Session 4 - Planning Ahead: Legal and Financial Issues
Part 1 - Planning for the Future – Important Advice
If you have Alzheimer’s or other dementia, it is important for you to be a part of the decision-making about your financial and legal affairs, while you are able to make decisions and sign legal papers. Making arrangements in the early stages means that you are able to control your own future.
Here we have two conversations. One is with a lawyer, and the other is with a care partner. They share advice to help you understand the importance of advance planning and to consider some first steps you should take. Feel free to make some notes as you listen.
Advice from a Lawyer: Doris Bonora
Host Liana Shannon speaks with lawyer Doris Bonora to find out what legal and financial documents need to be prepared and what needs to be done to ensure the concerns and wishes of the person living with dementia are met. In this video, Doris will explain the importance of doing this in the early stage while the person with the disease has capacity to make decisions.
Advice from a Care Partner: Edith Stein
Care partner Edith Stein, tells host Liana Shannon, about her experience of having her husband’s legal and financial plans in order.
Key Points
Talk to your family. Make sure your money matters will be in the hands of someone you trust. Arrange for a power of attorney authorizing someone to legally make decisions on your behalf once you are no longer able to. Talk to a lawyer about naming someone to look after your financial interests.
Pull together your legal and financial documents such as:
- Bank accounts
- Mortgages
- Insurance policies
- Pension plans, Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs)
- Investments
- Home/car ownership
- Last Will and Testament
In the parts that follow, we will explore more details about:
- Power of Attorney
- Personal Directives
- Last Will and Testament
- Adult Guardianship and Trusteeship Act
Additional Reading
Decision Making: Respecting Individual Choice
Join the Conversation
Visit the Discussion Forums, where you can post, in a common area, messages to all other community members. It’s a place for you to interact with others and to discuss the topics and ideas shared in the videos. You’ll see specific Discussion Forums “For the Person with Dementia” and “For Care Partners”.
At any time, you may scroll to the Search bar at the top of the page and type a specific question or topic.
Other Sessions in Seeds of Hope - Family Learning Series
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 16
- 17
- 18