elderadvocare

An elder cottage housing opportunity, or ECHO, is a small housing unit that can be installed in a backyard on a temporary basis and is most commonly used to accommodate older adults. ECHO housing units are self-contained prefab homes ranging in size between 400 and 800 square feet that allow someone to remain largely independent while still living within earshot of their family or care provider. ECHO housing usually includes all the amenities of a house including a kitchen, a bedroom, a bathroom, and a living room, but on a much smaller scale than traditional homes may offer. They first gained popularity in Australia, where they’re known as granny flats in the 1970s, but ECHO housing caught on in the United States in the late 1980s and has since been promoted by AARP as an inexpensive housing solution for older adults.

The AARP has provided the following glossary so we can all better understand advance planning as it applies to elder care. If you believe that “information is power,” then you’ll probably find the following helpful as you navigate the future.ADVANCE DIRECTIVES A broad term that includes documents variously called living will, health care power of attorney, health-care proxy, durable power of attorney for health care decisions, medical directive or other related names. All these documents allow people to give instructions specifying what actions should be taken for their health and who should make decisions for them in the event that they can no longer make decisions due to illness or incapacity.CONSERVATOR A person appointed by a court to manage someone else’s financial affairs when that person is unable to do so alone.DO NOT RESUSCITATE (DNR) ORDER A medical order that instructs medical personnel not to use cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or ventilation if the person is not breathing or has no pulse after suffering cardiac or respiratory arrest.ELDER LAW ATTORNEY A lawyer who specializes in laws pertaining to the rights and issues of older adults, including estate planning, probate health care decisions, retirement planning, Medicare and Medicaid, long-term care, residential planning, and elder abuse.FIVE WISHES A national advance directive written in simple language that helps start important conversations about care. It combines the living will and health care power of attorney documents and addresses matters of comfort care, spirituality, forgiveness and final wishes. Created by the nonprofit organization Aging With Dignity.GUARDIAN A person appointed by the court to be responsible for the care and management of another person whom the court has determined is no longer capable of making independent decisions.HEALTH CARE POWER OF ATTORNEY A kind of power of attorney in which someone (the grantor) appoints another person such as a spouse, adult child, friend or faith leader to make health care decisions should the grantor become unable to do so. Also called a health care proxy.INCAPACITY A court determination concerning the ability of a person to make self-care or financial decisions. People are presumed to have capacity unless there is evidence to the contrary.LETTER OF INSTRUCTION A personal letter that may include instructions for planning a funeral and the names of people to contact upon death. The letter may also include a list of accounts and the phone numbers of employers, insurance agents or brokers. The final part often names the people who should receive personal items not included in the will. Special messages for family members may also be included. The letter often accompanies a will.LIVING WILL A legal document that communicates wishes about lifesaving medical treatments in the event a person has a terminal condition and is unable to communicate health care directives.LONG-TERM CARE OMBUDSMAN A person who investigates and resolves complaints on behalf of residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.PATIENT SELF-DETERMINATION ACT A federal law requiring hospitals to uphold patients’ rights to make personal health care decisions. According to the act, a patient has the right to refuse treatment and resuscitative measures.WILL A legal document that communicates how a person wishes personal assets and property to be passed on after death.

According to the AARP the “great majority of older adults say they’d prefer to live out their days in their own home.” Armed with that possibility care givers should look at some of the steps recommended by AARP to make independent living work:1. Have a group or family meeting. Such a meeting is a good opportunity get clear early on about what care-giving duties the older adults in your care may expect you to assume as they get older, and what you and other caregivers or siblings are (and aren’t) willing or able to take on. A frank conversation about this upfront can help avert potential resentment or disappointment down the line.2. “Future-fit” their home for independent living. Take a tour of their home and think about how to make it safer and more navigable. This is also the time to think about downsizing — helping them get rid of decades of accumulated belongings that can make their home harder to maintain as they age.3. Observe and then put together a plan. A family member or caregiver should start by spending a day with them writing down their daily routine. This will let you know when they are (Read on …)

While most of these early warning signs mean little when viewed individually and could in fact happen to many of us on an occasional basis, when you start to see them grouped or appearing in lengthy duration it could be a sign that you may need to step in and assess the situation a little more deeply.

• Difficulty walking
• Unsteady when standing
• Recent fall(s)
• Poor grooming or poor personal hygiene
• Loss of appetite or changes in eating and cooking habits
• Diminished driving skills, inability to pace speed, recent accidents or near misses
• Loss of interest in activities once enjoyed and a reluctance to (Read on …)

As a parent or loved one ages you may be the only one available to help them through their transition, and often that can come about unexpectedly if a situation (such as a fall) comes on suddenly. You’re going to be faced with a lot of questions about things you might have never had to consider before things like how to best manage medication, how to make their living environment safer and more accessible for them, and how to assist in budget management to name a few. These are thoughts to be considered should a situation come on suddenly; but likewise, should you may see some subtle warning signs that signal you to start thinking along the lines of your next best steps.The AARP suggests the following “rules” when it comes time to determining whether help is needed and to what extent, and while these steps focus on parents, the same holds true for anyone you may be charged to care for:

1. Start with a candid conversation
2. Set your priorities
3. Build a support network
4. Offer alternatives
5. Don’t be afraid to (Read on …)