People Are Living Longer – Are You Prepared?
By Frank Demarinis
People are living longer. National Vital Statistics show that average life expectancy is nearly twice what it was 100 years ago. With greater life expectancy, people adopt a false sense of security that they “have plenty of time” to get financial and health-related aspects of their life in order. The reality is that some seniors have outlived their family members and many of their friends. In this case, the question is, who will make your health and financial decisions for you if you can’t?
It’s never pleasant to think that, at some point, we will no longer be in charge of our own lives. No one knows when a medical incident will occur and it is beneficial to have a plan in place. The reality is that many people are just not prepared. I’ve met several people the last few weeks that have inherited Power of Attorney over a distant uncle or relative that they have not seen in years. Although this is not the best case scenario, these people are lucky enough to have a surviving family member. What happens to those that don’t?
At Advanced Directive, LLC, we help people with their finances and health needs when there is no one else able to do so. Many people are unaware that finances and health are controlled by separate documents. For example, there is a financial power of attorney and a medical power of attorney. While we are able to assist with control of both health and finance, what we do goes beyond making the legal decisions alone. We can help take care of your home if you are hospitalized or in extended rehabilitation. While you are gone, we ensure that pets are cared for and bills are paid. We can even arrange transportation if necessary and make sure that you are cared for…just as a family member or friend would take care of you. With our services, you have the peace of mind that someone is taking care of your home and you in the event that you can’t. And that plan of care is built through extensive conversations with you and thorough documentation. We ensure that we do it the way you want it done.
Think of the following scenario, which is a real life example . . .
A gentleman was estranged from his wife and had only one distant relative. He had no one to act on his behalf and suddenly found himself without a place to live. Once we worked with him to establish his care plan, we arranged for transportation to and from doctors appointments, placement in an assisted living facility—which he was very excited about—and we even provided the bedding and necessities he needed to assure he was as comfortable as possible. We helped manage his finances, personal needs and health needs through this difficult time, using the highest level of discretion to help make the best decisions for his well-being. This is our approach with all of our clients; to make the best plan to maximize and protect their money and assets. In this gentleman’s case, our number one goal is to make sure he always has someone to act on his behalf and in his best interest.
If you or someone you know aren’t sure what you would do if faced with an unexpected event or expense, and few or no close family relatives or friends to assist, then Advanced Directive, LLC may be the answer.
If you would like additional information please contact us, we would be happy to assist you in planning for the unexpected and ensuring your safety and security for the future in the event you aren’t able to do so for yourself.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done to help my uncle. He would not have been able to get to a safe place without you. We attempted to get help from so many dead ends, you made everything seamless. We know he is in good hands, thank you.” ~ B.D.
1-800-564-0173
