Is your parent suffering from physical or mental decline? Is your “healthy” parent trying to care for the sick parent and declining themselves in the process? Do you lay awake at night worrying about them? What about you? Are you having to step in and help? Do you have the the time required to give them the care they need? Is your life suffering as well? We can help.
Don’t Wait To Help Your Parents Plan
We see it time and time again. One parent’s mind is working but their body is failing. While the other parent’s mental capacity is fading fast. They lean on each other to make it through the day. But at any moment this “house of cards” could fall. Other times there is no spouse and all the care falls on you the child. If your parent has capacity issues, it is important to decide where care will be provided. Many times a declining Senior can remain at home with the assistance of family members and / or with the assistance of some outside caregivers. Care at home can be expensive and it is important to set a plan in place to be able to provide the care needed without running out of money.
If your Loved One has declined to the point where care at home is no longer an option, there are many facility options that may be appropriate. It is critical to select the best care option and the best way to pay for this care while preserving as many assets as possible. This is especially important if there is a “well” spouse at home that could be left destitute paying for the sick spouses care.
Capacity is a slippery slope. If a spouse or parent is declining mentally but still has the capacity to make decisions, this is one indication that quick but careful decisions need to be made. While there are planning options even after a person has lost capacity, much better planning options exist when the planning process is initiated sooner as opposed to later.
Even if your parent(s) have full capacity but they are declining physically, this can take a HUGE toll on the caregiver whether it’s you, the other parent, or both. We help you come up with a plan to not only have your legal affairs in order, but also choose the right care, with the right people, in the right location to avoid caregiver burnout and potential massive loss of assets.
If your parent is declining, time is of the essence. Whether they need to establish a plan of care, have an existing estate plan reviewed or to have a plan prepared from scratch, contact our office to set a time for a strategy session to get their plan in place while they have the ability to participate in the planning process.