Waiting

Don’t worry mom, you can always count on me

I understand why you haven’t spoken to your parents about getting a power of attorney. It’s awkward. And you don’t want to seem greedy or controlling. Plus, parents are difficult. You have to take time off work to meet with the lawyer. And you have to pay for it!

Perhaps you might find it helpful if I gave you a little glimpse into our world of elder law, a world in which an ounce of prevention is worth so many pounds of cure.

Each month, and sometimes each week, I have to tell the spouse, child, or grandchild of a potential client that I am not able to do the legal work they desire, because their spouse/mother/grandmother no longer has the capacity to make her own legal decisions. She has asked me the same question several times in ten minutes, she is obviously disoriented and not tracking the conversation, or she has an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Believe me, I don’t want to tell you we now have to do a court case called a Conservatorship. I would much rather take care of your spouse/mother/grandmother in the privacy of our office. Conservatorships are expensive, we have to get a letter from your doctor, and I don’t particularly like going to court.

But I’m not allowed to make legal documents for someone who doesn’t know what they are signing. No matter how nice the family is.

This just happened last week.

It hasn’t happened this week yet, but it’s only Tuesday.