Читать книгу Financial Security For Dummies - Eric Tyson - Страница 43

As your parents age, they may need help with a variety of issues and living tasks. An illness or accident such as a fall can be a triggering event. Although you probably won’t have the time or ability to perform all the help your parent(s) may need, you may end up coordinating some service providers who will. Here are key issues to consider when unexpectedly needing to care for aging parents:

 Get involved in their healthcare. Your aging parents may already have a lot on their minds, or they simply may not be able to coordinate and manage all the healthcare providers who are giving them medications and advice. Try, as best as you can, to be their advocate. Speak with their primary care doctor so you can understand their current medical condition, the need for various medications, and how to help coordinate caregivers. Visit home-care providers and nursing homes and speak with prospective care providers.

 Get help where possible. In most communities, a variety of nonprofit organizations offer information and counseling to families who are caring for elderly parents. Numerous for-profit agencies can help with everything from simple cleaning and cooking to health checks and medication monitoring, to assisted living and health advocacy. You may be able to find your way to such resources through your state’s department of insurance, as well as through recommendations from local senior centers, doctors, and other medical providers. You’ll especially want to get assistance and information if your parents need some sort of home care, nursing home care, or assisted living arrangement.

 Take some time off. Caring for an aging parent, particularly one who is having health problems, can be time-consuming and emotionally draining. Do your parents and yourself a favor by using some personal or vacation time to help get things in order. Also be sure to take care of yourself and give yourself some needed downtime and a real vacation from your obligations.

 Understand tax breaks. If you’re financially supporting your parents, you may be eligible for a number of tax credits and deductions for elder care. Some employers’ flexible benefit plans allow you to put away money on a pretax basis to pay for the care of your parents. Also explore the dependent care tax credit, which you can take on your federal income tax Form 1040. And if you provide half or more of the support costs for your parents, you may be able to claim them as dependents on your tax return.

 Discuss getting the estate in order. Parents don’t like thinking about their demise, and they may feel awkward discussing this issue with their adult children. But opening a dialogue between you and your folks about such issues can be healthy in many ways. Not only does discussing wills, living wills, power of attorney, living trusts, and estate planning strategies make you aware of your folks’ situation, but it can also improve their plans to both their benefit and yours.