If an elderly relative has dementia now but nothing was set up in advance what can we do?
You didn’t have a plan and now you have a close relative or friend with dementia and the responsibility for their care has fallen on you. What do you do now? Elder law attorney Martha Patterson offers some options to consider.
First of al, she cautions, a diagnosis of dementia does not mean the person is incapacitated. If the person with a dementia diagnosis is not incapacitated you have a limited amount of time to get a legal plan set up for their care and financial management. But if nothing was set up in advance and the relative is incapacitated you have to go to court for a conservatorship which can be expensive and invasive, with a big investigation of all assets. “The court will have a rigorous process,” says Martha Patterson.
Elder law attorney Martha Patterson offers a free consultation and $500 off any paid services when you contact her at her website www.ElderLawMom.com and this is something you shouldn’t put off.
