Many California residents are getting ready for life as senior citizens. This is a time for many people to slow down and begin getting the most enjoyment out of life. Before you enjoy retirement, it’s important to have plans in place for unexpected circumstances. Here are a few ways you can protect yourself and take care of your wishes as an aging parent.
Creating a living will
Medical emergencies often happen without warning. If you become incapacitated, this situation can create lots of confusion among your family. That’s why many people create living wills. This legal document provides care instructions should you become terminally ill. In this situation, it’s unlikely that you’d be able to make these decisions voluntarily.
Granting a power of attorney
You might have a clear picture of your finances right now. However, keeping track of your financial affairs often becomes harder as you grow older. Fortunately, aging parents can get the help they need by granting trusted people to be their financial power of attorney.
Choosing your healthcare decisions
Another important aspect of elder law involves a healthcare directive. This document details the care you want to receive if you become incapacitated. It can include resuscitation specifications, in-home care options and similar matters. The main difference between a healthcare directive and a living will is that the latter only covers terminal illnesses. Healthcare directives cover more medical situations like comas and severe dementia.
While no one wants to think about their own death, planning your estate helps you take care of loved ones when you’re not around. Therefore, it’s beneficial to have legal documents detailing your last wishes prepared as soon as possible.