I Know Exactly Where We Are!

As Told by Butterfly’s Resident Eldercare Contributor, Lisa Bayer




Lisa Bayer, J.D., CCM, Certified Geriatric Care Manager, is President of Life Management Resources, LLC, a private elder care advocacy firm located in northern New Jersey.



If ever you have been in the car with my husband you better hope he has been to the destination, or somewhere close, before. I am sorry to generalize, and I know there are exceptions to every rule, but it is a well-known fact that most men don’t like to ask for directions. And my husband is no exception.

What I tell my husband time and time again is that asking for directions is not a weakness. Rather the real “short fall” is what happens when he has to deal with me and all the “I told you sos” after we end up lost in an unfamiliar area and, most likely, late.

Nowadays, this predominantly male genetic predisposition is mollified thanks to Mapquest and the Garmin. But the truth remains that no one—men or women-- likes to ask for help. Similarly, this is often the case with older adults who may need their own GPS, or care manager, to guide them through the elder care maze of services, resources and opportunities.

There is certainly no shame in asking for help from family, a friend or a competent professional. To put it in perspective, think of an estate planning attorney as Onstar, a financial advisor as Google Maps, your insurance professional as the gas station attendant and your case manager as AAA—the place to start when beginning your journey.

But as important as it may be to ask for and accept help it is equally, or perhaps more important, to do your due diligence in hiring any professionals. As the saying goes: You get what you pay for so if a “deal” sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Another piece of advice that I often remind people is to hire professionals who stick to their area of expertise and who don’t take on more than they can handle. You wouldn’t go to your doctor for help drafting a will and, similarly, your insurance agent shouldn’t be handling your home health care matters. The best professionals know their limits and when they feel they are outside of their area of expertise they know how, and when, to offer a vetted referral.

LMR Elder Care

http://www.LMReldercare.com

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