Are you a family member or guardian of someone that suffers from dementia? Is s/he living in a nursing home? Do you know what medications s/he is taking? Do you know what the dosages are? When was the last time those medications were reevaluated to determine if they are helping in any way, or if they are even necessary? These are all important questions to keep in mind and to continue asking the administrators of the nursing home and the physicians who care for your loved one. [Read more…]
Astor Matter Reminds Us that Trustworthiness is Essential When Nominating Substitute Decision Makers
Lately, the matter of Brooke Astor’s estate has been covered in the media. Like many people she had an estate plan in place which included a Durable Power of Attorney and Health Care Proxy, which nominated subsituted decision makers in the event she would lose the capacity to make important financial and/or medical decisions at some point during her elder years. She did not want to burden her family with obtaining a Guardianship and/or Conservatorship through the courts. She did end up suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and her son took over her financial powers. He just didn’t do a very good job… [Read more…]
The Value of a Health Care Proxy for Your College Student
Who do you know that is getting ready to go off to college this fall? Perhaps it’s your own child, a niece/nephew, grandchild, or son/daughter of a friend. Families will soon be shopping for bedding, mini-fridges, Easy Mac, and textbooks. With the myriad of things to be done before the fall, I’ll bet you very few family “to-do” lists include a check off box for Get Junior a Health Care Proxy. This often overlooked necessity is something that should, at the very least, be considered.
When your child turns 18 they are a bona-fide adult and Mom and Dad cannot step in to make medical decisions for their now “adult” children. In Massachusetts, the only document legally recognized to name a substitute decision maker is a Health Care Proxy. However, the overwhelming majority of college students do not have a Health Care Proxy in place. [Read more…]
