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The Legal Stuff

Getting documents signed when cognitive decline has already started — what's still valid

Reviewed by a licensed elder law attorney If your parent is showing signs of cognitive decline and has not yet signed a power of attorney, the window is closing but it may not be closed. Capacity is not all-or-nothing. Your parent may still be able to sign certain documents depending

The Legal Stuff

POLST and MOLST forms — medical orders that travel with the patient

Reviewed by a licensed elder law educator | Updated March 2026 A POLST or MOLST form is a medical order that tells emergency responders and hospital staff exactly what treatments your parent does and does not want. Unlike a living will, it requires no interpretation. It travels with your parent between

The Legal Stuff

What happens if there's no power of attorney — the guardianship path

Reviewed by a licensed elder law educator | Updated March 2026 When a parent loses capacity and no power of attorney exists, the only way to get legal authority over their finances, medical care, or living situation is through a court-ordered guardianship. Guardianship is public, expensive, slow, and strips away your

The Legal Stuff

DNR orders — what they mean and how they work

Reviewed by a licensed elder law attorney A Do Not Resuscitate order is a medical and legal document that tells paramedics and hospital staff not to perform CPR if your parent's heart stops or they stop breathing. It is not about giving up. It is about giving your

The Legal Stuff

HIPAA authorization — getting legal access to their medical information

Reviewed by a licensed elder law attorney A HIPAA authorization is the document that gives you legal permission to access your parent's medical information and talk to their doctors about their care. Without it, healthcare providers are prohibited by federal law from sharing anything with you, even if

The Legal Stuff

Living wills explained — putting their wishes on paper

Reviewed by a licensed elder law attorney A living will is the document where your parent puts their end-of-life wishes in writing while they can still think clearly and speak for themselves. It tells doctors and family members what kind of care your parent wants if they are dying and

The Legal Stuff

Advance directives — the documents that speak when they can't

Reviewed by a licensed elder law attorney An advance directive is how your parent keeps their voice in the room when they can no longer speak for themselves. It is the legal framework that tells doctors, hospitals, and family members what your parent wants, and it is one of the

The Legal Stuff

When to get power of attorney — the window is smaller than you think

Reviewed by a licensed elder law educator | Updated March 2026 The time to get a power of attorney is while your parent is mentally sharp and no one can question their capacity. Once cognitive decline begins, the document becomes vulnerable to legal challenge. The window between "we should do

The Legal Stuff

Healthcare power of attorney vs. financial power of attorney — they're different

Reviewed by a licensed elder law attorney These are two separate documents that give you authority over two completely different parts of your parent's life. One covers medical decisions. One covers money and property. Getting them confused, or assuming one document handles both, can leave you without the

The Money Maze

The long-term financial plan — mapping costs across years of care

You're sitting across from your parent's doctor, and they're saying things like "he could live another ten or fifteen years" or "we'll need to manage her medications carefully going forward." And all you can think is: ten or

The Legal Stuff

Power of attorney explained — the document you need before you need it

Reviewed by a licensed elder law educator | Updated March 2026 A power of attorney is the legal document that lets your parent choose who makes decisions on their behalf before a crisis forces a court to decide for them. Without one, you have zero legal authority over their finances, medical

The Money Maze

Prescription assistance programs — reducing the medication bill

Reviewed by the How To Help Your Elders Team Between Medicare Part D optimization, state pharmaceutical assistance programs, manufacturer patient assistance programs, and Medicare's Extra Help program, most older adults can reduce their medication costs significantly. The process takes paperwork and persistence, but the savings compound over years