If you or a loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease,
it is important to take immediate steps to ensure that end-of-life care is as
comfortable as can be.
There is a common myth that people with Alzheimer's are
completely incompetent and cannot be trusted to make their own decisions. It is
not true as the early stages of the disease are relatively mild.
People who are diagnosed with the disease early enough can
still make their own decisions. However, as the disease progresses most do
eventually lose the ability to make their legal decisions as NorthJersey.com points out in "Planning becomes vital following Alzheimer's
diagnosis."
The article suggests that people who receive an Alzheimer's
diagnosis should get a general durable power of attorney, a health care power
of attorney and a living will.
The powers of attorney will allow the person to appoint
someone else to handle financial and medical affairs, respectively, when the
Alzheimer's patient is no longer able to do so. The living will is used to give
advanced directives about what type of treatments doctors should employ to keep
the patient alive.
These are important documents to have.
Getting them after an Alzheimer's diagnosis is solid advice.
However, even better advice is not to wait until after receiving such a
diagnosis. All three documents are part of general estate planning. There is no
need to wait until you know you will need them to get them.
For more information on Durable Powers of Attorney in
California, please visit our website at www.OCElderLaw.com
or contact our office in Orange County at 714-525-4600 for a consultation with
an estate planning attorney.
Reference: NorthJersey.com (Dec. 27, 2015) "Planning becomes vital following Alzheimer's
diagnosis."
No comments:
Post a Comment