LEGAL HELP LIVE
SENIOR CHECKLIST
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SOLOMON, SALTSMAN & JAMIESON / LAW
OFFICES
426 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles 90293
Telephone: (310) 822-9848
Toll Free: (800) 405-4222
www.ssjlaw.com
ssolomon@ssjlaw.com
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Name______________________________ Social Security
number____-___-____
Spouse's Name______________________ Social Security number____-___-____
Address___________________________________________________________
Date_________ Copies of this list given to________________________________
Important Questions to Think About
Do you need a will or living trust to ensure that your
belongings go to those you want them to and to avoid unnecessary taxes and
probate fees?
Do you have a power of attorney for your finances in case you get sick and
can’t make these important financial decisions yourself?
Do you have an advance medical healthcare directive so you or someone you
designate decide what happens if you get sick and can’t make these important
health care decisions yourself?
-This gives you the right to give your own health care instructions. You also
have the right to name someone else to make health care decisions for you.
It also lets you express your wishes regarding donation of organs and the
designation of your primary physician.
Are you or any loved ones a victim of elder abuse by a care provider?
-Given the statistics that more than 30% of the country’s nursing homes
have been cited for nursing home abuse for causing harm to residents or put them
in immediate jeopardy, it is becoming increasingly important to make sure the
nursing home facility chosen meets appropriate guidelines and regulations.
IMPORTANT NAMES, ADDRESSES AND PHONE NUMBERS
Emergency contacts ________________________________________________
Doctor(s)_________________________________________________________
List of prescribed medications ________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Are you allergic to any medications? If yes, list here_______________________
_________________________________________________________________
Attorney _________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Accountant________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Insurance agent(s)_________________________________________________
Police____________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Fire______________________________________________________________
Poison Control Center_______________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Neighbor__________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Others ___________________________________________________________
POLICY/ACCT. NO. LOCATION OF DOCUMENTS
Health insurance policy _____________________________________________
Life insurance policy _______________________________________________
Will or Trust ______________________________________________________
Pension/retirement ________________________________________________
Funeral arrangement information _____________________________________
Safety Deposit Box (it may be helpful to have a trusted loved who also has a
signature
on box)_______________________________________________________
Other: __________________________________________________________
How to Choose a Nursing Home and Prevent Nursing Home Abuse
Good points to ask/observe at nursing homes to prevent nursing home abuse can
include:
- If the nursing home is certified by Medicare and
Medicaid then these facilities are required by law to let you see their
surveys.
- Seeing the latest state inspection report, noting
the date it was made.
- What the turnover rate of the nursing home staff is.
- If other nursing home residents show signs of
visible elder abuse, such as bruises.
- If nursing home residents receive immediate
attention.
- If nursing home residents receive privacy.
- Talk to other nursing home residents and observe
their reactions and answers closely.
- Observe the cleanliness of the nursing home
facility, not just on surface appearances which can be deceiving.
- Visit the nursing home facility at different times
to observe different staff and if the treatment of nursing home residents
remain consistent.
- Visit nursing home facilities unannounced so nursing
home staff is unable to prepare their reactions.
- Eat a meal at the cafeteria to sample the food.
- Observe if any social or recreational activities are
planned and how they are conducted.
- Observe if the residents appear to enjoy being with
the nursing home staff.
- If the nursing home staff knows the nursing home
residents by name.
- Even after picking a nursing home facility continue
to observe in the future.
The following may be signs of elder abuse
- Open wounds, cuts, bruises or
welts
- Emotionally upset or
agitated
- Dehydration, malnutrition
- Caretaker can not adequately explain
condition
- Extremely withdrawn &
non-communicative
- Elder's sudden change in
behavior
- Unclean conditions
- loss of weight
- Fecal or urine odor
FDA's Tips for Taking Medicines
How to Get the Most Benefits with the Fewest Risks
Whether prescription or over-the-counter (OTC), no medicine is without risk.
Besides benefits, medicines may cause side effects or allergic reactions, and
they may be affected by interactions with foods, drinks, or other drugs.
For prescription drugs, a patient's first step to safe and effective
treatment is to ask the doctor questions with each new prescription. For
example:
- What is the medicine's name, and what is it supposed to do?
- How and when do I take it, and for how long?
- While taking this medicine, should I avoid:
- certain foods or dietary supplements?
- caffeine, alcohol, or other beverages?
- other medicines, prescription and OTC?
- certain activities, such as driving or smoking?
- Will this new medicine work safely with prescription and OTC medicines I'm
already taking?
- Are there side effects, and what do I do if they occur?
- Will the medicine affect my sleep or activity level?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- Is there written information available about the medicine? (At the very
least, ask the doctor or pharmacist to write out complicated directions and
medicine names.)
It's wise to write down the answers to these questions immediately, to make
sure you'll remember all the details.
MEDICAL COVERAGE ISSUES
If you are covered by Medicare, can you fill the gaps in your Medicare
coverage?
If you are on Medicare, or are helping someone make decisions about Medicare
coverage, it’s likely that you have discovered that Original Medicare does not
pay for all of your health services.
You can get help paying for the health costs that Medicare does not cover.
There are several options.
The rules for who qualifies for assistance and the income and asset limits
can be quite complicated, so contact your local Health Insurance Counseling and
Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222 to find out the best way to
cover your health costs.
If you don’t qualify for financial assistance under a low-income program,
there are other ways to help control your health costs:
You may join a Medicare managed care plan, also called a
Medicare+Choice plan, if there is one available in your area. Medicare managed
care plans have a contract with the government to provide the full range of
Medicare services to their members. HMOs are a type of managed care plan.
Or you can purchase an additional health insurance policy called a Medigap
policy to supplement your Original Medicare coverage. It will pay some of
your Medicare out-of-pocket costs and fill in some other gaps. There are ten
standardized policies, categorized A through J. Benefits vary depending on
which policy you buy.
To find out more about these and other options, call your local Health
Insurance Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP) at 1-800-434-0222.
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The Law Offices of Solomon, Saltsman & Jamieson
hope you find this checklist useful and informative.
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SOLOMON, SALTSMAN & JAMIESON / LAW
OFFICES
426 Culver Blvd, Los Angeles 90293
Telephone: (310) 822-9848
Toll Free: (800) 405-4222
www.ssjlaw.com
ssolomon@ssjlaw.com
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