The aging process comes with individual role changes and transitions. Some roles, spouse or employee, may be bewildered, while new roles, widow or volunteer, may spring up. Such changes call for role adjustment or modification. The elements that may influence role adjustment include age, sex, beliefs, attitudes, financial gain, health, cultural background, and preceding experiences.
With aging, changes in the marital role may take place. The division of work and labor, and household management may change after retirement. If the other becomes ill, one spouse may take the role of the primary caregiver; If a better half passes away, social relations for the one left may also change. As a result, spouses may call for a “renegotiation” of household chores as well as leisure time and social activities. An independent adult may find himself growing dependent of the persons around him and it is all associated with an aging person’s natural, growing need for assistance. As we all know, the aging process comes with major physical, psychological, and sociological losses as well as a diminished ability to compensate and cope up with common stressors.
One of the most profound losses a person can experience in his or her lifetime is the death of a spouse. In addition, widowhood can seriously impact a person’s financial status, social network, and also physical and mental health. Bringing in awareness of counseling services, support groups, and other resources that are available to help him or her cope and adapt to the loss of a spouse is of great help. Informing him or her about respite care services that are available proves to be helpful especially when the affected person is a caregiver.
Following a loss of this kind, remember that there are decisions that should be made and paperworks that should be filed pronto. Take the easy route and call Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 if by chance you cannot find your spouse’s Social Security Number. 12 certified copies of the death certificate from the funeral directory or country health department are also needed. Aside from that, birth certificates from the state or country public records office where the person was born is also a requirement. To be able to prove your relationship and eligibility for any benefits, you’ll also need a marriage certificate on file with the county clerk where the license was released.
In instances where you can’t locate your spouse’s recent Income Tax returns, you could fill out IRS form 4506, a request for Copy or Transcript of Tax Form, with proof of authorization attached to act in lieu of your spouse.
If applicable in your case, you’ll necessitate Military Discharge papers to also prove eligibility for any benefits. If you don’t have this, you could contact the National Personnel Records Center, 9700 Page Boulevard, St. Louis, MO 63132-5200, and call attention of the branch of the military where your spouse has served.
Lastly, the Original Will as evidence, to show disposition of assets, which may be at the office of a lawyer who wrote it or in a safety deposit box, is needed. Arm yourself with Marriage Certificate, Death Certificate and Social Security Numbers for you and your spouse since some banks may have special procedures that would require these things. While losing someone is painful, it doesn’t need to be hard on your pocket too, if you’ve just lost your better half, make sure you don’t lose your financial security, and the earliest you could bring yourself to put these things in order, the better.
