The Bottom Line
Small business is important to Central Oregon, and to Mid Oregon. Find tips and resources for business, and information about Mid Oregon’s commercial services and business members.
Taking Care of Aging Parents, Relatives
If you live long enough to watch your parents or other relatives grow old, your responsibilities in those relationships are likely to shift.
Sooner or later, you’re likely to move from continually receiving their gifts—emotional, physical, or financial—to giving of your own time and effort to help meet their changing needs.
Get real
Experts say most people are overly optimistic about their ability to remain fully independent as they age.
Many people eventually need some type of help, ranging from occasional home maintenance to nursing care.
When people wait too long to discuss long-term care options, they sometimes can’t find the right level of care at the right facility when their need becomes urgent.
Start talking
Start talking now to learn about your aging parents’ desires and options.
One way to get started is looking for conversational “triggers,” such as chatting about a neighbor’s move to an assisted living facility or sharing a brochure about elderly housing options.
Next, shift the conversation to your parents’ plans and preferences by asking “gentle” questions while avoiding the alarming words “nursing home.”
Instead, learn about local options and then visit facilities with your parents. Figure out what they can afford by looking at their budget. If necessary, decide how much you can contribute. Talk to siblings to gain their input and learn whether they can help.
Watch and listen
Seek answers to these questions:
* Are my parents handling financial paperwork, or is it stacking up?
* Do my parents need help with everyday tasks they used to handle themselves?
* Are my parents taking care of their health? Are there signs of incontinence?
* Are my parents able to get around, both within their home and in their community?
When adult children live far from their parents, getting answers may require an extended visit or talking with siblings who live nearby or with the parents’ neighbors.
Plan ahead
As parents’ needs increase, adult children may need legal authority to act on their parents’ behalf. A health care power of attorney and a durable power of attorney typically provide this authority. You also should gather information about parents’ financial accounts, assets, insurance, wills, and health care directives.
Throughout the process, remember to listen carefully to the wishes of elderly parents and then respect their desires as much as possible.
That process benefits everyone involved: By showing respect for your parents’ preferences now, you’ll be better prepared to someday share your own wishes with the next generation of caregivers.
When it’s time to start making financial decisions about the changing needs of your family, a professional at Mid Oregon Credit Union would be happy to speak with you. Contact us today at (541) 382-1795, or beheard@midoregon.com.
Pay It Forward: Full Circle Outreach
Full Circle Outreach is this month’s Pay It Forward organization
In 2003 Rebecca Hanson founded Full Circle Outreach in Redmond, to help people get over difficult life obstacles. Today, Full Circle Outreach serves over 4,000 Central Oregonians per year who are dealing with homelessness, physical injuries, mental illness or a criminal past.
This month Rebecca and Full Circle Outreach were selected as the Pay It Forward $500 grant winner, courtesy of KTVZ NewsChannel 21, CoEnergy Propane and Mid Oregon Credit Union. Each month, a committee selects a winner who receives $500 to award to the deserving person they’ve nominated.
The $500 ‘Pay It Forward’ award will go to deliver more help to those in need, says Hanson. Relying entirely on community donations, funds go to employment support and to purchase needed items-everything from toiletries to clothing to furniture.
Go to the Full Circle Outreach Facebook Page
Northwest Credit Unions Support Wildfire Victims
The credit unions of Oregon and Washington are mobilizing their foundation, in collaboration with the local Red Cross and the National Credit Union Foundation, to support victims of the wildfires scorching the Northwest.
Destructive wildfires are raging across Oregon and Washington. A fire near Twisp, Washington claimed the lives of three forest service firefighters yesterday, and Oregon Governor Kate Brown activated the state’s National Guard to help fight that state’s fires. Northwest Credit Unions Support Wildfire Victims as they mobilize their efforts, including Mid Oregon.
Fires Causing Devastation
The Canyon Creek Complex fires have already destroyed at least 36 homes and damaged 50 others. It currently threatens another 500 structures in the area, and authorities said the actual toll is likely to climb as crews continue to assess damage in the coming days. More than 70 structures have been destroyed in Washington’s Chelan Complex fires, which are burning in several areas around Lake Chelan.
Foundation Providing Support & Relief
The credit unions of Oregon and Washington are mobilizing their Northwest Credit Union Foundation (NWCUF) to provide financial support and relief to victims of the fires. The Foundation has created three relief funds—one for the Canyon Creek Complex fires in Oregon, one for the Chelan Complex fires in Washington, and a general fund to be directed where it’s most needed. It has seeded the two area-specific funds with $5,000 each and is collecting donations from the credit union community. All funds will be donated to the relief efforts of the Red Cross in Oregon and Washington.
Read more on www.nwcua.org