A)Last July, Julie Baldocchi's mother had a massive stroke and was paralyzed. Baldocchi suddenly had tobecome a family caregiver, something that she wasn't prepared for. "I was flying by the seat of my pants," saysBaldocchi, an employment specialist in San Francisco. Both of her parents are 83, and she knew her fathercouldn't handle her mother's care. The hospital recommended putting her mother in a nursing home. Baldocchiwasn't willing to do that. But moving her back into her parents' home created other problems. Baldocchi,48, ismarried and lives about a mile away from her parents. She has a full-time job and has back problems thatmake it difficult for her to lift her mother. "I couldn't do it all," she says. "But I didn't even know how to findhelp."
B)With help from the Family Caregiver Alliance, she eventually hired a live-in caregiver. "But even if you planintellectually and legally, you're never ready for the emotional impact," Baldocchi says. In the first two monthsafter her mother's stroke, she lost about 30 pounds as stress mounted. More than 42 million Americans providefamily caregiving for an adult who needs help with daily activities, according to a 2009 survey by the AARP.An additional 61.6 million provided at least some care during the year. And many are unprepared.
C)While many parents lack an advance care directive, it's the most basic and important step they can take. Thedirective includes several parts, including: a durable power of attorney, which gives someone legal authority tomake financial decisions on another's behalf; a health care proxy, which is similar to the power of attorney,except it allows someone to make decisions regarding medical treatment; and a living will that outlinesinstructions for end-of-life care. (For example, parents can say if they want to be kept alive by artificialmeasures.) "It's invaluable for the kids, because it's hard to make those decisions for a parent," says JenniferCona, an elder-law attorney at Genser Dubow Genser & Cona in Melville, N.Y. An advance care directive isthe first line of defense if a situation arises, says Kathleen Kelly, executive director of the Family CaregiverAlliance, which supports and educates caregivers. Without an advance directive, the family will have topetition the court to be appointed the parent's legal guardian, says AgingCare.com.
D)It's important for families to talk about long-term care so the adult children know their parents' preferences,wishes and goals, says Lynn Feinberg, a caregiving expert at AARP. But ifs not an easy conversation. Elderlyparents are sometimes suspicious of their children's financial motives, says Susan John, a financial planner atFinancial Focus in Wolfeboro, N.H. One client asked John to hold a family meeting because they needed anintermediary to talk about financial issues, she says. And when there are many siblings, the family decisionscan become a three-ring circus with much acrimony, says Ann-Margaret Carrozza, an elder-law attomey inGlen Cove, N.Y. Families who need information and help sorting out disagreements can call on elder-lawattorneys, financial planners, geriatric care managers and caregiver support groups. In February, AARP said itwill offer its members a new caregiving support service through financial services firm Oenworth.
E)Many families are unprepared for quick decisions, especially when they find out that Medicare doesn't pay forlong-term care, Feinberg says. The median cost of a year in a private room at a nursing home in 2011 was$77,745, according to Genworth. And only those who have spent most of their assets can qualify for Medicaidto pay for the nursing home.
F)Assisted living is another option. Residents can have their own apartment to maintain some independence. Butthe facilities generally provide personal care services, such as meals, housekeeping and assistance withactivities. Still, it's not cheap: The national median cost in 2011 was $39,135, according to Genworth. Assistedliving isn't covered by Medicaid.
G)If they have a choice, at least 90% of elderly parents prefer to stay at home as long as they can, according toAARP research. But if the parents can no longer safely live at home, it can be hard for children to move theminto an adult care facility. There may be another option. Sometimes the home can be modified so a parent canstay there. For example, Baldoechi put in a chair lift for her mother. She also arranged for a home caregiver.
H) Family caregivers take over many responsibilities. One might manage a parent's finances, while anothersibling will take the parent to doctors' appointments and shopping. Those who move in with a parent take on asignificant and sustained burden of care. Jan Walker moved into her mother's home in Leesburg, Fla. After hermother, who is 83, had fallen, she wasn't able to get around as well. Walker,55, has three brothers. But she isthe only daughter, is divorced and has no children. "I always knew that this was the role that I would have, andI guess my mind was prepared for it," says Walker, who now is a full-time caregiver and works from home asa tutorial instructor for a digital scrapbooking website. "When you get into the trenches, it's literally baptismby fire," she says. "New things come up. It's not just about advance planning for finances or medical care. It'severything," she says.
I) Carcgivers need to also watch their own health. "There is such a thing as caregiver burnout," Cona says.Among female caregivers 50 and older,20% reported symptoms of depression, according to a 2010 study onworking caregivers by MetLife. "It's a hard job," Walker says. "But most worthwhile things are hard. She wasalways there for me when I needed a helping hand. It's only natural that I be here for her now."
46、When elderly parents cannot live at home safely, their children can change their home instead of sending them to an adult care facility.
47、To talk about long-term care is not easy because sometimes aged parents are suspicious of their children's financial motives.
48、Besides advance planning for finances or medical care, family caregivers take over many other responsibilities.
49、The difference between a durable power of attorney and a health care proxy is that the latter allows someone tomake decisions regarding medical treatment.
50、Baldocehi did not want to send her mother to a nursing home, but she had difficulty taking care of her.
51、Over 42 million caregivers helped an adult with everyday activities in the USA in 2009.
52、If a family needs information or help to sort out disagreements, there are many people they can call on.
53、Caregivers should pay attention to their own health, or they may bum out or.become depressed.
