When Your Diagnosis Is Dementia…
I have been diagnosed with brain damage and dementia. Word to the younger folks: I woke up last year and suddenly could not spell or write legibly. No warning. No symptoms.
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Laurel, MD 20707
Downs Law Firm, P.C.
Home • Health Care Power of Attorney
I have been diagnosed with brain damage and dementia. Word to the younger folks: I woke up last year and suddenly could not spell or write legibly. No warning. No symptoms.
At some point, you’ll want to share your estate plans with your loved ones—and the first step in this process may be to hold a family meeting.
If you haven’t had any experience with guardianship for adults with dementia, it’s likely you don’t understand just how complex it is. You are not alone.
Even Consumer Reports suggests working with an experienced estate planning attorney to make sure documents are correctly prepared.
A common dilemma that families face upon the incapacity or death of a loved one is locating estate planning documents. While preparing the documents are the most important step, that is irrelevant if the documents are lost when they most need to be used.
To make sure you have your own decision-makers prepared to speak for your medical decisions if you can’t, because you didn’t get your vaccine for Covid-19, or some other tragedy, please see an estate planning attorney and get your living will and advanced directive in place.
Does a Power of Attorney ever lapse? What happens if I change my mind and want to take the Power of Attorney back? Can the Power of Attorney refuse to return the authority?
If someone has lost capacity to execute legal documents and has no power of attorney in place or has a power of attorney that is no longer usable (for example, if the named agents are deceased), a guardianship proceeding may be the only recourse.
If your parents are at a point where they struggle with their financial affairs, increasing your family communication can help them get the help they need.
Snowbirds Checklist Heading is a good idea but consider legal issues before leaving. If you are a retiree who heads south after the holidays, it might be wise to create a checklist of at least four personal legal business items, according to LimaOhio.com in “Extra checklist before heading south for the winter.” Not that January and February aren’t delightful here in the Baltimore-Washington area… First, make sure that your living will and healthcare power of attorney documents have been updated. Does your family have copies of these documents? Or do you emailed copies to them ? If you have these documents with us, we now scan them and forward a copy to you to send on to your decision makers. If they save that email, they will also have our contact information to access your Property Power of Attorney if needed. Second, discuss the location of your estate planning portfolio with them, and how to contact your estate planning attorney. Update them if changes need to be made and get copies to your children and/or friends. Third, make sure that your last will and testament is updated. Have you had any big changes in your life since the last time it was reviewed? Marriages, deaths, divorces, births, and adoptions are the typical “trigger” events that signal a need for review. Being out of town for an extended time is a good prompt to review how current your documents are, and how they address your concerns. Who will have that document? If your estate planning attorney maintains original copies for clients, then make sure to have another original on your person or safely secured with a loved one. Lastly, and this takes a little time but is well worth doing, create a list of all your assets. Make sure they are properly titled for your situation. Should you have all your bank accounts become Payable on Death to your spouse? When was the last time you checked your beneficiary designations? Chances are good there are beneficiary designations on your bank, investment, and retirement accounts and on your life insurance policies. Wherever you have a beneficiary designation, you should also have a contingent beneficiary. An estate planning attorney can advise you snowbirds on creating an estate plan that fits your unique circumstances and may include a trip in a southerly direction. Reference: LimaOhio.com (Oct. 13, 2018) “Extra checklist before heading south for the winter”