CAREGIVER ROADMAP: A GUIDE TO HELP YOU START YOUR CAREGIVER JOURNEY

If you are new to the caregiver journey you may have a lot of questions. Maybe you are overwhelmed with where to begin. This guide is to help you conquer that and to help you focus on what is important from the very beginning. 

Health Insurance
Finding out basic info about your aging loved one’s health insurance info is very important. Questions to ask, do they have Medicare coverage, if so does it include Part A & B. What about their prescription coverage? Are they underinsured? Do they have a supplemental plan? 

Health Care Providers

Who is their primary care physician? This specific doctor is normally the gateway to all things health related from a general perspective. Equally important is finding out their different specialists that are a part of their medical team. Does your loved one have chronic health related problems such as Diabetes, Heart Disease, Asthma, Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia or Cancer? Who are the specific doctor’s that they are seeing to monitor their symptoms related to these specific illnesses?

Finances

 Finances are often a taboo topic to talk about specifically in terms of the baby boomer generation especially if they have been very private about their expenses. However it is crucial to find out how much money is coming in on a regular basis and what their monthly expenses are. Unfortunately a big challenge that people face when it comes to health related issues is that it can come with significant financial stressors, especially if someone has limited health insurance. It’s rare to see folks that have 100% coverage for a number of reasons. 

Prescriptions Coverage

Prescription coverage is a huge expense for people especially when we start thinking of brand name drugs that do not have a generic option. Some health plans offer limited to no coverage when it comes to brand name coverage and often people are having to explore discounted programs to cover the costs of these medications. Sadly people often have to choose between making their monthly rent payment vs affording an expensive medication coverage. If your aging loved is dealing with chronic health issues, chances are it is a huge financial burden one that often is not discussed but very important as it can be helpful to make certain changes to your loved one’s health plan during open enrollment season to find a coverage that may be better suited for them.

Legal

Now that you have a basic idea about your loved one’s overall health conditions it is extremely important to have conversations surrounding Advance Directives also known as Advance Care Planning. These are legal documents that your loved one should have in place in the event that they become incapable of making their own health care and or financial decisions. One of the biggest mistakes I see people make is not planning for the what if’s and early on if your loved one consulted with an elder care attorney they could avoid so much aggravation and financial turmoil if they had only planned efficiently. 

In conclusion this is meant to be a starting point with specific areas of focus if you are at the beginning of your caregiver journey. It takes a lot of time and focus to get a grasp of all the things but with the right tools you will get there.