Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive condition. In fact, doctors tell us that changes in the brain brought on by this disorder may start many years before symptoms first appear. At first, those symptoms may be very mild and easily confused with the normal aging process.
Early in the development of symptoms, Alzheimer’s patients may be perfectly able to handle their own financial and legal affairs. As the disease progresses, they will begin to need help with those matters. If you have a loved one who is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s, now is the time to make doubly sure that important decisions are made and kept up to date. It is a good idea to include or inform the entire family of those decisions. This can save loved ones a lot of stress and uncertainty at a later date.
People of all ages should have certain basic legal documents, but this is especially true for seniors. As long as it is possible, Alzheimer’s patients should participate in legal and financial planning. It is very important that those documents accurately reflect the person’s wishes. These basic documents should be part of planning for all seniors:
- A Power of attorney for health care, giving someone close to the patient the power to make health care decisions when they are no longer able to do so.
- A Power of attorney, giving the Alzheimer’s patient an opportunity to choose someone to make legal decisions for them when they are no longer able to do so.
- A Living will, giving a family member or loved one the power to decide which, if any, life support treatments he wants if he goes into a coma or becomes terminally ill.
- A will that clearly spells out the person’s wishes and names an executor to manage the estate.
Of course, those are basic documents that any adult should have, but they become even more important when Alzheimer’s disease if first diagnosed. OurSeniors.net and its Senior Transition Pro Team can help with these important matters. The legal issues important to seniors require knowledgeable, trustworthy advice from an experienced professional. OurSeniors.net exists to help with these and the other challenges faced by seniors and their loved ones. Remember OurSeniors.net, the Senior Transition Pro Team and our professional office staff when you are searching for a-
- Florida attorney
- Florida CPA
- A senior real estate specialist
- Financial advice for seniors
To see a list of OurSeniors.net Elder Law Attorneys, click Elder Law at OurSeniors.net
You can contact an OurSeniors.net Advisor by phone at 866-333-2657 (se habla Español), or by using Contact Us. Check out our website at OurSeniors.net and take an online look at our senior living magazine, OurSeniors.net Magazine by clicking its link.
