SENIOR SPIRIT
Living Longer & Loving It
WHEN
LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS, MAKE LEMONADE
An Indiana senior's inspiring story
By Marie Dykes
What's
a 78-year-old great-grandmother doing working 40
to 60 hours each week? If you're Bernita Kimpel,
your work is your life. "I can't give it up,"
she contends, "Why play bingo when I could
be doing something useful?"
Bernita's
lifelong passion was and is to better the lives
of the disabled. Today, she works for Community
Living, a private corporation that owns seven group
homes in north-eastern Indiana. Sometimes she works
as manager of supervisor; sometimes she provides
hands-on physical care. "She's my role model
for aging," says Joni Hawkins, residential
director for Community Living. "She's never
quit growing and learning." High praise for
someone born with a learning disability!
Bernita's
early years provide insight into the woman she is
today. She contracted tuberculosis and was confined
to a sanitarium at age 5. Even as a child, the pain
of isolation and abandonment she witnessed at Rockville
Institution haunted her, and she began entertaining
her fellow patients by singing and dancing. But
she discovered that the disabled don't want to be
entertained; they want to participate in life. This
discovery shaped her future.
Married
at 16 and a mother soon after, Bernita grew up fast.
Three of her six children were handicapped. Even
so, she pursued her passion, gaining recognition
or her work as a teacher and musical therapist.
In a '70's interview, she was asked if her children's
disabilities motivated her work with the handicapped.
Bernita replied, "I made up my mind back in
Rockville that I wanted to do this. My children
had nothing to do with it."
By
1980, Bernita was an expert in teaching methods
for the learning disabled. She taight seminars,
wrote books and consulted with educators. And she
was invited to participate in President Reagan's
Committee on Employment of the Handicapped.
Her
second marriage to Paul Kimpel in 1985 involved
moving to a new community. Before long, Bernita
discovered she was lost without her work and began
looking for an outlet. She found Community Living
and joined the staff in 1990. Soon, she began to
assemble a rhythm band for the residents. Today,
there are more than 60 mentally and physically disabled
resident members preparing for their third annual
concert. "This job probably costs her more
than she makes, because she's always buying something
for the residents," her supervisor confides.
Bernita's answer "I love music, and I love
putting on a show."
When
will she retire? With regret in her voice, she says
"I should quit when I'm 80." Don't bet
on it. Her work helped her overcome the obstacles
in her life. Says Bernita, "I thank the good
Lord every night. I wouldn't have changed a thing
about my life."
SENIOR
MEDICAL BREAKTHROUGHS
FDA approves new drug for vision loss
The
Food and Drug Administration recently approved Visudyne
for treatment of certain types of age-related macular
degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of
blindness in those over 60, with sight loss occurring
from the center of the eye outward. According to
Dr. Neil Bressler, a retinal disease specialist
at Johns Hopkins University, there are 200,000 new
cases of AMD each year. Approximately 30 percent
of those could qualify for Visudyne therapy.
"It's
not a cure, but it definitely reduces further vision
loss," notes Bressler. Visudyne is the first
drug to offer positive results for the "wet"
form of AMD. And although wet AMD only affects 10
percent of those with the disease, it is the most
damaging. Without treatment, those affected will
usually be functionally blind in two years.
Visudyne
is a 20-minute treatment performed in a doctor's
office. Injected into a vein in the arm, the drug
spreads through the body, including the abnormal
blood vessels in the eyes. Then, a laser beam is
directed into the eye for about 90 seconds to activate
the drug. Patients must avoid bright indoor light
and sunlight for two to five days after the treatment.
Visudyne
manufacturer QLT PhotoTherapeutics predicts costs
of $2,000 per treatment. Typical Visudyne therapy
will include five treatments over a two-year period.
Visudyne
therapy isn't for everyone. Those already diagnosed
with the wet form of AMD should consult an eye-care
physician to determine if Visudyne is an appropriate
treatment alternative.
