Many people in Washington State face the challenge of how to provide the best help to and care for an aging parent or other relative. One of the biggest problems encountered by families is how and when to have the conversation about ensuring adult children have the authority to help make decisions on the part of their parents. If you are concerned about this, you should know that it can be easier to have a durable power of attorney established while your parent is still in reasonably good health.
As explained by Better Health While Aging, getting a POA in order early not only allows you to be able to manage your parent’s affairs when needed but it may also eliminate the situation many people find themselves in later on when one family member accuses another of manipulating an ailing parent into signing such a document under duress.
People who have not done this might start to notice that a parent is forgetful or has slacked off on basic things like housecleaning or personal care. If this happens, you might consider reaching out to your parent’s physician to share this information. This allows the doctor to have important details and maybe initiate conversations about getting help.
If you would like to learn more about how to identify early signs that an aging parent may be experiencing memory problems and what steps you and your family might consider taking, please feel free to visit the care for aging parents page of our Washington State estate planning website.
