As Mother’s Day approaches, I find myself thinking of my mother-in-law, who welcomed me as family from the very start. I have such warm memories of holidays in her home, my husband and his brother helping in the kitchen, and the stories she loved to tell.
Looking back, I now recognize the early signs of dementia that began when she and my father-in-law moved from Shingletown to Yuba City—years before we ultimately had to go to court to place her in memory care.
It was my own experience of filing a conservatorship for my mother-in-law, and sitting in court as she was declared unable to care for herself, that drove me to find better ways to help families avoid the courtroom altogether. I also saw firsthand how much of a family’s resources can be drained by legal fees—money that could have gone toward ensuring the best possible care.
Conservatorship is sometimes unavoidable, but it is always expensive and emotionally difficult.
If you are noticing signs of dementia in a loved one, give me a call. My goal is to help families plan ahead and, whenever possible, avoid going to court. And if court becomes necessary, I can guide you through it with compassion and expertise.