54、One will have to petition the court to be the parent's legal guardian, if there is no advance directive.
55、The national median cost of assisted living in 2011 was $39,135 and it is not covered by Medicaid.
參考答案：
46. [G]。題干意為，當上了年紀的父母住在家里不安全時，他們的孩子可以改變他們的家，而不是將他們送到成人看護中心去。注意抓住題干中的關鍵詞live at home safely和adult care facility。文章段落中，[G]段提到了上了年紀的父母住在家里不安全和成人看護中心的內(nèi)容，該段第二至四句提到，如果上了年紀的父母住在家里不再安全，對于孩子來說將他們送到成人看護中心也很難，不過有另外一種選擇——可以改變他們的家以適合他們在那里度過晚年。由此可知，題干是對原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案為[G]。
47. [D]。題干意為，談論長期護理問題并不容易，因為有時老年人會懷疑自己孩子有金錢方面的動機。注意 抓住題干中的關鍵詞talk about long-term care、suspicious of和financial motives。文章段落中，[D]段提到了談論長期護理和老年人會懷疑自己孩子的內(nèi)容，該段前三句指出，家庭成員談論長期護理問題是很重要的，這樣才能了解父母的喜好和意愿等，但是這并不容易，有時候父母會懷疑子女有金錢方面的動機。由此可知，題干是對原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案為[D]。
48. [H]。題干意為，除了提前進行資金和醫(yī)療方面的規(guī)劃，家庭護理人員還有其他許多責任。注意抓住題干 中的關鍵詞planning for finances or medical care和many other responsibilities。文章段落中，[H ]段首先就提到 了家庭護理人員要承擔許多責任，該段最后指出，家庭護理不僅僅要提前做好資金和醫(yī)療規(guī)劃，一切問題 都要考慮到。由此可知，題干是對原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案為[H]。
49. [C]。題干意為，永久授權(quán)書和醫(yī)療保健代理委托書的區(qū)別在于，后者允許某人做出有關醫(yī)療方面的決定。 注意抓住題干中的關鍵詞a durable power of attorney和a health care proxy。文章段落中，只有[C]段提到了 這兩個專有名詞，該段第二句指出，護理指示應該包含a durable power of attorney、a health care proxy和a living will。在介紹health care proxy時提到，它與durable power of attorney相似，只是它允許某人做出有關醫(yī)療方面的決定。由此可知，題干是對原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案為[C]。
50. [A]。題干意為，Baldocchi不想將母親送到療養(yǎng)院，但是她又很難照顧她。注意抓住題干中的關鍵詞 Baldocchi和nursing home。文章段落中，有幾段都提到了 Baldocchi,但是提到她不想將母親送往療養(yǎng)院但自己照顧母親又有困難的只有[A]段。題干內(nèi)容是對原文第一段的總結(jié)，故答案為[A]。
51. [B]。題干意為，2009年，美國有超過4200萬護理人員幫忙照料成年人的日常生活。題干中的關鍵詞為Over 42 million caregivers和help an adult with everyday activities。文章段落中，[B]段倒數(shù)第三句提到 了 More than 42 million Americans provide family caregiving for an adult who needs help with daily activities,其中 More than 42 million和daily activities分別與題干中的Over 42 million和everyday activities為同義互換。故答案為[B]。
52. [D]。題干意為，如果一個家庭需要解決糾紛的信息或幫助，他們可以向很多人求助。注意抓住題干中的關 鍵詞sort out disagreements和call on。文章段落中，[D]段倒數(shù)第二句提到，如果一些家庭需要解決糾紛的信息或 者幫助，他們可以向老年法律師、金融規(guī)劃師、老年人護理經(jīng)理和護理人員組織求助。由此可知，題干是對 原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案為[D]。
53. [I]。題干意為，家庭護理人員應該注意自己的身體健康，否則他們可能會累垮或者變得心情抑郁。注意抓 住題干中的關鍵詞their own health、burn out和depressed。文章段落中，提到要護理人員注意自己身體的是[I] 段，該段前三句指出，家庭護理人員也要注意自己的身體，有的時候護理者可能會累垮。對年齡在50歲及以 上的女性護理人員的調(diào)查顯示，有20%的人稱自己有抑郁癥狀。由此可知，題干是對原文這三句話的同義轉(zhuǎn) 述，故答案為[I ]。題干中的 pay attention to their own health和原文中的 watch their own health對應。
54. [C]。題干意為，如果沒有提前準備一份護理說明，那么想成為父母的合法監(jiān)護人需要向法庭申請。注意 抓住題干中的關鍵詞petition the court、parent’s legal guardian和no advance directive。本題比較簡單，這幾個關 鍵詞均在文章[C ]段中直接出現(xiàn)，該段最后一句提到，Without an advance directive, the family will have to petition the court to be appointed the parent’s legal guardian。由此可知，題干是對原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案 為[ C]。
55. [F]。題干意為，2011年，全國生活協(xié)助的平均花費為39，135美元，而且這項花費也不在醫(yī)療補助計劃的范 圍之內(nèi)。注意抓住題干中的關鍵詞2011、$39，135和Medicaid。本題也比較容易，掃讀全文，可以發(fā)現(xiàn)在[F] 段出現(xiàn)了2011和$39，135這兩個關鍵詞，并且后面也提到生活協(xié)助并不包含在醫(yī)療補助計劃之內(nèi)。由此可知，題干是對原文的同義轉(zhuǎn)述，故答案為[F]。