Those who care for aging loved ones understand that doing so will not always be easy. Although those who take on the responsibility of being a caregiver generally do not do so because they expect it to be a breeze, most can still take steps to make things somewhat easier. Utilizing various aspects of elder law, such as powers of attorney, can help ensure that individuals in Lake Charles are able to provide the best possible care.
Encouraging a relative to create various powers of attorney can be important in these types of situations. An especially important type is the health care power of attorney. These give an individual the right to make medical decisions on behalf of another person — in this case on behalf of an aging loved one. Even if that relative has a living will, it cannot possibly cover every potential medical issue. The person named in the power of attorney can ensure that both the wishes within the living will are upheld and that any additional medical decisions fall as close as possible to the patient’s wishes.
Worrying about medical care is important, but it should not be the only concern. Elderly individuals generally live on fixed incomes, which makes properly managing finances more important than ever. A financial power of attorney gives one person the legal right to manage another individual’s finances. This could be anything from paying rent to medical bills and even making relevant investments.
Those who have never taken care of an aging loved one might have difficulty understanding just how emotionally taxing the process can be. Making the process easier for caregivers not only protects their emotional interests, but it also ensures that those in vulnerable situations receive the best possible care. Elder law can be complicated though, so an experienced attorney may be able to better explain these options to Lake Charles caregivers and their loved ones.