Having seen the difficulties older folks have at hospitals and other facilities, today's speaker, Kathy O’Grady, decided to join a friend and lawyer in forming a firm to help families address problems such as health crises, Alzheimer’s and the healthcare system. She is a LCSW and is Director of Social Work for ElderSmart, a firm which offers courses, counseling, assessments and coaching. It is a non-profit “safely guiding you through the elder transition.” For contact information and a copy of the firm’s brochure, see/click “more”.Some important take-aways from the program’s Q&A: -- Have a lawyer look at long-term care agreements and consider them carefully, not quickly. The survivors may be saddled with significant debt. – Hospice and palliative care can be very useful ahead of a crisis situation. – Don’t assume Medicare coverage (e.g., the 3-midnight rule). – there are alternatives to long-term care (the cost of the latter can run$5,000 to $7,000 per month for regular care, $8,000 to $10,000 for memory care). – often community Sr. Centers and Nurses Lending Closets make available medical equipment at no charge.
Contact information: 4350 DiPaolo Center, Suite 1, Glenview, IL 60025, 773-609-2212, Kathy@eldersmart.net, www.eldersmart.net, Elder-Help Hotline: 885-ELDER-01.
