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Institute for Disability Studies
ShareCare Notes – Living Wills...What you should know.
April 23, 2007
In this issue:

Living Wills….
Mississippi Specific Documents
Estate Planning = Good Communication
Fraud Alert
Upcoming Events

1. Living Wills….

Several news stories in the past couple of years have brought the issue of death and the wishes of the person who has passed to the forefront of our minds. Living wills are a way for you to decide how you want things done and what you want done if you are ever in a situation where you cannot speak for yourself. But a living will should not be used on its own. You will also need to have a health care proxy which is a medical power of attorney. Information about both of these documents can be found at

http://www.wpg.cc/stl/CDA/articleDetail/1,1001,913-3053,00.html

This article gives details about a living will, a health care proxy, and exactly what information needs to be contained in each. Another important fact when looking into information on living wills is that you are advised on the laws within your own state. This article is specific to Mississippi. Other Mississippi specific information can be found at the Mississippi Bar Association Web site at

http://www.msbar.org/10_you_and_your_estate.php?spot=973&archive=20

2. Mississippi Specific Documents

The articles in the previous section warned against using fill-in-the-blank documents for your living will and related documents, but sometimes there is not time to have an attorney draw up paperwork. Because of this many hospitals will have power of attorney forms on hand which can be used for medical purposes. Power of Attorneys will need to be notarized and many hospitals will also be able to provide this service. Notaries can also be found at law offices and banks as well as the County Clerks’ offices. The Mississippi Department of Health has a brochure giving information on the Patient Self Determination Act as well as forms which can be downloaded and used if you do not have time or the money for an attorney. See http://www.msdh.state.ms.us/msdhsite/_static/resources/75.pdf.

If you use these forms, it is recommended that you personalize them to make them specific to your situation.

3. Estate Planning = Good Communication

Estate planning with your parents or loved ones can be difficult. This next article highlights some of the problems encountered by baby boomers trying to talk to their parents about finances. People from an older generation may have the tendency to be very private and not want to discuss financial issues with others. It will take extreme care no to come across as being too aggressive about money issues or trivializing and demeaning. If your parent or loved ones are unwilling to relinquish specific account information, have them write it all down and put it with other important documents. Make sure that you know the location of these documents so they will be easily accessible in the case of the person’s disability or death. If multiple siblings are providing caregiving, the lines of communication should also be open and accessible between them. To find many other helpful tips for beginning to plan for a loved one’s estate please visit http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/napervillesun/business/332098,6_3_NA08_DS_S1.article

4. Fraud Alert

This week WDAM reported a Medicare scam which is targeting people in an older population. Apparently, these people will ask for personal banking information by phone and then will tell you that if you do not buy their insurance plan the government will begin taking larger amounts of money out of your Social Security check. When people purchase these plans, they end up paying much more for health services than with their original plan. So, do not make changes to your insurance without contacting someone you trust! For more information on this scam, visit http://www.wdam.com/Global/story.asp?s=6357404.

5. Upcoming Events

A new “Powerful Tools for Caregivers” group will begin Thursday, April 12 at 6 p.m. This is a six-session course designed to help caregivers take care of themselves in order to be better caregivers to their loved ones. The series includes topics such as taking care of you; communication; dealing with transitions; making caregiving decisions; in home help; depression; and much more. For more information or a registration form, please call Christy Harrison at 601.266.5163. It is not too late to sign up!

May 8 - ShareCare Recovery Connection will have a meeting for persons over the age of 50 who were affected by Hurricane Katrina. There will be two guest speakers from the University Counseling Center. The meeting time will be 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. A light lunch will be provided, so you must register to attend the event. If you are interested in attending, please call 601.266.5163 or sign up at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.asp?u=849923709465 .

May 24- Notice the date change! Potluck!!! Bring your friends, family, and favorite dish. We would love to be able to talk with you more about ShareCare and have you meet some of our members. Potluck is open to anyone and is held at 6 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg. For more information on either of these events, please call Christy Harrison at 601.266.5163.

Project ShareCare Bank, funded by the Mississippi Council on Developmental Disabilities, is a community building project that provides networking and neighborly services for families who have an adult member with a disability or chronic condition.

ShareCare is sponsored by the Institute for Disability Studies (IDS), Mississippi's University Center for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDD). IDS provides university training, community service activities, research, and information that promote the independence, productivity, and community inclusion of individuals with disabilities and their families. For more information about IDS, visit the Institute's Web site at www.usm.edu/ids or call 1-888-671-0051 (TTY). To make a tax-deductible gift to IDS for this and other projects, visit http://www.usm.edu/ids/supportus.html.

To subscribe or unsubscribe, visit https://mailman.usm.edu/mailman/listinfo/sharecare or email christy.harrison@usm.edu

Archive Notes

April 23, 2007 - Living Wills... What you should know
March 9, 2007 - Understanding Alzheimer's: Children Have Questions Too
January 29, 2007 - New Year Message
November 10, 2006 - Making the Move
October 6, 2006 - Lifespan Respite
September 19, 2006 - Easy Living: Environmentally and Disability Friendly
August 25, 2006 - Helpful Hints for Coping with Caregiver Grief and Loss
August 4, 2006 - Tips for Caregivers and Upcoming Events
July 14, 2006 - Welcome to Summer! Dealing with Apathy, Part II
July 6, 2006 - Disasters and How to Take Them Standing Up
June 16, 2006 - Dealing With Apathy
June 8, 2006 - Welcome to Summer
May 26, 2006 - Caregiving News
May 17, 2006 - Health News and Current Events
April 7, 2006 - Important Health Information and Upcoming Events
March 20, 2006 - Medicare Information and Current Events
March 3, 2006 - Taking Care of Ourselves (Part Two)
February 28, 2006 - Taking Care of Yourself
February 3, 2006 - ShareCare Bank
January 19, 2006 - Rx Drug Assistance and StoryCorps
December 22, 2005 - Looking Forward to the New Year
December 9, 2005 - Holiday Tips & Photography
November 22, 2005 - New Resources
November 3, 2005 - Special AARP RV Tour
October 21, 2005 - Notes on Upcoming Events and Coping
October 5, 2005 - Emotional Recovery Part II
September 26, 2005 - Emotional Recovery
September 22, 2005 - Katrina Information
September 15, 2005 - Location for FEMA Registration
September 14, 2005 - FEMA Registration & Volunteer Assistance Center
September 13, 2005 - Disaster Food Stamps Available
September 9, 2005 - Hurricane Katrina Assistance
August 26, 2005 - I Need Help! How Do I Get It?
August 15, 2005 - Senior Savings and Fraud
July 8, 2005 - Long-term Care Insurance
June 21, 2005 - Financial Caregiving Part II
June 1, 2005 - Financial Caregiving
April 21, 2005 - Pine Belt Caregiver Resource Fair and Symposium
April 14, 2005 - Grief and NIA Funded Study
April 7, 2005 - Practical Tips
March 31, 2005 - Caring and Tips for Love Ones with Dementia
March 24, 2005 - Stress Buster Edition
March 10, 2005 - Stress Buster Edition
March 3, 2005 - Stress Awareness
February 2005 - Health and Safety
January 2005 - Caring for the Caregiver