Source: SeriousIllness.org

You may be entitled to claim your relative as a dependent. This requires that:

- The individual’s income was less than $3,650 in 2010. “Income” includes Social Security and pension benefits. Also, proceeds from investments or withdrawals from retirement savings plans.

- You paid more than 50% of your relative’s support. He or she does not have to live with you. Support expenses include food, clothing, housing, and medical care. Also, transportation, recreation, and other essentials. If he or she lived with you, include fair rental value for your family member’s share of the lodging.

Many relatives qualify. Your parents and siblings. Other family relatives, step relatives, and in-laws. Or anyone who lived with you all year.

If others paid some support expenses, a deduction is still possible. But only one person can claim it. And everyone who shared expenses must sign a multiple support agreement.

You may be able to deduct medical expenses.

• This includes expenses paid for yourself, your spouse, or a dependent relative. Or for a relative who would have qualified as a dependent but had too much income or filed a joint return.
• The expenses must add to more than 7.5% of your adjusted gross income (AGI). For example, if your AGI is $40,000, the first $3,000 of expenses doesn’t count.

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For more information about Hospice & Palliative CareCenter, contact Ann Gauthreaux, public relations director, at 336-768-3972, or see Hospice’s website at http://www.hospicecarecenter.org!

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Soure: Winston-Salem Journal

By Annette Fuller
Published: February 09, 2011

Doctors’ busy schedules are no excuse for them not taking the time to discuss end-of-life care options with their patients, said Dr. William Blackstock, program director of the Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

“Some of my colleagues do a fabulous job of discussing these issues with their patients,” Blackstock said. “But too many of my colleagues almost never have these discussions until the patient is seriously ill. At that point, they may be taking pain medication that can confuse them. We need to have these conversations sooner than that.”

And it’s not just an issue of doctors not having enough time, he said.

“There is a skill set to this,” Blackstock said. “We are not trained to do this. It’s not something that we emphasize during residencies or fellowships.”

That’s why Blackstock is glad that the American Society of Clinical Oncology recently published a 24-page booklet, available online, that advocates for more involved conversations between patient and doctor earlier in the process about the patient’s choices for care and treatments during his or her last few months of life, if treatments are not successful.

Cancer patients are “at different places” when doctors first bring up this topic, Blackstock said.

“Some want these discussions early; some want it later,” he said. Even if the patient puts off the topic, due to fear, “it is still the doctor’s responsibility to engage the patient in this discussion. It’s part of taking care of them, just as much as the medical treatment.”

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For more information about Hospice & Palliative CareCenter, contact Ann Gauthreaux, public relations director, at 336-768-3972, or see Hospice’s website at http://www.hospicecarecenter.org!

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Ann Gauthreaux and Jane Smart from Hospice & Palliative CareCenter appear on Triad Today to discuss Palliative Care and the addition to the Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home.

For more, visit http://www.hospicecarecenter.org!

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If your family member needs medical oxygen, the crucial ingredient for successful vacation travel is planning ahead.

First, decide how you will be traveling. By air, train, or cruise ship? By bus or car? This information will help determine how much oxygen your loved one must carry.

Advance planning

• Consult with the doctor for medical clearance to travel. Obtain a brief medical history to carry along. Include a list of current medications and an oxygen prescription.
• Create a list of contact information of health care providers.
• Check the health insurance plan for guidelines regarding out-of-area medical emergencies. The International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers has a planning tool for international travel that can help you identify health issues for your specific destination. They also list resources for traveling with lung (pulmonary) conditions.

Oxygen supply

• Have a respiratory therapist calculate how much oxygen will be needed. Allow for an extra supply in case departure or arrival times are delayed.
• Contact the airline, train, cruise ship, or bus company to make arrangements for oxygen. The requirements are different for each mode of travel.
• When flying, prepare for getting through the security checkpoint with oxygen.
• When traveling by car with oxygen, secure the tank in an upright position. Ensure that no one smokes. Crack the window to prevent oxygen build up.

Vacation days, have your loved one

• Wear emergency medical identification. Keep medications on hand at all times. Pack them in carry-on luggage and day-trip gear. Include a current prescription list and contact information for all health providers.
• Stay hydrated. Airplane air is especially dry. Drink lots of water and skip the caffeine or alcohol.
• Avoid sitting for long stretches of time. Try to move around every hour or so.
• Keep up to date about air pollution and weather at their destinations. Be alert to conditions that may make breathing more difficult.

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