Caring for an Elderly Relative? Help is Here.

Caring for an Elderly Relative? Help Is Here.

First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said, “Today is the oldest you’ve ever been, and the youngest you’ll ever be again.”

As we, our parents, and other loved ones move forward in life, new needs emerge — physical, legal, and financial.

Whether you are planning for your later years or caring for an elderly relative, you can find help along the way from LifeMatters, which provides services through the Employee Assistance Program.

As a state agency employee, you or others in your household can engage LifeMatters for assistance with everything from eldercare and transportation to financial and estate planning, legal needs such as will or living will creation, guardianship information, and power of attorney forms.

A WorkLife Specialist at Your Service

You can consult with a worklife specialist by calling 1-800-657-3719. Worklife specialists can assist with a variety of needs, including locating screened, available providers of adult day care, assisted living and nursing home care, transportation, senior centers, and in-home services. There is no cost to state employees or members of their household for eldercare location and referral services.

When you call, a worklife specialist will gather information about your specific needs and follow up within two business days with at least three provider resources that meet your requirements, including location, availability, business hours, and specialty services.

Additionally, worklife specialists can provide consultations on budgeting, accessing retirement savings, insurance and benefit claims, health-related cost planning, estate planning, wills or living wills, and developing a trust.

Explore on Your Own

You can also find a variety of useful information online at mylifematters.com (enter stmn1 as a password). Select the “Relationships” tile and then “Find Adult Care Services” to use an online locator for providers in the area your elderly loved one lives, or select “Caregiver Support” for a variety of caregiving information and tips. You can find facts about health issues related to aging by selecting the “Health” tile and scrolling to the “Healthy Aging” category. Information regarding estate and retirement planning is available by selecting the “Financial” tile, and legal tips regarding retirement and elder care are available by selecting the “Legal” tile.

Through LifeMatters, you can search for information yourself or enlist the aid of a worklife specialist, whatever works best for you.

Call LifeMatters or visit its website any time of day, 365 days a year.

People’s needs change over time. LifeMatters can help.