Gainesville Estate Planning Law Blog

Aging can be hard on both the body and the mind. People begin to lose their flexibility and strength. They become more susceptible to illnesses. In some cases, they also begin to experience cognitive decline, which could involve issues such as memory loss or frequent bouts of confusion.

If your loved one has physical or mental symptoms that worry you, that could be a warning sign that they will not be able to live on their own for much longer. If you work full time, have children in the house or simply don't have the skills to provide care, your aging loved one will likely need to consider moving into a nursing home facility.

Georgia estate owners who wish to set aside property for their loved ones, but who also wish to help family members avoid probate, may wish to explore options that can help them achieve both goals. Setting up a living trust is a common means for managing property while keeping taxes low. However, merely setting up a trust is not enough; in fact, it is no good at all if property or assets are never transferred to it.

There are typically two ways to fund a living trust. A person can transfer property or assets to a living trust while he or she is still alive. Another option is to arrange for all assets to pour over into the trust after the estate owner has died. This is commonly referred to as a pour-over will.

When you were growing up, your parents likely made personal sacrifices in order to provide for your best interests. Perhaps they went without luxuries or vacations so that they could pay for braces you needed for your teeth or send you to sports camp every summer. Now, you're older and so are they, and you want to help them transition to a Georgia assisted living center while making sure their best interests are protected.

There's a lot more involved in helping an aging parent transfer to an assisted living environment than finding a place to live. There are also numerous financial issues to consider and perhaps medical needs that your loved one might have, which might require specialized care. If your parent has shown signs of dementia and has named you as power of attorney in an estate plan, you may soon be making financial or medical decisions on his or her behalf.

Most adult children in Georgia and beyond are willing to provide whatever support they can for their aging parents. What the "big picture" of this support might look like is unique in every household. For some, it means stopping by once a week to mow the lawn, drive mom or dad to his or her eye doctor appointment, or make a run to the grocery store. For others, however, much more daily living support is needed; in fact, many adult children are currently in situations where they see signs that their parents might need to transition to assisted living.

It can be quite a delicate topic. There's a fine line between preserving an aging parent's integrity and trying to convince him or her that the time has come to make some lifestyle changes. This is particularly true if a son or daughter sees a need but the parent either doesn't recognize it or is living in denial.