Needs Assessment
Do you ever wonder how much help your loved one needs or how you can help?
Below you will find descriptions of the different ways in which physical, financial and personal functioning is defined. These categories will help you identify the current level of functioning in which your loved one falls so you can better help and access the appropriate level of support.
Autonomous
Your loved one is able to manage all personal and financial affairs independently, without any support from family, friends, or professionals, in the same manner in which you manage your affairs.
The best way to help your loved one while they are still able to make decisions is to encourage and support the preparation of legal documents that outline their financial and health care decisions.
This can provide security for your loved one that their wishes will be met. It also comforts the family to know that they are respecting the wishes of their loved one, and they do not have to “guess.”
It is also important to begin establishing a relationship with your loved one’s physicians and other care providers.
Recommended Toolkits:
Semi-Autonomous
Financial: Your loved one is able to manage some of their personal and financial affairs. For example, they may pay all their own bills, but ask for guidance with more complex issues, such as investments, major house repairs, etc. Or, you have begun to manage and oversee their finances and offer more regular guidance and assistance, but they can still offer opinions and make decisions.
Personal: Your loved one may not be able to cook and clean as they were able to previously, but with support systems in place (housecleaning, Meals on Wheels, transportation), they can still live independently, or in an assisted environment (where meals, medication management, and medical care is readily available.) You loved one may need assistance with understanding medical and health issues.
If your loved one is able to manage some or most of their financial and personal affairs, but is experiencing some confusion, lapses in judgment or memory impairments, it is important that you begin to supervise and perhaps take over the management of financial affairs.
In terms of personal affairs, it is important you begin to guide and support your loved one in making health care decisions and establish a relationship with their physicians and other care providers. Most likely, he or she will not fully comprehend diagnoses, treatment options, medication regimes, etc. and require assistance.
It is important that you encourage and support your loved one in managing as many of his or her own personal and financial affairs as he or she can. For example, if paying monthly bills is too overwhelming, you can take on this task. But, if their weekly routine was going to the bank, try to encourage this routine by going with them, or speaking to the bank regarding the limits (if you have banking power or attorney, mandate, in place). If you do not live close by, it is important to check your loved one’s abilities when you visit, in the event that there has been a change from their prior level of functioning.
Recommended toolkits:
- Organizing Affairs
- Communicating With Medical Staff
- Placement, if applicable
- Home care, if applicable
Dependent
Financial: Your loved one is not able to manage their financial and personal affairs in a consistent manner. There may be periods in which your loved one seems to be functioning semi-autonomously, but these times are minimal and for short periods (days, hours, minutes). You must assist them with paying their bills, managing investments, and facilitating affairs (sale of home, repairs, etc.)
Personal: Your loved one is not able to manage their medication safely, needs prompting and/or assistance with bathing and grooming, and cannot prepare meals without help from others.
At this point, your loved one will most likely be deemed incompetent or incapacitated to make decisions. This is done by a medical doctor.
If your loved one is no longer able to manage most or all of their financial and personal affairs, he or she will most likely already be or need to be in a secured environment (placement). If they have had a major incident in which they did not meet a financial obligation and action was taken (heating turned off, collections, financial abuse, etc.), you will have to immediately intervene.
Recommended Toolkits:
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