Happy Monday; we’re glad you’re joining us! The information in this week’s posts is crucial to ensuring that you and your family spend as much fulfilling time with your loved one as possible.

You know better than anyone that being a caregiver for an elderly loved one — while often rewarding — has its less-than-pleasant parts. One of those parts is estate planning. It’s not particularly fun to plan for the time after your loved one passes away, but getting the financial and legal details taken care of ahead of time certainly makes it worthwhile. Not only will you get some peace of mind, but you will be grateful for the unburdened time to spend with your loved one.

When estate planning, always collaborate with the appropriate professionals — they’ll make sure you’re doing everything you should be doing, and in the best and most efficient way possible, for your loved one.

When establishing health care directives for medical decisions, complete a living will or advanced health care directive that specifies what medical treatment your loved one will allow and will not allow — this includes orders like Do-Not-Resuscitate (DNR) in the event of incapacitation.

Also, draft a “ health care power of attorney” — a document that authorizes a representative to make medical decisions on your loved one’s behalf.

When it comes to estate planning for your loved one, communication is crucial. Make sure you’re communicating all decisions to your loved one and appropriate family members so everyone is on the same page, in agreement and comfortable with the arrangements.

Check back on Wednesday or subscribe for more helpful information on estate planning! We’ll see you soon.