Excerpt taken from the New York Times article by Lynya Floyd
A comprehensive plan should list daily needs and designate a person to handle them once you or a loved one falls ill. It can be incredibly detailed, stipulating who will do grocery shopping or household chores, who will ensure medications are taken and prescriptions are refilled, and who will provide live-in care if necessary.
If you’re short on time, Aaron Blight, the author of “When Caregiving Calls: Guidance as You Care for a Parent, Spouse or Aging Relative,” recommended focusing on five questions: What care is required? When is it needed? Where will it be received? Who will provide the support? How will you pay for it?
There are also legal decisions to make, said C. Grace Whiting, the executive director of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. The legal titles and document names can vary, she said, but you should choose someone, like a health care proxy, to make medical decisions in the event you’re unable, as well as give someone power of attorney, so they can act on your behalf in financial, legal and other matters.