GRANDPARENT
CENTRAL
Survival tips for grandparents raising grandchildren
If
you are one of a growing number of grandparents
raising grandchildren, you understand stress. Parenting
the second time around is challenging at best, and
you need to be at the top of your form. Try these
suggestions for keeping stress under control.
Take
care of your health with regular checkups. Follow
your doctor's advice, get adequate rest and maintain
a healthy diet.
Walk
or exercise 20 minutes three times a week.
Insist on a regular quiet hour when everyone naps
or engages in quiet pursuits. Learn to relax during
this time.
Take
time for you. Give yourself a break by involving
your "grands" in community or recreational
activities.
Learn to say no. Set limits and stick with them.
Nurture your own spirit through a hobby or activity
you enjoy.
Avoid
isolation by staying in touch with friends.
Seek strength and assistance through your religious
community and personal faith.
Join
a support group. E-mail AARP's Grandparent Information
Center at gic@aarp.org to find a group in your area.
If
no local support group exists, consider starting
your own. Helpful tips can be found by visiting
www.aarp.org.
Select "grandparents" in the Feature Finder
at the top of the page. Then follow the links to
support group information. Focus on the positive
and keep your sense of humor.
ESTATE
PLANNING STRATEGIES FOR SENIORS
What living trusts can and cannot do
Once
thought to be reserved for the wealthy, revocable
living trusts are sometimes applicable - even preferable
- in modest estate plans. A living trust substitutes
for a will, creating a legal entity (a trust) that
holds title to your assets - property, cash, stocks
and bonds. When completely and properly funded,
living trusts avoid court-supervised probate, delays
in asset distribution and excessive attorneys' fees.
The
challenge is to determine whether a living trust
is right for you. According to Jack Fuerst, a Texas
estate planning attorney, the amount of money you
have is only one of the determining factors. "You
should also consider a living trust if you have
a business you want to protect, property in more
than one state or special needs or minor children
to provide for after your death, " Fuerst advises.
A living trust also protects you from court-ordered
guardianship if you become incapacitated. In that
event, your named successor trustee - someone you
trust implicitly - takes over management of the
trust and your affairs.
But
informed consumers should also know what trusts
cannot do. Lawrence M. Frangiosa, a Pennsylvania
trust attorney, offers the following advise: "A
living trust will not shield your assets from your
creditors or from estate taxes; not is it a tool
for Medicaid planning." The best advice is
to do your homework. "Then, choose a well-established
firm that will be around to answer your questions
and provide quality service," says Frangiosa.
Both
Fuerst and Frangiosa confirm that trust documents
must be well-organized and contain readable language.
Says Fuerst, "If you want to sleep at night,
you need to understand what's in the document and
if it works for you." For more information
and to explore the specifics of your particular
situation, consult with your legal advisor.
The
Special Needs Trust
If
you have a disabled child or spouse, you want to
ensure their care after your death. But too often,
that goal translates into a will provision or direct
bequest that actually hurts rather than helps. Persons
with disabilities usually qualify for public benefits
- Medicaid, Section 8 housing assistance and Supplemental
Security Income (SSI). Your disabled family member
can lost benefits if named as a direct beneficiary
of your estate. Even worse, the entire inheritance
may be seized to recover public funds previously
spent on that person's behalf.
Special
needs trusts offer a solution. Ohio attorney Myron
D. Wheatley explains the process. "A special
needs trust is established by the terms of your
living trust. Upon the death of the last surviving
parent/caregiver, the special needs provision becomes
a separate irrevocable trust," says Qheatley.
"The handicapped child or spouse is excluded
from directly receiving assets or income; instead,
the successor trustee may use trust proveeds to
provide enhanced education, furniture, clothing
and other life-enriching extras. The object of the
trust is to provide these extras without causing
the beneficiary to lost public benefits.
That's
why your choice of successor trustee is critical.
