To be eligible for Mercy LIFE Pace Program, a person must be age 55 or older, certified by the state to need nursing home care, and live in the Mercy LIFE area.

This program is able to offer care and services to seniors with chronic needs while maintaining their independence in their homes for as along as possible.

The Mobile location is in the old Mobile Rug and Shade building on Springhill Avenue.  Transportation, meals, medications and recreational activities are some of the services provided for program participants.  Look into this one-stop care opportunity by calling Gemma Campbell at 251-287-8420.

I have to report what a great help our hospice nurse is to my mother’s care.  My mother has been experiencing problematic health problems for several months now.  When the assisted living nurse brought it to my attention, we went to see Momma’s general practitioner.  That visit resulted in a few changes but the problem persisted.  We next consulted the hospice nurse, Candice,  who began to diligently research what the problem might be.  She checked for a bacterial infection which turned out negative. She wrote orders and consulted with the doctor at the weekly team meeting whether to discontinue a monthly preventative order that she takes to prevent recurring infections.  They decided to keep that in place and see if the new order solves the problem.  So far, it seems to be working.  I am so thankful that we have help in solving health problems that my mother can’t express with words.  You get a gold star, Candice, for making such a difference in  both of our lives.

Taking care of my mother’s affairs has stretched me in many areas.  This week, it’s figuring out how to file Social Security and Medicare taxes, pay Unemployment Compensation and get a Federal Tax Payer ID.  First, you have to calculate the year’s payments to the sitter if it’s over $600.  You should have  Form I-9 , Employment Eligibility Verification and a W-9 Form, Request for Taxpayer Identification Number and Certification filled out when you hired them.  Now don’t give up, you’re just getting started.  I know this is all foreign but you just have to learn as you go.

It’s not as bad as you may think.  Working this all out on the computer makes it pretty easy if you can navigate electronically, which you can, since you are reading this.  I went to efileforbusiness.com to fill out the W-2 Form which costs $3.95 per form. If you want to know the percentages for the taxes and what to put in which box, comment after this post and I’ll help you.   Next I went to the Alabama Dept of Labor to register and begin to pay quarterly payments for Unemployment Compensation.  Yes, there is a fee if you are late with the payments, but we’ll know better next time.  Apparently, you now have to have an Employer Identification Number (EIN) which is gotten at IRS.gov at no cost.  Anyway, by starting now, you can get this all figured out before the January 31 deadline.   And you would be smart if you start with getting the EIN first, so you can use it when you file the W-2 Form.

I know it’s not unusual to pay private sitter “under the table” but if you’re ready to join the other millions of taxpayers that finance this great country of ours, this is how you do it.

1.  Third Thursday of every month at 10:00 a.m. at the Human Resources location of South Baldwin Regional Medical Center, 1613 N. McKenzie Street, Foley, AL  36526.

2.  Last Wednesday of every month at 10.00 a.m. at the The Brennity of Daphne, 27440 Co. Rd. 13, Daphne, AL  36526.

3.  Third Thursday of every month at 9:00 a.m. at the Foley Senior Center, 304 E. Rose Street, Foley, AL  36535

These groups are open access, private and confidential.  For more information, call Kitty Bradshaw, RN, CHPN, or Leslie Johnson, MEd @ Covenant Hospice, Daphne, AL, 251-626-5255.