Avoiding Probate

If all of your assets are jointly owned and you wish to have the co-owner of the account inherit it after your passing, this is a convenient way to avoid probate. But beware. A co-owner can withdraw all money in the account at any time. A safe way would be to list your intended beneficiaries on the bank account and have the bank account titled as payable on death (“POD”) to them. You would remain in full and complete control of the accounts during your lifetime and retain the right to change who will inherit it.

Who Will Know If You’re In a Serious Auto Accident?

Maryland drivers can now add three emergency contacts to their driver’s license so police will know who to call if an accident occurs. The emergency contact information is stored electronically on an individual’s driver’s license and will be available only to authorized law enforcement and medical personnel.

You can go to the MVA’s website at www.mva.maryland.gov and add your three emergency contacts in just a few minutes! Go to the website, click “On-line Transactions”, then click “More”, look under “Other Services” and then click “Emergency Contacts” to add your contact names, addresses and phone numbers.

NOTE:  To perform this Emergency Contact transaction, you must be able to provide your driver’s license number, date of birth, and PIN or last 4 digits of your social security number.

Elders Are More Vulnerable to Prescription Drug Abuse

A recent study conducted by the USA Today newspaper established that older Americans are particularly vulnerable to prescription drug abuse.

The simple fact of the matter is that as we age, we develop more health problems -- many of which cause pain and physical discomfort.

Due to a combination of convenience and concern, many members of the medical community are too prone to prescribing pain medication when rest and patience would be better “medicine” than pills.

The consequences can be quite serious with the development of long-term addictions. The history of pain medication administration is that a small dose may alleviate symptoms for awhile but as a tolerance is built up, dosages are steadily increased.

To illustrate the problem, in the past 10 years, the cases of pain medication abuse and addictions grew by more than 200% in the 65+ age group according to survey data. As the American population ages, the problem will only get worse.

As a general rule, pain medication should be used on a short-term basis only to minimize the risk of addiction and side effects. (This advice certainly doesn’t apply to advanced-stage cancer or other end-of-life conditions.)

If your doctor prescribes pain medication for you, be sure to discuss how long you should take it and whether there are alternative medical steps that could be taken to minimize or possibly eliminate the need for pain medication.

WARNING: If you find yourself on a regimen of long-term pain medication, and you’re not suffering from some incurable condition, something’s probably not right. Discuss the matter with your doctor immediately. Help is available.

Finally, some good news on the battle against Alzheimer’s.

There is a growing consensus among Alzheimer’s treatment authorities that the most promising way to counter growing Alzheimer’s cases is through preventative treatment.

Interestingly, indications are that the treatment is not focused on drugs or other expensive medical procedures. Rather, the most promising avenues appear to be exercise and diet control with particular attention to blood pressure and cholesterol levels. 

As a general matter, such concerns apply to all people whether they are at risk for Alzheimer’s or not, but such activities are particularly important for those who are at risk. That fact highlights the importance of receiving an early diagnosis. If you have it, you know what you need to do. If one engages in diet control and exercise, early research strongly suggests that the onset of serious symptoms can be delayed for many years.

Controlling the Behavior of Your Loved One with Alzheimer’s

Probably the most difficult aspect of dealing with someone with Alzheimer’s is coping with occasional physical aggression.

Understand that the person’s inability to communicate effectively causes frustration and resulting acting out. Keep things simple in both communication and environment, and that will probably diminish aggressive or angry conduct. Interestingly, it also appears that over-stimulation can generate an aggressive reaction. The best approach, again, is to keep life as simple as possible for the person. Unfamiliar events or surroundings can be very confusing and upsetting to a person with Alzheimer’s, and those feelings can result in a physical lashing-out.

Consider that when memory is lost, it is only immediate emotions that matter. Memory is no longer available to provide the individual with guidance as to what conduct is appropriate and what’s not. In a very literal sense, people with Alzheimer’s typically live in the moment. That’s all that matters. There is no sense of what happened 15 minutes ago or what is likely to happen 15 minutes hence

How to Get Along with Your “Alzheimer’s Loved One”

The key to caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s is to learn to “go with the flow”. Because the brain functioning ability is greatly impaired, it is necessary to be simple. By that I mean that your loved one is unable to understand complicated directions, oral or visual, so focus on being straightforward, direct and simple. Give one instruction or request at a time. Further, understand that although Alzheimer’s patients have very short-term memory, they can and do learn routines. They find it very comforting and reassuring to know what to expect.  Accordingly, try to establish such a routine if possible. In other words, meals will be regular as will bed and nap times. Interestingly, a concern for a routine also applies to the person’s surroundings. Don’t change room colors or furniture location. Such changes can be quite confusing.