Today is World Alzheimer’s Day, and we want to raise awareness regarding this multifaceted disease. Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive and irreversible disorder in which a person’s brain cells deteriorate over time. Alzheimer’s usually occurs in individuals over 65, although younger-onset Alzheimer’s can appear in an individual as young as 30. Approximately 1 in 8 people that are 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s can cause memory loss, coordination issues, mood swings, disorientation, trouble focusing and a decline in reasoning skills. Alzheimer’s is ultimately a terminal illness, but it progresses at different rates in different individuals. This means that a person who is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s can live anywhere from several years to several decades. Although this condition cannot be cured, treatment can help alleviate its symptoms and slow its progression. If a loved one starts showing possible signs of Alzheimer’s, the best option is to take them to see a doctor immediately and get the condition treated. The best way to fight Alzheimer’s is to be aware of its signs and to realize quickly if a loved one is experiencing symptoms. The earlier Alzheimer’s is found, the easier it is to treat and the smaller the likelihood that it will progress rapidly.
In March of 2016, Florida adopted a new law, entitled the “Florida Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act”. This law went into effect in July of 2016 and contains rules regarding the management and disbursement of digital assets by a fiduciary upon the death of an individual. This gives individuals the ability to specify what it is that they want to do with their digital assets, which simplifies the process of Estate Planning. The overarching goal of the “Florida Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act” is to give people the power to plan for the management of their digital assets if they die or become incapacitated. It accomplishes this goal by authorizing fiduciaries to either access, control, copy or delete an individual’s digital assets after their passing, according to the wishes set forth by said individual. The “Florida Fiduciary Access to Digital Assets Act” also gives the custodians of digital assets the authority to communicate and interact with the fiduciaries of their users without breaching any privacy expectations. Before this law was introduced, Florida did not have any legislation that specifically addressed the access of digital assets by a fiduciary upon an individual’s death or incapacity.
A digital asset is content owned by a person that is stored in digital form. Generally, digital assets relate to data or information that is stored on a device such as a smart phone or computer. Types of digital assets include, but are not limited to: photographs, presentations, spreadsheets, word documents, email, online banking, credit cards, or social media accounts. Digital assets are just as important as physical assets because they have financial and/or personal value to their owners. It is important to address the conveyance of your digital assets, which can be done in your Will. The attorneys at Bach & Jacobs specialize in Estate Planning and can help you develop a Durable Power of Attorney and a Will that not only address who will have access to your digital assets, but also clearly express your wishes for the transfer of your various assets when you pass away.
If you would like more information or have questions regarding asset protection or estate planning, please contact our office at: (941) 906-1231.
The term Estate Planning refers to the act of preparing for the transfer of a person’s wealth and assets after they pass away. Your “estate” consists of all of the property you owned at your time of death, including but not limited to: real estate, bank accounts, stocks, life insurance policies and personal property. Estate planning is essential because it prevents your assets from ending up with unintended beneficiaries, protects your family and can minimize the amount of taxes that need to be paid for your beneficiaries to receive your property. Additionally, Estate Planning establishes what kind of funeral arrangements that you want, states what kind of life-prolonging medical support you wish to receive if incapacitated and avoids the time as well as the costs associated with probate proceedings. Estate Planning is a way to ensure that your wishes for your assets are honored after you pass away, and can greatly reduce the amount of stress and uncertainty your loved ones will be faced with when you die. Grieving is difficult enough without having to handle a myriad of complex decisions, and Estate Planning can help your family minimize their stress in difficult times such as these.
The skilled attorneys at Bach & Jacobs are experienced in Estate Planning, so if you need assistance or have any questions, please contact our office at (941) -906-1231.
In her time as a Florida U.S. Representative, Congresswoman Gwen Graham introduced legislation to create a national registry that identifies individuals who have been convicted of elder abuse. Under this proposal, the Justice Department would develop a registry that individual states could use to create their own list of offenders. This list would be public and searchable, so that any person or company looking to hire a care-giver for an elderly individual would be able to see if any of their potential hires had committed elder abuse in the past. Supporters hope that if this registry were to be implemented, it could help to greatly reduce the instances of elder abuse by keeping individuals convicted of this crime from working with the elderly. Across the country and in Florida especially, elder abuse is a highly prevalent issue that cannot be ignored. The safety of our seniors’ matters; it is important to explore ways to end the cycle of elder abuse and to hold individuals who commit crimes against the elderly accountable for their actions.
Dementia is a disorder of the mental processes that is caused by brain disease or injury and is linked to memory problems, personality changes and impaired reasoning. Since individuals are living longer than they did in the past, our population of elderly people is increasing. This has created the belief in many that the rates of dementia would start to rise significantly. However, studies suggest that Dementia rates in the United States and around the world are decreasing. An observational study posted by the Jama Internal Medicine Network of more than 21,000 Americans age 65 or older found that dementia rates have fallen by 24% in the last 12 years. Other studies have also found that individuals who do get dementia are starting to get it at older ages. Though the exact reasons for this decline have not been determined as of yet, scientists and researchers across the nation have agreed that this is very positive news and are working to discover what factors could be causing this significant drop.
A concierge doctor is a primary care physician that you pay an annual fee or retainer in return for certain benefits. The number of doctors who practice “concierge medicine” is starting to rise in the United States. These doctors stray from the traditional healthcare system to provide medical services in a manner that is more personal and patient-oriented. Concierge doctors take on fewer patients so that they are able to focus more on an individual’s needs and on providing preventative healthcare, which helps to reduce the instances of medical issues or emergencies. A concierge doctor will talk to you personally by phone or email, give you same day or next day service, will get to know you well, coordinate with any specialists you may have, make house calls if you need them, and even meet you at the ER if you have a medical emergency. Having a concierge Doctor eliminates aggravations such as sitting in crowded waiting rooms for extended periods of time or dealing with a physician that is overburdened with patients and can’t give you the focus you deserve. A limiting factor for utilizing “concierge medicine” is the cost involved for the patient who participates, as the average retainer for a concierge doctor is $1200-$1500 per year. If you think a concierge doctor may be right for you, further research your options and consider the benefits of “concierge medicine”.
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