in some way.

DPOAs are essential for several reasons.

First, designating someone to be your attorney-in-fact with DPOA matters because it makes an otherwise difficult situation more manageable.

Imagine a scenario where you are incapacitated, thus leading to your finances effectively becoming inaccessible. If you didn’t give someone DPOA ahead of time, your loved ones will have a harder time getting your finances in order.

LegalZoom notes that your loved ones will likely need to go to court first and have you declared incompetent before they can start taking control of your finances. That’s a process that can take plenty of time and effort, and it can stress out your family members even more.

DPOA also matters because it gives you greater control over what kind of treatment you receive later in life. By giving DPOA to a trusted loved one, you can be sure that someone who has your best interests in mind makes the medical decisions for you.

What Are the Different Types of DPOAs?

There are two main types of DPOAs.

The first is known as a healthcare DPOA. The person or persons granted the DPOA are legally obligated to make medical decisions for the currently incapacitated principal.

A healthcare DPOA is relied upon whenever the principal is unable to make those medical decisions. Whoever you chose to hold the healthcare DPOA will also be the person who talks to the doctors and other medical professionals on your behalf.

You can indicate in your healthcare DPOA that you want to be admitted into an assisted living facility if you are ever incapacitated, and your agent will carry that out.

An important thing to note about a DPOA is that it’s not a living will. The attorney-in-fact you named in the DPOA document cannot make decisions regarding your end-of-life care because that’s what the living will is for. Your family members and your doctors will make that kind of decision together.

The other type of DPOA is known as a financial durable power of attorney. By giving someone financial DPOA, you authorize them to make decisions regarding your assets. They can control your different accounts, sign checks on your behalf, and handle other essential matters related to your finances.

You must be thorough when crafting the financial DPOA document so that the agent will know exactly how to use your assets.

To protect against your financial DPOA abusing their power, the law regards them as a fiduciary, according to the Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law. This is an important thing to note because someone designated as a fiduciary is legally bound to act in your best interests.

If your financial agent starts to sign off on transactions that are not beneficial to you or in ways that go against what you have outlined in the DPOA document, the law can punish them following the laws in your area.

How Should You Approach Crafting Your DPOAs?

Naming someone to hold either your healthcare or financial DPOA is not a matter to be taken lightly. It’s one of the most important decisions of your life, and you must be sure that you’re handing the reins over to people who are responsible.

It’s obvious that you should pick the people who you trust the most as your agent or agents. There are no limitations placed on who you can name as your agent. You can name a family member, a friend, or even an acquaintance as your agent in the DPOA document.

That’s one part of the process.

Next, you need to craft the documents themselves.

You have the option here of combining your healthcare and financial directives into one document, but Investopedia advises against doing that. Your broker should only be concerned about your financial affairs while your doctors should only know about your medical status. The best way to keep those matters independent of one another is by creating separate DPOA documents.

Feel free to name the same agent so that decisions can be made faster.

When Will the Durable Power of Attorney Start to Take Effect?

You, as the principal, will determine when the durable power of attorney becomes usable.

One option is to have the DPOA take effect right away. This is a move worth considering if you want someone completing financial transactions for you.

Most healthcare DPOAs only become effective after you’ve become incapacitated.

When Will the Durable Power of Attorney Expire?

Though a DPOA will not expire even if the principal is incapacitated, there are still different ways it may be rendered ineffective.

Similar to other POAs, a durable power of attorney will expire as soon as the principal passes away. This applies to all kinds of POAs, by the way.

As the principal, you can also set a kind of limit on the effectiveness of the DPOA. If you indicated in the document that the DPOA will only last for a specific amount of time, then that will be honored.

The courts can also step in and invalidate a durable power of attorney. It’s unlikely that the court will decide to take a closer look at a DPOA document on its own. A third party must petition the court to strip power of attorney from a previously chosen agent.

If the court agrees with the third party and revokes power of attorney from the designated agent, the alternate agent will then take over the responsibilities. Sometimes, there may be no alternate agent named in the document. With no alternate agent, the court will name a legal guardian who will handle the principal’s affairs.

The durable power of attorney may also expire if the agent originally named is no longer capable of handling his/her tasks.

A DPOA can similarly expire if the previously named agent was the former spouse of the principal. You can cite the divorce as the reason the spouse should no longer serve as the agent.

Tips to Remember When Crafting a DPOA Document

Working on your DPOA document early on is a wise move. That will make it easier for you to identify the right candidates to name as agents. You should also write down more comprehensive guidelines for your agent or agents to follow.

To get started on crafting your DPOA document, you will first need to secure a template. You can find these templates online, but you should be careful about obtaining your document that way. Some templates may not be up to date regarding the laws in your state, and that can prove problematic down the line.

