It's the question we're all afraid to ask ourselves. How do we handle it when our loved one is ready to call it quits?
Nobody wants to think about it, of course. But many of us - perhaps most of us - will have to face it.
It could be from the effects of Alzheimer's. It could be from a disease of the body. But, sooner or later, many seniors decide it's not worth the fight anymore...the quality of life they're experiencing is just not worth trying to hang around longer. Some may express it verbally. Others may not express it, because they don't want to hurt their family; but they may be feeling it.
The hardest part, for any family, is to know when to accept it. To know when it's time to say goodbye, and let our loved one complete their life's journey.
It's their life. Their decision (whether conscious or unconscious). And their right.
For people who have suffered, and who have probably depended on others for so long, this is one last chance to take control of their own destiny.
I've seen many a dying patient linger because their family hadn't yet accepted their right to die. And I've seen many others pass on peacefully after receiving "permission" - and acceptance - from their families. Remember, the family members suffer afterward. But their loved one is out of pain.
If your loved one is diagnosed with Alzheimer's, you'll need a support system from that moment on - for the care-giver as well as the patient.
At The Law Offices of Alice Reiter Feld & Associates, we've been working with South Florida families dealing with Alzheimer's and dementia for 33 years. We're Elder Law attorney's and we know every step of the Alzheimer's journey. And we have one of South Florida's largest resource libraries on Alzheimer's and dementia.
We can help even before disease hits, though - with estate planning, wills, trusts, powers of attorney, long-term care planning, issues with the VA or Medicaid, asset protection, and in guaranteeing your family's legal rights.
And we're just a phone call away.
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