Thursday, October 08, 2009 Report Discusses Ethical Issues in Dementia CareThere is no ‘miracle cure’ just around the corner for dementia. And yet while the number of people suffering from dementia is increasing rapidly, there is a widespread lack of understanding about what people with dementia are capable of doing. This report concludes that we need to do more as a society to enable people to live well with dementia. Currently, they are not getting the support and respect that they need. This report presents an ethical framework to help those who face dilemmas in connection with the everyday care of someone with dementia. The framework forms the basis for a number of recommendations to policy makers in the following areas: promoting autonomy and well-being through an ethical approach to dementia care; including people with dementia in society; aking decisions about the care and treatment of people with dementia; dealing with day-to-day ethical dilemmas in care; recognising the needs of carers; and research funding and participation.
Source: Nuffield Council on Bioethics (1 October 2009)
Cite: http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/go/ourwork/dementia/publication_530.html
Thursday, April 30, 2009 According to The Hartford, 62% of Parents of Children with Special Needs Have No Plan In America today, 2.6 million children with special needs will need costly care long after their parents have passed away. A recent special needs survey conducted by The Hartford insurance company found that 62% of parents of these children with special needs have no plan to cover the cost of caring for the child when they no longer are able to do so.
The survey further reported that parents that do have a plan often make mistakes that may disqualify their child for government services on which they now depend.
"When you consider the daily demands already being put on the parents of a special needs child, no one should be surprised that they have not taken time to create a plan for their child's future," said The Hartford's Donna Scalaro, a director in estate and business planning for The Hartford's Individual Life business. "That being said, it is important to acknowledge that doing nothing puts the child's future well-being at risk."
Scalaro suggests that parents take these four steps to help ensure their child is protected:
1. Work with a professional financial advisor to develop a plan capable of funding a lifetime of support for your child with special needs, over and above what the government will provide.
2. Establish a special needs trust to protect the assets and to ensure the child will qualify to receive government benefits and services.
3. Speak with the person you want to be your child's guardian so they fully understand the commitment and are willing to take on the obligation.
4. Buy a permanent life insurance policy to cover the anticipated cost of care.
Click here to read the full article on The Hartford's survey and findings. |