In the cycle of life, there usually comes a time when as older adults we cannot handle everything ourselves. We may have health challenges that make it difficult to live independently. We may have memory problems that get in the way of being able to balance the checkbook, pay the bills and manage our assets. At the end of life, we may become unable to speak and so unable express our preferences for care.
The importance of planning
While none of these problems is a given, proactive individuals recognize that their lives will unfold more to their wishes if they face these possibilities head on. You can make plans for future needs now. And if you don’t need them, great. But if you do, you can rest assured that your wishes will be followed and your values respected.
Why hire a service?
There are many situations where it is preferable to hire a professional to serve as your decision-maker:
- You may not have any children or living relatives and do not want to give this responsibility to a friend.
- Your family may live too far away to realistically serve as decision-makers.
- You may have family members, but don’t feel confident in their ability to follow your wishes.
- You may have relatives, but don’t want to burden them with these responsibilities.
With our advance planning service, we go over your preferences on a wide range of topics. Our goal is to gain a deep understanding of your values and priorities so we can make decisions the way you would if you were able.
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Decisions regarding money matters
Whether the need is short term (assistance with the sale of a house, decision-making while you are in the hospital), or more on-going, we will work with you now, to understand your needs and wishes. Then we create the right paperwork to be sure your wishes will be carried out as you prefer. Depending on your needs and the availability of others in your family or personal network, we can arrange to become:
- Durable Power-of-Attorney. The law allows you to designate a person to act on your behalf, making financial and legal decisions if you become incapacitated. This can be a temporary or permanent arrangement.
- Representative Payee. Some programs like Social Security and the Veteran Administration require special documents designating a “Representative Payee” to act on your behalf.
- Guardian (arranged before the need). In this case, you select us to be your guardian should the need arise. This arrangement comes into play only when conditions indicate that you are no longer able to make your own decisions and there is no one else you want to have make them.
- Trustee or Successor Trustee. For those with a living trust, we can be named to manage the trust if you are no longer able to do so.
- Personal Representative or Executor. In this role, we can be named in a Last Will and Testament to administer your estate after you have passed away. Our job is to distribute your assets according to your wishes.
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Decisions regarding health and well-being
It may be that you get to a point where you cannot make medical decisions for yourself. We meet with you to understand your definition of quality of life. We also talk about health care planning so we deeply understand your wishes for treatment when you are near the end of life. Depending on your situation, we can then prepare the appropriate documents for:
- Health Power of Attorney. Naming who you want to make treatment decisions in your stead.
- Living Will. Part of the advance directive that indicates your preferences regarding life support.
- Guardian (arranged in advance of your need). In this case you select us to be your guardian should the need arise. This encompasses decisions relating to health care, but can also include decisions about living arrangements (assisted living, bringing hired help into the home, etc.).
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