Do you even have any idea what it is??

We are in the States right now and this morning, I had a phone call from one of our neighbors…

Betty was calling from our local hospital. She had called 911 that morning because she couldn’t catch her breath. She’s 85 year old and she was a long-time smoker and now she requires oxygen supplementation. She has her tank with her almost all of the time. She gets around home just fine — usually — but this time she got scared and rightfully called 911.

Betty called me from the hospital…  she called to ask  if we could go to her home and check on her husband, Bob, who unfortunately is just beginning to show the signs of dementia.  So of course, I ran over and checked on Bob right away. I didn’t waste a minute…

I knocked on the door and waited. I knocked again — a little louder this time — and waited before going in (Betty entrusted us with her house keys long ago).

As I walked in, there was Bob, sitting in his usual chair, watching out the window as he usually does. Thank goodness he was alright, just a little dazed and confused, but that was normal. We quickly said hello and chatted for a bit to make sure he was ok, then immediately went to the hospital to check on Betty.

When we were at the hospital, one of the attendants came in and asked Betty if she had a Durable (medical) Power of Attorney – I was amazed when Betty said they didn’t have one! I decided at that moment what the subject of today’s article would be because it’s so crucially important for you and your spouse. Everyone should have TWO Power of Attorney documents: one for health matters and one for financial matters.

In my previous article, Preparing A Will For Seniors, I gave you instructions that should help out a lot, but I mostly stressed the legal/financial concerns. But it’s just as important to make sure every doctor you go to has in your file your Medical Power of Attorney.

Here’s the big difference: A Medical Power of Attorney (healthcare proxy) gives the designated person you specify the authorization to communicate your wishes regarding end-of-life medical concerns.

In sum, a Medical Power of Attorney gives that individual the authorization to make medical decisions for you in the event you are unable to make decisions for yourself.

Think about that. In the event you are unable to communicate or speak, the person you designate can speak for you and make decisions based on your expressed wishes. And this is what may happen sometime in Betty’s life.

And right now, she is going to have to try to convince her husband that he needs to sign this important form. It’s a simple one-page document. Truly, both Bob and Betty should have taken care of this long, long ago. It’s a terrible thing to have to wait until the last minute… and it would be worse, irreversibly worse, to wait until it’s too late.

Please, make sure you take care of your responsibilities and make things easier for your loved ones. Don’t postpone and put it off or create even more unnecessary stress at a time when you (or your loved ones) are already stressed out.

Talk to your attorney AND/OR do some Googling today. Just remember: I’m not an attorney. I can’t tell you what to do or provide legal or medical advice. So be sure to do the right thing and consult with a trusted professional on this very critical matter. The next step is up to you.

Very best regards,

Barbie

PS and Update: Betty did follow through and now she and her husband are safe — thank goodness. But this event is probably going to change they way they look at their comfortable lives. They have decided to sell their home and move closer to their children, a rather natural decision that I see happening more and more at this age. Regardless, their decision to execute their Power of Attorney documents was a smart, prudent thing to do.

Mexico

Affordable

Dental!

My son, Steve,

just wrote me

about his

dental visit

in Algodones, Mexico.

Here’s how he put more money in his pocket by going to a dentist in Mexico — and how you can, too!

Yes, it’s summer, and it’s hot – may just as well accept it.  Sure we complain – and every year, everyone says, “Gosh, it’s never been so hot, has it?”  Well, I’m afraid it’s just that time of the year – hang in there – the beautiful months can’t be far ahead.  Now, on with Steve’s story: 

“Hi Mom, 

“I just wanted to give you a report on my recent return to the Gator Dental Group in Los Algodones B.C, Mexico for a dental check up.  Just like my first time there about a year ago, I was very pleased at the service and the work they gave me. 

“Luckily, I was having no problems with my teeth but thought I was due for a check up. Your http://www.moneysavingmexico.com/ site directed me to the dentist information I needed so I booked an appointment about two weeks prior to making a southern detour to Baja California on my drive home from Phoenix to Los Angeles. 

Heading to Algodones for My Dental Work

“I booked my dental appointment for a Monday morning so I got an early start from Phoenix and arrived in Yuma about three and a half hours later without incident.  Traffic on the way was very light. I built in an extra thirty minutes to have a second breakfast at the Denny’s in Yuma before crossing the boarder so that was nice. 

Heading to Algodones

“Parking on the U.S. side of the border on the Reservation lot was as easy as I remembered – just take the last right prior to the border. There were maybe 75 cars with me in the lot that day.  Parking charge of $5 was paid upon exit. 

“Crossing the border on the way into Mexico, I heard the few pharmacy vendors’ calls and made a mental note to stop at the Purple Pharmacia/Liquor Store before I left the country as I walked the block and a half to one of the Gator Dental Group’s offices.  This group has two offices in town, about a block from each other, between A and B Avenues. Remember these are small “walking” blocks; it’s a tiny town, so they are both very conveniently located. 

“I had to wait about an hour as two elderly brothers were given impressions for their upcoming denture installment.  But the dental office was air conditioned, very clean (although tiny) and they served complimentary bottled water and coffee as I chatted with one of the brothers’ wife in the waiting room who had also come for the same purpose from Phoenix that day. 

“During my exam, Dr. Guzman found four little cavities in my teeth so he numbed me up and fixed them with white amalgam right then and there and also gave me a cleaning for $150 US.  Incredible.  I was very happy with the service at Gator Dental, the quality of the work and especially the price.  Before learning about Mexican dental care from your web site, I got an estimate at a dentist in L.A. who wanted $200 to fix ONE tooth and $65 for a cleaning.  Incredible.  I was finished and out the door before noon – none of this, “We’ll fix one today, then schedule appointments for the rest”, bull$#!& I would have gotten at a dental office in the states. 

“I almost stopped at one of the many optical shops in town to buy a new pair of bifocals, but decided to wait until next time.  I’ll give you a report on that at a later date. 

“On the short walk back to my car, I stopped at the Purple Pharmacia for generic Retin-A ($2.16/40g) and then the connected liquor store for Kahlua ($8.50/L); two more excellent buys.  Remember, the U.S. allows a person to cross into the country with only one liter of liquor. 

“It is usually about a five hour drive from Yuma to Los Angeles.  My ride through the desert back home was hot and uneventful until I reached Cabazon on the 10 freeway where an accident held things up for a while. 

“As long as I have the time to get there, I’ll go back to Los Algodones and the Gator Dental Group in the future for all of my dental care needs and to save myself a lot of money!” 

Hope you’ve enjoyed his Algodones dental visit adventure  …Best to you all, Barbie