Many important decisions concerning finances, health care, and end-of-life care require legal documents. Creating these documents in advance can save you time, money, and stress. Without them, you may need a court proceeding to establish guardianship or conservatorship when and if an elder loses his or her capacity to make financial or health care decisions.
It's never too early to start talking about health care decisions with your elder and others involved in the care of the elder. Good advance planning requires that you have an ongoing conversation with your elder about his or her beliefs and values about quality-of-life and end-of-life issues. You need to communicate before a crisis arises so that you can feel confident that you understand the wishes of the elder and can make decisions without arguing with him or her or other family members.
Continue to Important Legal Documents...