Eldercare professional Nancy Oriola possesses more than two decades of experience working with families as a certified care manager. She has launched several businesses that cater to senior-specific financial and medical needs. In 2001, Nancy Oriola founded Decades LLC, a fiduciary firm that helps New Mexico families navigate the complex legal and financial decisions that accompany caring for an aging relative, including appointing a power of attorney (POA). When planning the future for aging loved ones, especially those diagnosed with dementia or other neurodegenerative conditions, appointing a durable POA is crucial. The process should be undertaken as soon as possible to ensure that the individual can be directly involved in the decision making. A POA can be a professional, a close relative, or a trusted confidant selected by the represented individual when he or she is still sound of mind. Some experts suggest appointing separate POAs for health care and financial matters in order to avoid conflicts of interests.A POA must be defined as "durable" when the legal relationship is validated in a court of law. This ensures that the POA retains representative authority in the event the elderly individual is physically or cognitively unable to make his or her own decisions.
As the chief executive officer of Decades, LLC, Nancy Oriola helps families navigate complex financial and guardianship decisions surrounding the care of their elderly loved ones. A noted expert on conservator and power-of-attorney regulations, Nancy Oriola is an affiliate member of the National Guardianship Association, which advocates for the Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act.Because of disparate state laws governing adult guardianship, more than 50 systems oversee adult guardianship in the United States. When an individual under guardianship relocates across state lines, determining which state’s system should take precedent can be difficult. Many families that file for guardianship for relatives in other states have found that they cannot petition in their state of residence, or they must refile because of a lack of communication. The fragmented process adds extra financial and emotional burdens onto families trying to secure a safe home for their elderly relatives.The Uniform Adult Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Jurisdiction Act is intended to simplify the process by improving communications between state judges on guardianship issues and developing a single set of regulations for deciding overlapping jurisdiction cases. The act was ratified by the New Mexico Assembly and Senate in early 2018.
A social worker by training, Nancy Oriola is the CEO of Decades LLC. At Decades, Nancy Oriola provides professional financial services management for seniors. Many seniors need help with their finances, forcing their grown children to take up their parents’ financial responsibilities. The key to succeeding in this role is being proactive rather than reactive. If an elderly relative needs help with his or her finances, sit him or her down and talk candidly about it. Have a thoughtful and respectful discussion where you express your concerns and show your willingness to help. You can involve other siblings or family members in the discussion to reinforce the message that everyone is concerned. If the senior relative is willing to accept your help, start by organizing his or her finances. Get information about his or her financial assets, liabilities, income, and expenditures. This will give you a view of the overall financial situation he or she is in. Draw up a list for each item. For example, have separate lists of monthly bills such as water, gas, and trash; debts such as credit cards; income such as social security and company retirement plans; and assets such as home equity, insurance policies, mutual fund accounts, and bank accounts. Consider taxes too. Afterward, if his or her finances are easily manageable, set up systems to make sure income is accounted for and the bills are paid on time every month. Continuously monitor this system and the senior’s financial activities. However, if his or her financial position is complex, get help. Consult a professional financial advisor.
With a master’s degree in social work and a certificate in financial planning, Nancy Oriola has held several positions in the elder care industry. After serving as president at the Care Management Group of New Mexico, Nancy Oriola created the Aging Life Network, a do-it-yourself resource for seniors and adults navigating the best way to care for aging loved ones. Between 80 percent and 90 percent of seniors would prefer to live independently in their own homes for as long as they possibly can, and many would prefer to live with their families rather than in nursing homes. If a family decides that an aging parent should live at home with them, there are certain things to consider. Moving an aging parent into a home will affect everyone, including spouses and children who live in the home. This can be an opportunity for multigenerational bonding, but it can also be a challenge for navigating space, privacy, and independence. While it may be cost-effective compared to a nursing home, unexpected expenses may arise, such as safety-proofing the home or making it wheelchair accessible. Homeowners should consider installing bathroom rails and clearing tripping hazards to prevent falls. If the older adult has dementia or Alzheimer’s, installing safety measures to ensure the water in the shower doesn’t get too hot or that the gas in the oven doesn’t stay on all day are important considerations. An older adult should also consider the stress of moving back home with a child. Since this is a transition into a phase of life with more dependence and more daily contact between parent and child, good communication is important to ensure it is the best decision for everyone involved.
As the founder and executive leader of Aging Life Care Management, the Aging Life Network, and Decades, LLC, Nancy Oriola leverages over 30 years of experience in healthcare and finance. At Decades, LLC, Nancy Oriola and her team of experts offer a variety of fiduciary and guardianship services, power of attorney, medical advocacy support, and daily financial management. In addition, the team offers family mediation, an alternative to litigation.As more and more baby boomers age, their families are increasingly tasked with coordinating health care and making important financial decisions. These decisions are challenging in the most ideal circumstances. When complicated familial relationships are added to the equation, situations can very quickly become extremely difficult. When families encounter disagreements and dissension, engaging a mediator can be extremely helpful. A third party who is familiar with the issues families face offers a neutral viewpoint that can help family members stay on task and focus on caring for their loved ones. In addition, an elder mediator can help preserve family relationships that are put at risk in the midst of stress.An elder mediator can offer insight into issues related to:-Financial decisions such as who controls the money, caregiving costs, etc.
-Medical and end of life choices.
-Family possessions, including inheritances, guardianship, sale of homes.
-Living arrangements related to caregiving and burden of care.All consultations from elder mediators are nonbinding and confidential. These experts offer important perspective as well as tips regarding future communication so that family relationships can be preserved.
Nancy Oriola, a nationally certified Master Guardian and certified Care Manager, oversees a wide range of case management and elder care services at Aging Life Care Management, LLC, and the Aging Life Network in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The current President of the New Mexico Estate Planning Council and a member of the Albuquerque LGBT Chamber of Commerce, Nancy Oriola also serves as CEO of Decades, LLC.
Since its founding in 2001, Decades, LLC, has provided elder care services throughout New Mexico. The organization, which is a private fiduciary firm, offers core services that include conservatorship, guardianship, and power of attorney. However, Decades also offers other services that include money management assistance, mediation, and medical advocacy.
Decades’ medical advocacy services are provided by a team of professionals that include licensed social workers, nurses and geriatric care experts. These professionals not only help clients to navigate tough health care decisions, but they also advocate for quality care when clients are incapacitated. Moreover, Decades helps clients to develop a plan prospectively that outlines community resources, living arrangement options, medication management, and more. For additional information on these services, visit decadesgroup.com.
Holding leadership positions with Aging Life Network Inc, Aging Life Care Management LLC, and Decades LLC, Nancy Oriola is a longtime resident of Albuquerque. Nancy Oriola is also one of only four nationally certified master guardians in the State of New Mexico and fewer than 100 nationally.
Government-funded guardianship services are provided to individuals in New Mexico who are incapacitated and eligible under income-based guidelines. In addition to legal and contractual support for guardianship services, specially trained mental health guardians are provided by the state for individuals with mental illnesses. Nancy and her company, Decades, works with individuals at all income levels and offers services to low-income disabled adults through a contract with the Office of Guardianship and the New Mexico Developmental Disabilities Planning Council.
To better serve New Mexico residents in need of guardianship services, the state recently commissioned a study to find ways to improve the program. In December of 2017, the New Mexico Adult Guardianship Study Commission released a list of recommendations. The list includes appropriating additional funding for auditors and other supervisory personnel of the program and the development of more robust educational and training programs for those involved in guardianship.
