Do you have a loved one in your family diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis or another disability? Are you the caregiver for your loved one? As Alabama attorneys, we know how challenging it can be to ensure that your disabled loved one is protected on a daily basis. When you think about the lifetime caregiving needs of your loved one, are you concerned about a future when you may no longer be able to care for your loved one?
What can you do to help the loved one you care for? As Alabama estate planning attorneys we understand the laws surrounding how you may protect yourself and your disabled loved one now and in the future. There are estate planning tools to ensure that your loved one with a disabling condition will be as supported as he or she can be.
Unfortunately, one of the most challenging aspects of witnessing a loved one struggle with a disabling condition may be the sadness and confusion he or she experiences, often exhibited in different ways. Some ways may be through angry outbursts and belligerence or through silence and innocence. In this blog we would like to share five tips that you can use to help your loved one living with a disability.
1: To begin, it can be hard to be a caregiver, even under the best of circumstances. Be aware that any negative behavior you are witnessing may be the symptom of your loved one’s illness. There may be nothing you can do to change your loved one, nor should you expect the behavior to change. We hope these five tips will help you in your daily caregiving activities so that you can comfort your loved one and keep him or her safe within the disease process.
2: Keep things simple. Often a person experiencing a disability can be overwhelmed by the confusion of a situation. You may want to jump in and try to explain in an effort to help, but instead it may end up being even more confusing. Instead, a great support would be to break things down into the simplest of tasks for your loved one.
3: Work with your loved one to establish routines. In addition to keeping things simple, a routine can also help your loved one feel safe. A morning routine, regular meal times and a daily walk are suggestions of ways to provide structure to your loved one. Help your loved one remember these routines by creating a written schedule that can be hung on the wall or kept in a notebook.
4: Start as soon as possible to begin the legal planning you need to protect yourself and your disabled loved one. You need to be aware that the law helping those with a disabling condition is complicated. You need an experienced Alabama estate planning attorney to work with you. In addition to creating the estate planning you need for both your lifetime and the future of your loved one, you also need to have the guidance of your Alabama attorney who can let you know what actions could potentially remove your loved one’s access to both state and federal benefits.
5: Finally, as the caregiver for your disabled loved one, be kind to yourself. Caring for another person is a huge task. It may never go perfectly, so treat yourself with the same kindness that you would treat your loved one. The fact that you are present and caring for your loved one can be the greatest source of support and comfort you can provide.
We know this article may raise more questions than it answers. At the end of the day, estate planning and elder law planning are not just for you. Instead, it is for the ones you love most. If we can answer any questions for you on putting this estate planning in place, please do not hesitate to let us know. For more information, please reach out to our office and schedule a time to meet.