As much as possible, you should approach an attorney for assistance when creating your DPOA document.

Be as specific as you can when creating the document. Doing so will enable your agent or agents to execute your desired actions with greater ease.

Some states may require you to have the DPOA document notarized and/or filed. Check the laws in your state to ensure that the document is legally binding.

Some states will require you to record the creation of the DPOA document. Once again, refer to the laws in your area to find out what you need to do.

You should also make a habit out of regularly checking your DPOA document. Consult with your attorney from time to time and see if the information contained in the document is still to your liking.

Tips to Remember if You Are Executing a DPOA Document

As the person entrusted with a durable power of attorney, you need to keep certain things in mind to fulfill your obligations well.

The main thing to remember is to have the DPOA document on hand. You won’t be able to invoke the powers of the document without it being present. It also must be the certified copy that you bring along and not a photocopy.

Before affixing your signature to any document you’re filling out as the principal’s agent, you should take a moment to ask if there is any specific format you need to follow. You won’t be violating any rules if you fail to follow the right format, but they may not execute the orders until you sign correctly. Remember to indicate that you’re signing as the agent of the principal.

Carefully considering the terms of your durable power of attorney will help ensure that you receive proper medical attention even if your health declines. We at Lakeside Manor also specialize in providing the highest level of care to all the patients entrusted to us. Find out more about our services and facilities by contacting us today.

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You probably have a general idea of what power of attorney is all about and why you may need it in the future. This article will elaborate on the topic further and clear up some common misconceptions.

In addition to better defining the POA, you can also refer to this article as you seek to learn more about possibly overriding that legal document. You’ll also find out more about why that move may even become necessary in the first place.

What Is Power of Attorney?

Let’s turn to the American Bar Association for assistance in defining this legal term.

As they noted, this legal tool provides “one or more persons the power to act on your behalf as your agent.” Agent is the term to name the person on the receiving end of the power of attorney. Sometimes, though, the person or persons in question may also be the attorney-in-fact.

Meanwhile, the person who is giving that power they regard as the principal.

The principal will be the one to decide when the POA will take effect. As the principal, you can decide to make the power valid right away, or you could indicate that it will only become effective after certain conditions are met.

You can also decide how long the effectiveness of this particular power will last. Principals can opt to only make the power valid for a limited amount of time, or they could decide to have it take effect permanently.

What Are the Types of Power of Attorney?

There are two main types of power of attorney.

The first is known as the general power of attorney.

When granting this kind of power, you are giving someone the ability to make all decisions on your behalf as long as the law deems the moves legal. Someone with this authority can make financial and health-related decisions for you, so be careful when deciding who should have it.

The other type is known as the limited power of attorney.

In contrast to the general POA, a limited POA may only apply after meeting certain conditions. If you’re trying to get your finances in order, but want to avoid having a single person responsible, you can give multiple parties limited POAs, so they handle separate accounts.

You can classify a limited POA into subtypes.

Springing Powers

You can classify the limited POA you are giving to a person as a springing power and effectively exercise control over which actions they can perform and when they can execute them.

According to Investopedia, springing powers only start to take effect once a specific event has taken place. You can list a different condition if you prefer, but more often than not, the principal will indicate that the springing powers should only go into effect once they have become mentally incapacitated or if they have passed away.

Patients who suffer from progressive mental ailments may benefit from giving a trusted party springing powers. For example, a person with advanced dementia may no longer make reasonable decisions about their care or their assets. In that scenario, the agent with the springing powers can step in and make the right calls.

To further guide that person, the principal may create a will to follow.

Durable and Non-Durable Powers

POAs do not last forever. They often lose effectiveness once the principal becomes incapacitated in some way or if the principal dies.

POAs that work that way are non-durable.

If you want your agent to continue making decisions on your behalf even after you die or become incapacitated, you will want to give him/her durable power of attorney.

Why Do You Need Durable Power of Attorney?

Even as we do our best to watch over our health and stay in great shape, the reality is that we do not have complete control over how our bodies age. You may develop an illness that severely affects your mental capabilities, thus rendering you unable to make important decisions.

By providing someone you know with a durable POA, you can rest knowing that your wishes will continue even if you can no longer make any decisions.

You can grant someone durable POA over your finances, meaning the individual in question will be the one in charge of how to use your money. The person given the durable POA remains legally bound to follow your directives so he/she cannot take all the money unless that is what you specified.

Durable POA can also grant a person the power to make decisions regarding your long-term care. If it’s your wish to be admitted to an assisted living facility, the agent must follow that instruction.

