Mom and I both love crosswords. Sometimes we each need a little help.
I got immersed in this arena when my mother-in-law started to decline intellectually.
I wasn’t a lawyer yet, and my husband and I struggled to figure out how best to care for his mom.
We were lucky. When she was still fit, she had gotten everything in order: a will, a durable power of attorney, an advanced directive for health care… (She spelled out exactly what she wanted and indoctrinated her son for a decade on what she wanted when final decisions had to be made). She had meticulously inventoried her investments and property and everything was set to pass on with minimum fuss (no probate, minimum taxes).
A stroke in her mid-80′s wiped out most of her memory. She still loved to have visitors but now she didn’t recognize them, not even her son. Yet she seemed happy and when we’d visit we’d find her sitting with her face to the sun, smiling. Another stroke put her in a terminal coma and she was gone before her long-term care insurance had kicked in.
And now my own mom has moved to an assisted living facility.
Frankly, we’re a little late getting her life plan in order. At 86, she’s doing great, but we know that many of her contemporaries didn’t make it this far. She’s got some complicated issues, limited funds, some health problems and we’re trying to ensure her comfort and happiness.
One of my personal missions is to do some lobbying, to advise people that they need to plan for the final acts in their life play, that their kids need to know what their parents want and acquire the tools to fulfill their wishes.
You don’t have to be a lawyer to do this and you don’t absolutely need me to do this work for you. But I can give you a hand, counsel you on alternatives, make sure your documents match your wishes and help you through the bureaucratic mess called Social Security, Medicare, Medi-Cal and all the rest.
Give me call at 805.644.4707 and we can talk about your situation either on the phone or you can come to my office for a free preliminary consultation. If your mobility is impaired, I can come to you. Just ask.