Expert: Michalene Peticca - 11/19/2008

Question
My mother in law has been recently diagnosed with AD.I have been reading upon it as much i can to learn more about the disease. What do i need to know legally. She has asked me to be in charge of medical issues in the future I realize we need to set up a last will but what are things we should expect or ask that we need to know about legally or about insurance wise
thank you so much for your help
jessica

Answer
Hello Jessica,

Thank you for writing.  It is a wise decision that you and your mother in law are planning ahead for the future.

The position that you have been asked to fill, entails important responsibility.  As your mother in law progresses in the AD disease process, you will be asked to make more decisions about her finances and care.

The main legal pieces you both should currently have in place are:

1.  A Living will - this is her wishes to receive or decline various types of medical care including cardiac resusitation, dialysis, etc. if the need ever arises.

2.  A Durable Power of Attorney - this document entitle you to assume legal right over her finances and healthcare decisions.

3.  At some point - access to her checking, savings, etc. either as joint account or as a co-signer on the account.

4.  Please make a copy of all her insurance cards for your safekeeping in case she loses or misplaces them.

Hope this gives you both a good start.

Thanks for writing!

Michalene Peticca, MA