What to write: with examples
You don't need forms or jargon: just describe the situation in your own words, the way you'd tell a friend. Here are a few examples of the kind of note that works well.
“My mother is 82. My father passed away three years ago. He served in Vietnam. She's been in an assisted living place for about a year because she can't manage on her own. She needs help getting dressed, bathing, and with her medications. We pay about $6,500 a month out of pocket and it's draining her savings. She gets around $1,200 a month from Social Security. She's on Medicare.”
“I'm caring for my dad at home. He's 78, gets about $1,100 a month, and needs help with bathing and dressing and remembering his pills. He has about $40,000 in savings from selling his old truck. He's on Medicare, and I do most of the care myself.”
“My mom is 76 and still lives alone but I'm worried. She's been really forgetful lately: repeating herself, leaving the stove on. Her doctor hasn't diagnosed anything specific yet. We're starting to think she needs assisted living soon because it's not safe for her alone. She gets about $1,200 a month and has maybe $2,500 saved. She's on Medicare.”
“My son is 9 and has autism. We're in Ramsey County. He needs a lot of daily support and I've cut back my work hours to care for him. Our family brings in around $3,500 a month for the four of us. He isn't on any coverage yet. We were told our income might be too high for Medical Assistance.”
“I'm 44 and have a physical disability after a car accident. I work part-time, about 20 hours a week, and earn a little over $1,500 a month. I live alone in my own apartment in Anoka County and could use help with everyday tasks. I'm not on Medicare.”
“My wife and I have three kids and money is really tight. We bring in about $2,800 a month between us. We both work but child care eats up most of it, and nobody in the house has health coverage right now. We're in Dakota County.”
Handy to include (all optional)
- Who you're helping and their rough age (a child, a working-age adult, or a senior)
- Any disability, and whether they're working: several programs serve people with disabilities of any age
- Whether there are children in the household
- What kind of help they need day-to-day (errands, bathing, medications, supervision, therapy)
- Where they live now, and whether a move is being considered
- A rough sense of monthly income and savings (estimates are fine)
- Whether they're on Medicare, Medicaid, or other coverage
- Any U.S. military service, theirs or a late spouse's
- What you're most worried about right now
Don't worry about getting everything. We'll ask a few quick follow-up questions for anything that's missing, and you can always come back to sharpen an answer.