Legal Considerations

Home Home Care Home care 101 Legal Considerations

Legal Considerations

As we age it is important to have things organized from a legal perspective as it pertains to how you leave things behind, the level of care you receive, wishes relating to end-of-life and who will make decisions if you are unable to. Wills, living wills, powers of attorney (financially and medically) along with instructions pertaining to life sustaining treatments including Do Not Resuscitate orders if desired, are all part of the legal documents that one should have in place in case you become incapacitated and are unable to make these decisions. It’s best to consult with your lawyer when setting these documents up.

Share your wishes with family members, your doctor or other trusted individuals to ensure that your instructions are followed.

Organize Important Information

Besides having your legal documents prepared, there is other information that would be very helpful to prepare and have easily accessible in the event of an emergency.

Things like:

  • Birth certificate
  • Social Insurance Number
  • Health Card
  • Insurance information, including policy number (life, home, Long-Term Care, auto, etc.)
  • Names and contact information for family physician or medical specialists, along with any medical history
  • Funeral prearrangements
  • Trust documents
  • Sources of income and assets
  • Bank accounts and safe deposit box locations
  • Mortgage and loan documents
  • Investment records and contact of financial advisor
  • Credit card information
  • Most recent income tax return
  • Login and passwords to everything including social media accounts
  • Statements for all utilities
  • And anything else that a loved one may need access to