Estate Planning In Clearwater When Caring For Aging Parents Or Other Vulnerable Adults

According to fact sheets for Florida from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), one out of four residents is a caregiver, providing regular support and assistance to aging parents or other vulnerable adults. While you focus on their current needs, consider what the future might hold. Our Clearwater estate planning attorney explains how anticipating unexpected events and putting the appropriate legal documents in place helps ensure they continue to be properly provided for.

Caretakers Play A Major Role In Providing Needed Help To Others

Caring for others is a fulfilling yet demanding and time-consuming job. The CDC reports that the average caregiver in Florida dedicates up to 20 hours per week, assists with more than half of the individual’s personal needs, and does 80 percent of their housework.

Forty percent of all caregiving concerns aging parents, but there are others you may elect to help. These include other vulnerable family members, friends, or neighbors. They may be dealing with the effects of aging, suffer limited mobility or cognitive impairments, or have chronic conditions that require regular monitoring. Support and services you may provide are likely to include:

• Offering companionship to combat loneliness;
• Taking them on outings or to get groceries;
• Helping them with bathing or other personal tasks;
• Helping them clean and make repairs around their home;
• Monitoring ongoing health issues and making sure they get adequate medical care.

Estate Planning Documents That Help In Protecting The People You Care For

Caregivers often form close, loving bonds with the people they provide for. The last thing you would want is to see them suffer or go without, but you may have concerns about their well-being in case of unexpected events. Putting certain estate planning documents in Clearwater can help in continuing to provide for them properly. Among the options available include:

• Power of attorney: Under the Florida Statutes, powers of attorney authorize someone you trust to make important decisions on your behalf if you are incapacitated or otherwise unable to. Designating a power of attorney can help in providing for practical needs for those who are dependent on your care.
• A will: Everyone needs a will. If you are a caregiver, you may want to leave certain property or assets to the person you care for, which can help in meeting their ongoing needs.
• A trust: in some cases this is an efficient vehicle to provide for the management of the assets of aging parents or other vulnerable adults. You can designate someone you trust to provide continuing care while allocating the funds needed to meet specific needs, such as offsetting housing costs or paying medical expenses.

Contact Our Clearwater Estate Planning Attorney

If you are a caregiver, you likely want to ensure the people you care for are provided for and protected in case of unexpected events. Clearwater estate planning attorney William Rambaum can help you put the appropriate documents in place. Reach out and contact us today to schedule a consultation.

Sources:

cdc.gov/aging/data/infographic/2015/florida-caregiving.html

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0700-0799/0709/0709.html