Workshop:

Boomer Boot Camp

Workshop – 2 hours, half-day

On August 3, 2006 Elaine and her husband drove to the airport to pick up Elaine’s recently widowed, 80 year-old Aunt Jean, who had decided to move to Oregon to be close to family. The following morning Jean tripped on a rug going into Starbuck’s and broke her hip.

Standing in the emergency room unable to answer questions about her aunt’s insurance, medical history, medications, allergies, and what rehab facility she should go to following surgery, Elaine realized she was completely unprepared to manage this immediate crisis.

She also realized she had no idea of how she would manage Jean’s healthcare or finances if something happened and Jean was no longer capable of making those decisions herself. Elaine didn’t know what kind of assets her aunt had or where she kept them. She didn’t know what her wishes were regarding end-of-life care or how she felt about life support and tube feeding. She didn’t even know where her uncle was buried.

That experience inspired her to create the Boomer Boot Camp Workshop and Workbook. The Workshop helps adult children learn how to work with their aging parents so they can choose up front how their healthcare, finances, and personal possessions will be managed through the final stages of their lives.

Topics covered include:

• Starting difficult conversations
• Assessing their safety
• Creating a support network
• Gathering and organizing important documents
• Finding resources to help keep them in their homes
• Checking out long-term care facilities
• Negotiating the Medicare/Medicaid Maze
• Completing end-of-life documents