By Susan M. Graham, Certified Elder Law Attorney*, Senior Edge Legal, Boise, Idaho
Self-neglect is a problem for seniors who live alone. You already know why this is a problem. You may be choosing to ignore that you have an absence of a “human alarm system”, and may may have fallen into the “stoicism trap” undermining seeking help.
Twenty-four million in this country live alone. Just like our society assumes most families include a mom and dad and two kids who live in a nice house with two incomes, they assume everyone has a family available to help when needed.
Single people often lack family or friends to step in when needed to provide an informal safety net. This creates a magnified risk for housing, care costs, food security, caregiver gaps and financial and physical abuse.
If nothing is done, and a crisis occurs, a court will make decisions about who can handle financial and health decisions and how money is spent. Usually these are strangers who know nothing about you.
My father-in-law was a “grumpy man” who did not want help from anyone, because he “didn’t need it”. He told me his plan was that he would never leave his home, and if he could not care for himself, he had a gun and would shoot himself. One day he fell in his home, was on the floor for two days. Thankfully the cleaning ladies found him and called an ambulance. He spent a month in intensive care, never fully recovered and was discharged to a nursing home where he died a year later. Not what he planned.
There is an easy fix for Solo Agers. If you want to keep your independence, you must choose ahead of time who you want to help when you can’t effectively care for your needs. This must be done in writing in a way that meets legal standards. At a minimum sign health and financial powers of attorney, a living will for end-of-life choices, and a will or trust that states who you want to help, who will care for your pets, and who will receive your property when you die.
Please contact our office, Senior Edge Legal at 208-344-0375 to set an appointment. Take the necessary steps to protect your independence and reduce the risk of a disastrous future you never imagined. Don’t be like my father-in-law and spend your last days in misery.
***********************************************
FREE Public Seminar –
“If You Die Today, Would Your Family Know What to Do?”
Wednesday, May 13 at 10:00 a.m.
Hampton Inn and Suites, Boise Spectrum, 7499 Overland Road
CALL NOW to register!! 208-344-0375
***********************************************
Call Senior Edge Legal today: Schedule your FREE 1-hour consultation [if we are the right fit]—before tomorrow’s concerns become today’s crisis. Call 208-344-0375, send an e-mail to [email protected], or Contact Us on our website
Senior Edge Legal: Empowering retirees to safeguard their independence and financial stability through strategic estate planning solutions.
*******************************
Undoubtedly you have thought of someone who could use our services. If so, please have them call us at 208-344-0375. Introductions and referrals are the lifeblood of our practice. Thank you.
* Certified by the National Elder Law Foundation
