Surprises happen. Sometimes, they could have been preventable. Sometimes there wasn’t a thing that you could do to stop it from happening. Either way, hindsight is 20/20. Looking back and wishing something had been done differently doesn’t really count for much.
This is why preparation is so important. Simply telling someone your wishes isn’t enough. Lots of people say that they will never go into a nursing home, but a lot of those individuals end up needing this higher level of care, whether they want it or not. They end up in a nursing home because it’s the right place for their needs to be met.
If you or a loved one were to have an accident or a stroke and be unable to speak on your own, what would happen? This is where advance directives and planning ahead can help. If you have very specific wishes when it comes to care, working with an attorney will ensure that those desires are acted upon. Advance directives are legal documents that must be acted upon, but they need to be done right with the guidance of an attorney in order for them to be binding. Just like you would speak with an attorney to help you prepare a will, working with an attorney for events that happen before you pass away can help make wills and trusts far more effective by protecting people and assets.
Now, even though I’m saying that being prepared ahead of time is the best policy, there are still things that will get overlooked. That’s the way life goes. But the more you plan, the lesser the odds of this happening become.
For your elderly loved ones, estate planning might not be a pleasant topic, but it’s a very important one that can help enhance peace of mind.
I’m not a lawyer, so please don’t consider any of this to be legal advice. But even with that said, it is important to think about the future and take steps now to make sure that your family is as safe and well protected as possible moving into the future.
If you have questions about estate planning and advance directives, get in touch with an attorney. They will help point you more accurately in the right direction, answering questions that can help shape the future of your family and ensure that your loved one’s wishes and desires are met, even if they’re unable to speak for themselves.
Senior care plays a role in all of this. Some people have very clear desires when it comes to the quality and type of care that they will receive. The sooner you have this discussion with your older loved ones, the easier it will be to make sure that they have the help and support that they need moving forward. You don’t necessarily need to make concrete plans today, but the sooner you start laying the groundwork, the more accurately their estate planning wishes will be fulfilled.
How can we help you? If you’ve never given much thought to the care of a loved one, we can help you get started with a free consultation. Not sure what needs to be done? We can help with that, too.
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