We solve one of the most difficult challenges facing families today...caring for loved ones requiring in-home companion care and personal assistance.

Real Caregivers Share Advice for Real People Preparing to Care for a Parent

Aging parents present unique challenges to adult children, and there are all sorts of scenarios that can intensify the situation. The problem is, you can't always be there when Mom needs you. Moreover, you know she'll never agree to leave her house for an assisted living facility or nursing home.

This is a very delicate situation, and to honor the wishes of your parent, maybe you're thinking about taking care of her at her house, whenever you can.

Millions of people make this decision every year. Knowing what to expect can make a lot of difference in what can be an enormous undertaking. 

 
The topic nobody wants to discuss: Advance Planning for a Funeral

To help relieve their families, an increasing number of people are planning their own funerals, designating their funeral preferences, and sometimes paying for them in advance. They see funeral planning as an extension of will and estate planning. Whether the goal is to ensure that one's wishes are carried out or to protect one's family from making difficult decisions at a time of loss, advance planning is a prudent and loving gesture.

 
We spoke with Eliza Feller, Director of Advance Planning and Funeral Director at Sol Levinson & Bros., Inc. to get answers to the most commonly asked questions.
 
What is Advance Planning for a Funeral?
 
Advance Planning for a funeral, also known as pre-planning or pre-arrangements, is deciding ahead of time what your wishes are for your funeral services or those of a loved one. It may seem like a difficult conversation, but it is extremely important to begin talking about funeral preferences before they are necessary.
 
What is the benefit of Advance Planning?
 
Advance Planning allows you to:
  • Care for your family by making difficult decisions ahead of time
  • Ease the financial burden on your family when you pre-pay even a portion of the funeral
  • Ensure your wishes are followed
  • Reduce assets for Medicaid spend-down (pre-paid funeral funds do not count toward an individual's assets when properly set up)
 
How do I get started?
 
You can meet with a funeral director ahead of time to provide them with important background information, as well as make decisions regarding the many options for funeral services. There is no obligation to pay anything, and typically no fee for an appointment with a funeral director who specializes in Advance Planning.
 
If you have questions about how Advance Planning works, or want to ask a few questions to get started, please do not hesitate to reach out to your funeral home and take the first step in having this important conversation. This is the number one thing you can do to make the funeral process easier for your family, and it is truly a gift to them.
 

 
January is National Bath Safety Month

 
It's National Bath Safety Month! This January, take some time to think about how you can make your bathroom a safer place.
 
 
The bathroom is routinely cited as the most dangerous room in the house for seniors. Bathrooms are dangerous because they're small spaces with lots of hard surfaces and corners. On top of that, sitting down and standing up can cause dizziness or unsteady balance for seniors because of changes in blood pressure. That could easily lead to a devastating fall. Simple tips and modifications can make using the bathroom safer, easier, and less tiring. 
 

Website     Meet Visiting Angels          Our Caregivers     Contact Us