Page 6 - Senior Times South Central Michigan - August 2019 - 26-08

Page 6 Senior Times - August 2019 Caregiver's
CORNER
Anne Clark, Special to Senior Times
IT IS GOOD TO TALK ABOUT IT
Sign Up For
AUGUST CLASSES
Call 269.441.0948 to Register
Eat Smart Live Strong
4-week Nutrition Program
Some subjects are far more difficult to talk about than others are and end of life care is something many of us do not want to discuss. There are many benefits to having those conversations and the biggest is to be sure you receive the care you really want and more importantly, the care you might not want. Keep read- ing; we all (anyone 18 and over) need to think about this subject.
The answer is whomever you assign
but you do want to be sure that you feel confident the person will actually handle your care as you have instructed them to do so. In previous conversations, espe- cially with married couples it has been amazing to learn the spouse may not be the correct person to assign as the Patient Advocate for many different reasons. Again, you really want the person to be someone you can have the conversation with regarding what you would want and what you would not want.
way to be sure your wishes are met.)
So who can be your Patient Advocate?
Our agency was able to become facil- itators to help discuss just that – who you want directing your care in the event you cannot speak for yourself and what you want. Many of us have the idea that we may never have to deal with this subject or maybe years ago you took care of this process through legal paperwork. The reality is; as we age many of our circum- stances change and with those changes, our wishes can change too. I often state that when my kids were little, my wants for care then are far different from what my wants are now because they are grown adults.
During this process try to think about what you have seen others go through when they have had to be a Patient Advocate. It is very important that your Patient Advocate knows how you feel about medical treatment, especially the treatment you would refuse or want stopped. The reason this is so important is that the Patient Advocate can only make a decision to refuse or stop life-sus- taining treatment if you have CLEARLY given them specific permission to do so. This is why having the conversations are so very important. I always say this is not just about end of life care either, it can also come into play if you have had some type of accident that you could recover from but may need someone to talk on your behalf until you can talk for your- self.
Taught by Bronson Health Educators &
Bronson Exec. Chef
Thursdays, August 8, 15, 22 & 29
1:30–2:30pm • BC Family YMCA
Learn about nutrition. Taste healthy foods. Get recipes. FREE! Must attend all 4 classes. Class size is limited.
AND THERE’S MORE ▼
Matter of Balance Fall Prevention
Funded in part by CareWell Services/Region 3B Area Agency on Aging and Calhoun County Senior Millage.
Reduce your risk of falling, improve your balance and increase your strength. FREE! 8 sessions.
Mondays & Wednesdays • 1-3pm
August 19 – September 16
(Note: No class on Labor Day)
Trinity Neighborhood Center 155 Bidwell St., Battle Creek
Senior Fit & Fun
In Michigan, two physicians –
or your attending physician and a licensed psychologist have to exam- ine you and declare that you lack the decision-making ability before a Patient Advocate may act on your behalf.
It is also important to know that although you assign a Patient Advocate (also called a Medical Power of Attorney) and an alternate, only one can speak on your behalf at any given time. Also important to know is that your Patient Advocate must sign the form accepting the role. (I also know there are times when physicians will work with family members if the need arises; how- ever, completing the paperwork is the
Updates On Your
SOCIAL SECURITY
Vonda VanTil, Special to Senior Times
SOCIAL SECURITY IS HERE FOR YOU
If you are interested in having a con- versation please feel free to reach out to Senior Health Partners and we will get
a meeting set-up to start the process – and no, the Patient Advocate forms do not require an attorney; however, if you have an attorney you would want this paperwork included with your other legal paperwork.
Have a wonderful August and we hope to see you on Senior Day (August 14th) at the Calhoun County Fair!
Social Security turns 84 this year. With more than eight decades of ser- vice, we’ve provided benefits to one of the most diverse populations in history.
economic challenges in retirement. First, women tend to live longer than men do, so they are more likely to exhaust their retirement savings. A woman who is 65 years old today
can expect to live, on average, until about 87, while a 65-year-old man can expect to live, on average, until about 84. Second, women often have lower lifetime earnings than men, which usu- ally means they receive lower benefits. And, third, women may reach retire- ment with smaller pensions and other assets than men. Share this page with someone who needs this information and may need help planning. www. socialsecurity.gov/people/women.
BC YMCA Multi-Sports Complex
Urbandale-Christ UMC
Clarence Twp. Hall
Homer 1st Pres Church
Tekonsha Twp Hall
BC YMCA Studio 1
Hickory Hills Village
Battle Creek Eagles #299
NHBP Reservation
Village of Mill Creek
Marshall Trinity Episcopal
Athens – The Lighthouse
Albion – Forks Senior Center
Mon &Wed
Mon
Mon
Tues
Tues
Tues
Tues
Tues
Wed
Wed
Wed
Thurs
Thurs
10:00am
10:30am
10:30am
9:00am
10:00am
1:00pm
10:00am
1:00pm
11:00am
10:30am
1:30pm
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Knowing that Social Security cov- ers so many different people, they have created People Like Me web- pages that speak to specific audienc- es. Sharing these pages could make a positive impact on some one’s life.
Do you know someone who needs to start saving for retirement? No matter where they are in their careers, Social Security can help. It’s never
too late to start planning. We offer two pages, one for people early in their career at www.socialsecurity.gov/peo- ple/earlycareer and one for people who have been working for a while, www. socialsecurity.gov/people/midcareer.
We proudly serve wounded warriors and Veterans. They endure sacrifices to preserve the freedoms Americans trea- sure. Many of them do not know they might be entitled to benefits. Share our resources with them to make sure they are getting the benefits they deserve. www.socialsecurity.gov/people/veter- ans.
13 Locations
Regardless of background, we cover retirees, wounded warriors, chronically ill children, and people who have lost loved ones.
(Senior Fit & Fun is supported by the Calhoun County Senior Millage.)
Here are a few that might speak to you.
A community partnership of Bronson Battle Creek, Calhoun County Senior Senior Services, Battle Creek Family YMCA, Senior Care Partners PACE and Summit Pointe
Find us on Facebook and on the web at seniorhealthpartners.com
FOR MORE INFORMATION (269) 441-0948
Social Security plays an important role in providing economic security for women. Nearly 55 percent of the peo- ple receiving Social Security benefits are women. Women face greater
Vonda VanTil is the Public Affairs Specialist for West Michigan. You
can write her c/o Social Security Administration, 3045 Knapp NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49525 or via email at vonda.vantil@ssa.gov.
If you didn’t see a page that is important to you here, check out our general People Like Me page at www. socialsecurity.gov/people.