It is surprising that even though the one thing so certain in lifes cycle is death, many people dont know what to do when that inevitable event occurs. Following is a short guide of what to do:At the time of death: Call 911, your local Coroners Office or your hospice professional if your loved one is enrolled with hospice.Call family members or friends and ask for help in notifying others.Look through the decedents personal papers for burial information (i.e. funeral plan or written instructions).Contact a funeral home to arrange the pick up of the decedent.Check to see about petsDay One or Two: Meet with the funeral home for further arrangements such as services, location, military involvement, club or organization involvement, the obituary, burial plots and headstones.Order death certificates from the funeral home. A good rule of thumb on the number of Death Certificates to order is one each for every financial institution, vehicle, land, life insurance policy or other assets and then two extra.1 - 10 Days after death:Begin contacting the following individuals:Police to check on the decedents homeAn attorney to obtain information on how to deal with the decedents assets and debtsFinancial and banking institutions to obtain information on accounts, investments and whether the decedent maintained a safe deposit boxInsurance agents regarding claim formsVeterans Affairs and pension agencies regarding stop payments and possible benefits (the funeral home will contact the Social Security Administration for you)Utility companies to change or stop servicesNewspaper(s) and magazines to stop servicesPost Office to forward mailLook for DocumentsFuneral/Burial planWill an heir can request a bank to conduct a Will search in a safe deposit box. If a Will is found, the bank official must keep the Will and deposit it with the CourtLife insurance policiesFinancial statements from banks, stock brokerage firms and financial advisorsDeed(s) and titles to vehiclesBills (such as credit card statements, loans, etc.)Editors Note: This article was submitted by Jolene L. Devries, Elder Law Attorney. She can be reached at 719-275-4424

On July 1, 1985, the existing hospice program at Parkview Episcopal Medical Center was phased out and the freestanding, not-for-profit Sangre de Cristo Hospice began operations. On March 15, 1995, St. Thomas Moore Hospice in Florence merged with Sangre de Cristo Hospice as a satellite, operating as Sangre de Cristo Hospice West. In March of 2004, the organizations in-patient facility, Hospice House, located in Pueblo, began operations. In the summer of 2007, the service area expanded to service Trinidad and Walsenburg. In the spring of 2008, Sangre opened doors to a new in-patient facility. We have since grown to the East with an office and staff that provide hospice services to locations that reach far beyond La Junta.On July 9, 2018, SDCCC purchased a home health agency to better serve the patients of Southern Colorado, starting out small, but quickly expanded that single branch office to serve the Trinidad and Walsenburg areas that December 2018.While the mission remains the same, a new name and location signaled the start of a new era for Sangre de Cristo Hospice and Palliative Care in November 2019.The rebranding as Sangre de Cristo Community Care (hospice, palliative, home health) corresponds to the upcoming relocation of the administration offices currently occupying separate South Side buildings to a 16,000-square-foot, two-story building at 1920 Valley Drive.In 2020, SDCCC expanded coverage west and applied to serve the additional counties going west to match the Hospice footprint. SDCCC started servicing those counties in August 2020 out of the La Junta parent office while awaiting approval of the branch license in Caon City. On October 19, 2022, SDCCC was finally approved to have a brand office in Caon City, which allows it to better advertise and serve all the areas for home health.With hospice support in these communities, Sangre de Cristo Community Care has established offices and staff who continue to provide quality of life and dignity to those who we extend compassionate care during the difficulties that results with end of life.Sangre de Cristo Community Care is not aligned with not a part of any other organization. It was established to serve all terminally ill patients and their families without regard to age, race, religion, color, sex, marital status, national origin, handicap, sexual orientation, veteran status, and regardless of the patients place of residence in the service area.The primary focus of the program is to allow the patient to remain in his or her own home among family and in familiar surroundings. However, when this is not possible, the hospice staff will provide their entire range of services in a hospital, extended care facility or at our in-patient facility, Joni Fair Hospice House.

