Finances & Planning
Hard Conversations
Are you wondering where to get started on having some hard conversations? Here is a link to a guide that you can use with your family or other people you trust to plan out what you would like to see in your future. It has been developed by The Conversation Project, a program of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement.
If you are a caregiver for someone with dementia, here is a specific workbook you can use to help clarify your thoughts and advocate for the person you are caring for.
Key things to think about and preparation you should do:
Financial planning might not be on the top of the list for a family facing a dementia diagnosis, but it is one of the most important things that you might have to think about. Cost of future care may not be considered due to the stress and fear the diagnosis evokes. However, the stress can be reduced by preparing for care costs, and starting early means that the person with dementia may be able to participate in the decision making. For a document that outlines the key things to think about around financial planning.
Key Minnesota forms:
Taking care of loved ones with dementia can take a great toll on family members, and many people take help from the memory-care community. The state of Minnesota offers several forms of financial assistance for qualifying seniors. For details of Elder Waiver, Medical Assistance, Alternative Care and other forms of support.
Why you need an elder attorney:
An elder law attorney can help you and your loved one navigate the legal landscape of aging with dementia, specially around health, financial well-being, housing, and long-term care. Elder law attorneys are trained many specialized areas which can include:
- Management of estates and trusts
- Recognition and prevention of elder abuse and fraud
- Financial matters like estate planning, trusts, wills and probate
- Planning for long-term care
- Nominating a durable power of attorney
- Help with navigating Medicaid
The Earlier You Plan
FamilyMeans
FamilyMeans, Shaping Your Tomorrow: Dementia and MCI, a 10-week series for those with memory loss and a family member or friend, offering a safe setting for learning, asking questions, and sharing experiences. This series offers vast resources and brings in guest speakers on how to build a support system, ways to adapt your environment safely, how to communicate to healthcare providers, elder law and financial planning issues, local services and ways to keep active and stay positive during this journey with dementia. Please contact Jenny West, Community Educator at 651 789-4015 or email jwest@familymeans.org
FamilyMeans Financial Services: To discover how our financial services can assist with debt and stress with finances, especially as you are planning for aging services:
FamilyMeans Financial Services: To discover how our financial services can assist with debt and stress with finances, especially as you are planning for aging services: