For families caring for an aging parent or loved one, some of the most consequential decisions can arrive at the most difficult moments. An upcoming Glen Cove program is encouraging residents to make those decisions before a crisis forces them to.
The City of Glen Cove Office of Senior Services will host a free Community Caregiver Presentation on Sept. 29, from 6 to 7 p.m. at Glen Cove City Hall. The session will focus on resources available to older adults and their families and the legal, financial and health care decisions that can accompany long-term care.
Elder law attorney Harold A. Bollaci, who has practiced for 25 years and will participate in the presentation, said preparation can help families maintain control over those decisions.
“It’s time to have a family playbook and know what you have, where it’s located, and who’s going to make decisions on your behalf,” Bollaci said, “because failure to do so can be truly catastrophic.”
Mayor Pamela Panzenbeck will join Bollaci and representatives from local senior care, health care, nursing and rehabilitation organizations, who will provide information about services and answer questions.
“Families should not wait until a need arises to begin exploring care options and available resources,” Panzenbeck wrote in a statement to the Herald.
Bollaci said his portion of the program will address preparing financially for long-term care, including ways families may be able to protect assets and qualify for Medicaid. He will also discuss legal planning and health care directives that allow people to designate trusted individuals to make decisions if they become unable to do so themselves.
Among the documents Bollaci considers particularly important is a health care proxy, which allows someone to designate another person to make medical decisions on his or her behalf when necessary.
“I think all people at the very least need a healthcare proxy,” Bollaci said. “And do not confuse that with a living will. A healthcare proxy is the statutory form in New York State.”
The issue can become particularly important when someone develops dementia or another condition that affects the ability to make decisions independently, he said.
“You don’t want a court-appointed guardian or a complete stranger making these decisions for you because you didn’t make them for yourself while you had the opportunity,” Bollaci said.
Carolynn Eipel, president of the Sage Association, said the presentation is intended to give families information before circumstances become urgent.
“Caregiving decisions can feel overwhelming, especially when families are forced to make them during a crisis,” Eipel wrote in a statement to the Herald.
For Bollaci, the broader message is straightforward: Families should discuss their wishes, organize important information and determine who will handle financial, medical and other responsibilities before those decisions become necessary.
“You want to make decisions for yourself,” he said. “You don’t want to give up those rights.”
The program is free and open to the public, including residents of neighboring communities. Entrance and parking are at the rear of City Hall, 9 Glen St.
For more information, contact the Glen Cove Office of Senior Services at (516) 759-9610 or sc@glencoveny.gov.
