I am 69 years old and need to know where to get help in writing a will and what to do when you do not have anybody that will care for you when the time comes. I live in Silver Spring, Maryland. I would like to know about services related to my situation. I am fine now but I will need help when I can no longer take care of myself.
Thank you
You can call Montgomery County office on Aging to see what programs are available.
I live just across the Potomac from Maryland, we are lucky to be living in such an area that offer a lot of choices for Independent Living, Assisted Living, and Memory Care facilities. Plus a lot of Elder Law Attorneys to choose from.
You are not alone. We have come a long way on our journey to making end-of-life plans with the help of an Elder Law Attorney and an estate planning attorney.
We have had in person and Zoom meetings (about 4 altogether) and now we're feeling very confident that these trusted people will carry out our wishes and clean up any messes we overlook. All of our bills are on auto-pay now, so that memory issues don't jeopardize our safety or health.
Our first step was to pay for our cremations, so we contracted with the Neptune Society to make those arrangements. We will be purchasing an urn box at the cemetery for our remains and those of our beloved pets. We have visited a few care facilities, but have decided to live in an Independent senior community that offers hired help as needed. There are complete care programs for those who want to be cared for completely and can offer care throughout your final days: that is an expensive investment, but reassuring that someone will always be there to care. They offer, independent living, assisted living, nursing facilities and memory care. It is very reassuring to know that we can hire compassionate and ethical care-takers.
Your attorney can advise you on strategies for assets, taxes and legal issues. Just Google "Elder Law attorneys Silver Springs, MD."
Good job, making plans and not waiting for things to happen to you.
You are not alone in your quest to take care of your final wishes. We have found ourselves in the same situation and we've taken steps to secure a smooth exit.
-We made arrangements with the Neptune Society to cremate us.
-We had a will and other end-of-life instructions to secure assets and medical issues: we hired an Elder Law Attorney to help us strategize and an estate planning attorney, it's a blessing to have trusted souls to make after death arrangements.
-We now wear DNR bracelets with our attorney's phone number included. She has been instructed to arrange guardianship services when we have a sole survivor (if that survivor is incapacitated). The attorney has agree to supervise that service as extra security against any scamming.
- We and our beloved pets are being cremated; we will all rest together in a family urn box.
- We have put all our bills on auto-pay and the attorney will need to notify the companies after we depart and cancel appointments on my phone.
- Funerals aren't happening.............if we didn't spend time with the people, we certainly won't be with them in death.
- We have visited a few Independent Living facilities and have decided to live in a senior community that offers hired helpers when we need assistance. If medical issues progress very quickly, the affected person will be placed. We also looked at Life Plan Communities that require a substantial investment/deposit where we could live independently until we need assisted, nursing or Memory Care: that is comforting, but a bit frightening.
Just Google, "elder law attorneys silver springs md" and you'll see the list."
Nice to hear that we're all waking up to the reality that we, too, shall need to make plans so that we don't burden those we love. For me, it's also important that loved ones remember me in a positive light and not in conditions that I read about here.
Okay, there's your homework! Take care and enjoy every day that you have!!!!
Good luck!