Some experts recommend having a care manager or
compliance professional serve as co-trustee with
an adult child or other family member. Wheatley
disagrees. "Make a decision. Empower one person
to do the job," he asserts. He contends that
co-trustees can create inaction - even deadlock
- due to opposing opinions. "It's better to
educate your trustee to hire professional assistance
than to saddle them with a co-trustee," Wheatley
concludes.
If
you have heirs with special needs, consult with
an attorney with estate planning expertise.
PRACTICAL
TALK ON RETIREMENT ISSUES
When you can't manage your Social Security benefits
By
Crispin Sargent, CSA
The
Social Security Administration provides a mechanism
for others to manage and direct your Social Security
(SS) benefits when you cannot.
It's called "representative payee". A
representative payee can be appointed in one of
three ways:
You
and your nominated payee appear together at an SS
office and make application.
The potential payee applies under his or her court-appointed
conservator or guardian powers. Social Security
requires documentation to support incapacity.
The potential payee applies using a physician's
statement that indicates you are incapable of handling
your benefits. Social Security verifies all information
for your protection.
Social Security does not recognize power of attorney
in appointing a representative payee. The person
holding power of attorney must apply using the third
method listed above. A representative payee functions
like a trustee who must:
PUT
YOUR LIFE INSURANCE TO WORK
IRREVOCABLE
LIFE INSURANCE TRUSTS
By Joseph Solomon, CSA, CFP, EA
Once
a basic estate plan is set up allowing you to pass
$1.35 million* estate - tax-free to your heirs,
an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) is ana
excellent vehicle to reducd your remaining estate
tax liability.
An
irrevocable trust is one in which you (the grantor)
transfer property to the trust, giving up all rights
of ownership to that property. Therefore, you cannot
revoke, terminate or modify the trust in any material
way. When this trust holds a life insurance policy,
it is an ILIT. Additional rules require that you
(the insured/grantor) must live for at least three
years after transferring the policy to the trust.
And, you cannot be the trustee.
You
can use your ILIT as follows:
To
pay for estate taxes
To help meet other liquidity needs of your estate
To provide for income needs of survivors
To avoid creditor claims at death
To replace donated assets
An ILIT may be "funded" or "unfounded".
In a funded life policy,m you will transfer your
personal, fully paid-up life policy to the trust.
The typical ILIT, however, is an unfounded life
policy, which means you will need to make annyual
cash gifts to the trust. The trustee will use these
to pay premiums.
For
more information about ILITs' consult with your
legal advisor or estate planning professional.
$675,000
estate tax exclusion per person
CENTENARIAN
SALUTE
Alma
Jelle
By Lynn Peters Adler, JD
Independence
is Alma Jelle's hallmark. At 101, this strong-willed
woman is doing as she's always done - making her
own way in the world.
When
she was 10, Alma's family moved from the farm into
Bricelyn, Minn., a town of 500 people. Alma remembers
registering for the sixth-grade, but being put back
into the first. "This upset my parents,"
she recalls with a smile, "but it was an advantage
for me. I was just a timid country girl who had
a lot to learn from those hardened city kids."
A
graduate of Winona Teachers' College, Alma taught
elementary school for 22 years. Then she grabbed
at the chance to live in New York City and work
in the trust department of Chase Manhattan Bank.
Her apartment was near Columbia University so that
she could attend classes and activities there.
Age
mandated her retirement 20 years later, but Alma
wasn't finished. "For the next 11 years, I
returned to the same job for a few months each year
until I earned the amount Social Security allowed."
Alma recalls.
Over
the years, her travels often led her to Arizona.
In 1974, Alma bought a condo in Mesa - "on
impulse". Once again, a major move worked for
her because she got involved in her community. Six
years ago, she sold her condo and moved into her
present apartment. "I handled the entire transaction
myself and all in one month." She declares.
She is proud of living this long and being able
to take care of herself. "I have my aches and
paind, but I get along," Alma says with satisfaction.
"I feel very blessed."
