This article is the third in a series exploring the challenges people may face when they choose ‘aging in place’ at home. While health care and personal needs may be complex, the family members or attorneys may also have to manage the entire household. With the added complexities and potential…
Many older people are choosing the option of ‘aging in place’ at home, and as they age, some will have complex health care and personal care needs. To effectively plan for care and manage the care journey, the person responsible for managing their care will need easy access to secure…
Autumn is here, and as we prepare for the Canadian Thanksgiving weekend, it is a good time to reflect on how we are coping as busy professionals. In the last few years, the COVID pandemic has changed many things at work and at home. Estate planning professionals are busy with…
Mobility and being able to move independently is a crucial lifestyle planning factor people often overlook. As families are out enjoying the summer weather and travelling again, we wish more people understood that being able-bodied[1] and independently mobile is a temporary state. Life happens – a car accident or healthcare…
We are in the midst of a longevity revolution where people live longer and healthier lives. Economists in the US and UK have written about the longevity dividend or the benefits we could realize with this significant societal shift. Canadian institutions such as governments, corporations, and academics are starting to…
The US Surgeon General made public health headlines in May, declaring that loneliness and social isolation carry the same critical health risks as smoking, obesity, and the opioid crisis. Isolation and loneliness are linked to declining mental health, such as higher rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Physical health…
US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy made headlines last week by declaring an “epidemic of loneliness.” He warned that loneliness is associated with “a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, dementia, stroke, depression, anxiety, and premature death.” This statement is the first time a Surgeon General has used their national advocacy platform…
Estate planning for pets has made for some very wealthy animals. Remember the US hotel heiress Leona Hemsley? Known as the Queen of Mean, she left $12 million out of her estimated $5 billion estate to her Maltese lap dog, Trouble. The dog’s inheritance was reduced to $2 million, but…
This blog post on the Elder Care Planning Framework for Decision Making, Part 2, is based on a panel presentation at Elder Law Day in Toronto in March 2023. Participants expressed an interest in using the elder care planning framework to provide context for decision-making and planning. Part 1 proposed…
What Are the Housing Options for Seniors? As each decade passes, one of our challenging and essential questions is – what are the housing options for seniors? Since the COVID pandemic, polling has shown that older Canadians have overwhelmingly indicated they wish to stay in their homes until the end…