I am Young and in Good Health. Why Plan Now When I Can Probably Wait?
Published: Fri, 05/01/15
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I am Young and in Good Health. Why Plan Now When I Can Probably Wait?If you cannot view the image below, please read the article on our blog. Q. I am in my 40's and run marathons. I am in better health now than I have been in my entire life. My family eats only organic foods, and we are hardly ever sick. My grandparents are still alive, and they are in their 90's, and my husband has a grandmother who is 102! If heredity has anything to do with it, we have long lives ahead. In addition, my husband and I are safe drivers, and typically take the metro or bike to work. We don't participate in many dangerous activities, unless you consider skiing to be dangerous. Should people like us even plan for incapacity, when the likelihood is nothing will happen to us? A. Kudos on your healthy lifestyle! It's true that exercise and healthy eating have countless benefits and can help stave off disease. But what happens if something unexpected happens to you or your spouse? For example, what if you got into a bike accident that leaves you unconscious, or your doctors need a last-minute decision about something while you are sedated for surgery. When you can't speak for yourself, you want to make sure your medical and financial wishes are honored. And that means spelling out your specific preferences on paper and choosing someone you trust to handle decisions for you. Take, for example, a much publicized case from ten years ago. Terri Schiavo of Florida did not anticipate slipping into a coma and then having her husband and parents fight over her medical care and ultimate wishes for the next 15 years while she lay brain-dead and on a feeding tube. She did not anticipate a legal back-and-forth between her husband and her parents, that ended up in the Supreme Court, with even the President and the Pope involved. I am sure she would have never wanted that for her family, during such a difficult time for everyone. Keep in mind that she first landed in the hospital when she was only 26, proving you never know when something unexpected can happen and you're never too young to detail your life wishes. Less than a third of the population has completed Incapacity Planning documents. This often leads to wishes not being met, court involvement and supervision, and more stress and grief for loved ones. Why don’t people plan for incapacity? Reasons often range from a natural tendency to procrastinate, the preconception that it is a costly and complex process; and sometimes even the superstitious feeling that if you don’t ask for it, it won’t occur. Another common belief is that if we become unable to make decisions for ourselves, our family will decide what is best for us. All of these reasons can lead to difficult and emotionally charged situations if you or a loved one becomes incapacitated, which could easily be avoided with proper Incapacity Planning. To begin the Incapacity Planning process, people of all ages should sit down with their family members to openly discuss their needs and the roles of loved ones in assuring those needs are met. Important topics of discussion for families should include caregiver roles, financial considerations, and incapacity wishes. Because of the difficulty of such topics, many families don’t have the conversation until it is too late. For more details on how to broach this conversation with a loved one, please read our blog post on the topic. Important Incapacity Planning Documents Once this important conversation occurs, and important decisions are discussed, it is important to work with a qualified elder law attorney (preferably a Certified Elder Law Attorney) to ensure that the Incapacity Planning documents listed below are in place. Doing so is the best way to ensure that your wishes are met should you become unable to make important decisions for yourself.
Fairfax Elder Law: 703-691-1888 Fredericksburg Elder Law: 540-479-1435 Rockville Elder Law: 301-519-8041 DC Elder Law: 202-587-2797 ----- Critter Corner: Yellow Dot Can Save Lives  Dear Commander Bun Bun, My wife, Jennifer, was recently in a car accident. Luckily, it wasn't serious. What would happen if one of us were in a serious car accident? What if we are hurt or shaken up and couldn't communicate with the first responders? Do you know of a way to alert the emergency personnel that she is diabetic and that I have Parkinson's Disease, if we cannot tell them verbally?
Thanks! Dot Onkar ----- Dear Dot, A program called the Yellow Dot program is designed to help crash victims, especially seniors, communicate with rescuers during the crucial first 60 minutes after a serious crash that can make the difference between life and death for the critically injured.
Participants in the free program receive a yellow dot to place on their rear window; it alerts emergency services personnel to look for a corresponding yellow folder in the glove box. That folder contains a photograph, a list of medical conditions, prescriptions, and other vital information. The nation's first Yellow Dot program began in Connecticut in 2002. Yellow Dot programs, with slight variations from state to state, are in counties scattered across at least eight other states: Kansas, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Massachusetts, Virginia, Alabama and New York.
The Yellow Dot program is one of many services offered by TRIAD, a crime prevention program for senior citizens that is designed to keep seniors safe on the road and at home. There are currently 226 counties (including Fairfax and Spotsylvania Counties), cities, and towns that participate in TRIAD, and most of the programs are available at little to no cost.
What happens if you are in a serious accident and you become incapacitated? Once you have your documents in place, how can your loved ones locate them when they are needed? At The Law Firm of Evan H. Farr, P.C., we offer a service called DocuBank to ensure that that the documents you've completed will be there when you need them most, such as when you are hospitalized. DocuBank is an electronic storage and access service for healthcare directives and other legal documents, so your documents are available whenever you need them. Read more about Docubank on our Website.
Hop this is Helpful, Commander Bun Bun |
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