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Living Wills, Medicare needs discussed at Caregivers meeting

By Linda Waggener

Betty Judd, RN, from Greensburg, and Patricia Harper, RN, from Columbia, presented a free workshop on Living Wills Jan. 4, 2017. It was part of the ongoing Caregivers monthly meetings on the first Wednesday of each month exploring helpful topics for those who care for others.

A Living will is a legal document that contains personal directives, created in advance so that each of us has our wishes known before we could become unable to communicate them for ourselves.

Examples of living wills were provided for those in attendance showing the simple directives necessary to be legal.



The first decision is whether to name someone as a health care surrogate. Next is a choice to declare whether life support is to be stopped, or continued, if we should wind up in an extended coma.

Unless there is written, signed documentation to prevent it, all emergency services and medical technicians in America are obligated to do everything possible, and use all measures available to them, to resuscitate a patient. In worst-case scenarios an individual who has not specified in anvance could be kept alive on life support for months or years.

To be legal the document has to be witnessed by two individuals (neither of whom can be affected at the death by inheritance or other means) OR, it can be signed by a notary public.

The Living Will has nothing to do with inheritance and dies with the individual.

Other information shared by the experienced healthcare duo was to "know your insurance type and what it does." Patricia said to beware the insurance packages that take over Medicare. She said the pre-authorization required by them will mean that more and more people become unable to enter rehab programs or nursing homes when needed.

She said the magic words to remember when talking with any healthcare insurance representative about are, "make my Medicare primary", and I want to buy a "supplement."

If you buy any of the many other plans, they take over your Medicare and Medicare actually pays the insurance company.

The next Caregivers meeting will be Wednesday, February 1, 2017 at 11amCT at the Adair County Extension Office, 409 Fairground Street in Columbia. The meeting and light lunch are free and open to all who care for another individual. Presenter Betty Judd can be reached for more details at 270-576-3325.


This story was posted on 2017-01-07 17:59:28
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Caregivers meeting leaders Tricia Harper and Betty Judd



2017-01-08 - Extension Office, Columbia, KY - Photo by Linda Waggener, columbiamagazine.com.
Betty Judd, RN, at right, and Patricia Harper, RN, at left, presented a free workshop on Living Wills Jan. 4, 2017. It was part of the ongoing Caregivers monthly lunch meetings on the first Wednesday of each month exploring helpful topics for those who care for others. The meetings are free and open to all caregivers.

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