Eldercare and Legal Issues

Regardless of your age or mental condition, I highly recommend having recurring bills drafted. This allows freedom of movement so you do not have to be home to receive and pay bills. This is a particularly good idea for your elderly parents. Such bills include but are not limited to

• Utility Bills
• Insurance
  

Other items that should be addressed include obtaining

• A Power of Attorney
• A Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
• A Directive to Physicians
  
• Updated Will
• Arrangements Regarding Financial Accounts

Many of the needed legal forms can be obtained online.
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Luckily in my family we addressed most of these issues before my parents got to the point where the need arose. No one wants to have their parents declared incompetent in order to handle their affairs. By making arrangements while the are fully competent you avoid strife.

Be sure you know about their bank accounts, savings accounts, certificates of deposit, stocks, bonds, life insurance, real estate holdings, mineral interests etc.

In many instances it is advisable to seek the advice of a financial planner.