With aging it is normal to have some decrease in our thinking abilities, including memory. That is, because we really have lost brain cells resulting in the slowing of our responses. For example, if we put our keys in the same place each time we will know where they are. However, if we get distracted or preoccupied, we may put the keys in a new place without paying attention, and the next day we cannot find them. Rather than a concern with memory loss, we should recognize that it was a lapse in attention and concentration, and so the location of the keys was simply never recorded in our long-term memory. Another age-related issue is that it takes more effort to retrieve stored information. This explains why we temporarily forget a person's name or cannot recall a specific word.What we know as memory is actually a three-step process. First, there is short term memory, lasting a matter of seconds or a few minutes. Unless the second stage occurs those bits of information will disappear. The second stage includes the thought process of attention and concentration, allowing those pieces of information to be encoded into long term or remote memories. Thus, we will remember our high school graduation 45 years ago seemingly easier than where our keys are. The third stage is to retrieve and use consolidated information.With Alzheimer's and some dementias, the disease begins to attack the part of the brain that encodes those short-term memories into long term and remote memories. Without encoding and consolidating these thoughts it becomes impossible to retrieve this information. A case in point would be that it is no longer a question of trying to find your checkbook but one of remembering to pay your bills. Recognizing the difference between normal aging and a more serious decline in our ability to think/ remember and requiring medical attention will make an important difference in the care of our loved ones.This article was submitted by Morley Shaw, PhD., of Haven Behavioral Senior Care at St. Mary-Corwin Medical Center. For more information call 719-565-4000.

If your senior loved one needs in-home support, you may initially take on the responsibilities yourself. However, stress and fatigue can quickly arise when you also juggle multiple roles, including career and family obligations. Caregiver burnout is significant and has many consequences. One way to preserve your physical and emotional well-being is through respite care services.A respite care professional provides temporary relief from overwhelming caregiving tasks and responsibilities. The support affords you the extra time to address personal needs, spend quality time with your immediate family, run errands, or take a breather. Respite Care BenefitsVisiting Angels' professional home care services, both full-time and part-time, can offer you a much-deserved break if you manage personal and work duties while supporting an elderly loved one. Experienced in-home caregivers can provide the following benefits:Maintain your well-beingTaking time to look after your needsincluding health, exercise, and social interactionwill help you look after your loved one and give them the dedicated attention they require. Reduce frustration and burnoutFeeling frustrated or burnt out from time to time is perfectly normal, and you may need to step away and recharge. Visiting Angels can focus on your senior's needs so you can do something for yourself, such as going to lunch with a friend, taking a walk, going to an exercise class, meditating, attending a religious service, or reading a book.Schedule times to meet your needsWhen you hire Visiting Angels, you can choose the days, times, and the number of hours that fit your schedule and meet your loved one's needs. Whether it's a few hours a week temporarily, a long-term arrangement for a few days a month, or a specified period of time, such as a week-long work trip or vacation, the scheduled times are up to you. Help with everyday tasksIn addition to providing personal care for seniors, in-home services can help with light housekeeping tasks around the home so you can return to your normal activities without facing a backlog of laundry, housework, or errands.Avoid Senior IsolationRespite care can also help your senior maintain social skills by allowing them to interact with someone else in a safe and supportive environment. Professional companions can help seniors' complete daily tasks, such as light housework, meal preparation, and routines or they offer companion care.Provide peace of mindWhen your mom or dad is with a Visiting Angels' professional caregiver, you know they're in good hands so that you can focus on personal or family needs.How Much Does Respite Care Cost?A "one size fits all" approach does not apply to respite care. The cost can vary depending on where your loved one resides, the necessary support, and how often you use services. Average respite cost ranges include:Facility-based respite servicesRespite services in an assisted living facility may cost an average of $200 or more daily, depending on the support needed. Some facilities may require a minimum stay of several nights or days, and availability may be limited. Although an assisted living facility is a good option, you will need to arrange transportation to and from the facility and pack personal belongings for the duration of stay. Also, if your loved one is living with dementia, the change of environment may trigger increased confusion or agitation.Community-based respite careAdult day services, sometimes called "adult day care," can be cost-effective for family members who need support during the day. Some programs accept Medicaid or other insurance coverage and may charge sliding-scale fees based on income. Expenses can range from $50-$125 a day. Home-based respite careIntermittent personal assistance typically costs $35-$50 per hour, depending on where you live. Some providers may charge a reduced hourly rate for more routine services on a weekly or monthly schedule or if you schedule support for an entire weekend or 24-hour period. Does Insurance Cover Respite Care? While many health insurance plans don't cover costs for respite care, there are long-term care plans that may offer assistance. If your loved one doesn't have long-term coverage, any charges not covered by insurance or other sources would need to be paid. In most cases, Medicare does not pay for long-term care, but there are some instances where it may cover respite services for you and your loved one. State Medicaid may fund some forms of respite, depending in which state you reside. Also, the Department of Veterans Affairs may have options if your loved one is a veteran. Contact Visiting AngelsTake the first step by learning more through a free home care consultation. Contact your nearest home care office today to see how you and your family can benefit from Visiting Angels' compassionate services.If you're interested in our compassionate home care services for you or a loved one, contact your nearest Visiting Angels home care agency today or call 800-365-4189.