Why You Should Consider Granting Power of Attorney to a Separate Party

As you can see, a person given POA takes on plenty of responsibility but also obtains plenty of authority. Giving that kind of power to someone should not be taken lightly since it can be exploited and abused.

Even so, one can argue that giving someone POA while you still have a sound mind is a smart move.

We know how unpredictable life can be.

Granting POA to someone makes it possible for you to prepare for the worst. By outlining your wishes clearly and choosing the right person to receive the POA, you can effectively ensure that they will handle your affairs in the manner you prefer.

Another reason to give power of attorney to someone is that the alternative can seem troublesome in comparison.

Going back to the American Bar Association, they note that assigning guardians to individuals who become incapable of handling their own affairs is common. A guardian will effectively serve as the person who makes decisions for you.

To be clear, having a guardian is not always a bad thing. However, this is still a choice most folks would like to avoid because they don’t have a direct say in who they pick.

Handing someone POA is not a move you necessarily have to make only later in life. You can also use this legal instrument to make doing business more convenient.  If you’re running a business with branches all over the country and there are certain decisions you want to leave to subordinates, you can give them power of attorney.

How Is Power of Attorney Abused?

We hinted at it earlier, but the unfortunate truth is people can abuse POA.

An important thing to point out about POAs is that they are typically not monitored closely by a third party or a court. This quality of a POA makes it easy to exploit for the agent.

Abusive agents may decide to no longer follow the wishes of the individuals. Instead of executing the plan provided by their principals, the agent may opt to make financial decisions that benefit themselves.

They may even sign off on decisions that no longer keep your health in mind.

The Different Ways a Power of Attorney Can Expire

Generally speaking, POAs will expire at some point.

You can take over control when this happens by revoking the power of attorney yourself. Principals can also decide to configure a power of attorney in such a way that it will expire once they become incapacitated or die.

If you want to set a time limit on how long someone can wield power of attorney on your behalf, you can include a termination date into the document.

The court can also look at a POA document and decide to invalidate it. In cases where a spouse is the agent, the POA may become invalid if the agent and principal are divorced.

The POA may also become invalidated if the agent named is no longer capable of executing the wishes of the principal.

How to Override Power of Attorney

Unless you explicitly mentioned a termination date for the document, there’s a chance that the person you gave power to will use it for a long time. In a case where abuse is already taking place, having someone hold on that power is not ideal.

Before deciding whether to override the power of attorney, you need to know a few things.

First, you must know this is not going to be an easy ordeal. You could end up in a long, legal battle.

Next, you must also take the time to pick out the right lawyer to work with. Preferably, you should hire a lawyer who is an expert in elder and disability law.

Another thing to note here is that the POA can be invalidated by more than one person and in more than one way.

The People Who Can Override the Power of Attorney

The methods of vetoing the POA are directly linked to certain individuals. Let’s take a closer look at who they are.

The Principal

By far, the easiest way to quash the POA handed to an agent is to have the principal rescind it. The only real catch is that the principal must still be of sound mind when making this decision.

If the principal agrees to remove POA from an agent, he/she can do so verbally or fill out a revocation form, according to Legal Templates.

The Agent

Now things can start to get a bit tricky.

In the event that a principal is no longer of sound mind or refuses to rescind POA from an agent, you will need to approach the agent yourself. You can ask him/her to step down from the role.

If the agent does indeed step down, then the alternate agent named in the document will take his/her place. The court may get involved if there is no alternate agent designated by the principal. The court will appoint a guardian who will handle the principal’s affairs.

A Third Party

Try picturing this scenario: Your grandfather’s agent is misusing his savings, and he cannot do anything about it. You already approached the agent and asked him to step down from the role, but to no one’s surprise, he is not eager to let go of your grandfather’s money.

Clearly, nothing will change if that situation continues. You will need to act if you want to salvage what remains of your grandfather’s savings.

To do that, you will need to petition the court to revoke the power of attorney from your grandfather’s current agent and name a guardian, instead. That is easier said than done, of course.

You will first need to prove that the agent is no longer acting in the best interests of the principal. On top of that, you also must show the court that the wishes your grandfather originally authored should no longer be valid because of the new developments.

Removing power of attorney from the agent your grandfather originally named is not going to be easy, and it could take a while before the court decides. The best thing you can do here is to partner with the right lawyer. From there, he/she can gather evidence and present a compelling case to the judge.

Before deciding to move forward with those legal actions, you must know that the cost of pursuing this case can be high. Set aside a large sum of money if you want to see this case to the end.

Make sure to evaluate your options carefully before deciding to give anyone power of attorney. This decision could affect the quality of life you enjoy as a senior citizen.

We at Lakeside Manor are also dedicated to improving the quality of life of our residents. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can care for you.

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