With Your Family in Mind

More than 1,250 persons are diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease each day in the United States.  According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 45 percent of people with Alzheimer’s are never actually diagnosed. These statistics show that we have approximately 1,812 “new” cases of Alzheimer’s every day in this country. 

Osteoporosis, a disease that causes bone density loss, gets plenty of press with older women, but older men would do well to assess their risk for this disease. Its progression is silent, and without screening, it usually becomes evident when the person suffers a fractured bone from a low-impact activity.

Ask nearly any senior what is important and you are likely to hear “To have good health, to continue to do the things I enjoy, and to stay independent as I age.”  To achieve these goals you need a healthy brain and body.
Think you are too old to start exercising? Recent research results published in the Journals of Gerontology demonstrated the benefits of exercise for all seniors, including those considered frail. 

The answer is, yes!  When purchasing a new construction home, what you see in the builder’s model is not always what you get for the advertised base price.  It is easy to get swept up in the excitement of touring a beautifully decorated model home.  This is why it is important to have a real estate professional watching out for your best interest and guiding you through the purchase, construction, and customization process of a new home.

Remember when mom used to cook your meals, teach you to use the potty or help you pick out what to wear? What happens you have to do the same for your mom? The number of adult children caring for their parents has reached over 44 million.  In addition, many are caring for their parents while raising their own children, hence the term “sandwich generation”.  

May is National Foster Care Month, a time to recognize that we each can play a part in enhancing the lives of children and youth in foster care.  There are approximately 64,000 children in foster care in California.  Los Angeles County’s foster care population exceeds 21,000 children with 450 foster children waiting to be connected to a family who will adopt. 

If an estate plan is not kept current, it can become useless.  However, it is important to keep in mind changing a will is not a “do-it-yourself” process.  Generally, any changes to your will must be made with the same formalities as the will itself, including witnesses and signature.

As part of our continuing series on divorce coaching, this month we focus on your reputation. It’s important to have strategies in place to help you manage your reputation.
Follow the Two-Sentence Rule
The two-sentence rule is the best defense against saying too much when someone other than a close friend asks you how your divorce is going. Have a two-sentence answer scripted, rehearsed, and ready to go – something like, “It’s been hard, but I’m getting through it. Thanks for asking.” Then, when a casual acquaintance asks you what’s going on, you’ll know exactly what to say.

Nowadays, it’s rare to find someone who doesn’t use social media. However, when going through a family law matter, what you share online may have significant consequences.
Here are four examples:
1. State of Mind - Who hasn’t posted on Facebook, “I’m sad, depressed, angry, etc.”? The feeling is temporary, but what if every time you posted, your ex or their friend took a screen shot?

Visiting Angels has brought an innovative program for seniors to the Santa Clarita area.  The Living Legacy Project has the objective to save the living history of the 20th century while it is still with us. Our elders possess this knowledge reflected in their first-hand, life experience, much of which has been captured in photos.

There is no better way to lose custody than demonstrating to a judge you are not involved in raising your child. Usually, one parent is more responsible in caring for the children’s basic needs, the “primary caretaker”. If you don’t invest time for homework, feeding and fulfilling the basic needs of your child, you are at a disadvantage in a custody case.

Let’s take a break from divorce articles this month.  I recently had a pretty big civil trial up in San Francisco. The case involved someone who was alleged to have committed fraud against my clients in connection with their hedge fund investment and involved a large sum of money.

Have you ever thought of becoming a foster parent or wanted to adopt a child in need of permanency? Koinonia Family Services is now serving the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valleys, and is looking for families who want to provide safe, caring, and nurturing homes for children who are in need of short-term or long-term placement.

A friend, whom we’ll call Charlie, has assets in excess of $2,000,000, including his own business, a corporation of which he is the sole shareholder, director and officer. He asks, “If I die, what will happen to my business?”
If his estate is subject to probate, everything will be tied up for about a year.

Sometimes, you can find your calling in the most unusual places. In Kristie Hamilton’s case, she found it at the dental office. As a kid, she had always been intrigued by what goes on in the chair. She would ask her dentist – or hygienist – if she could have a mirror, so she could watch the dental work being done in her own mouth. When she told her high school counselor about going into dentistry, however, her counselor discouraged her because of her grades.

Now you might be thinking I am trying to talk you into using our divorce service instead of trying to do it on your own.  I am and I’m not.
I want to tell you a story about my most recent do-it-yourself (myself) project.
My wife and I recently purchased a home in Valencia and for the first time, it was not new construction.  So we have several cosmetic repairs and updates that we need to complete.

My mother suffers from Alzheimer’s disease.  She lives near me in a small private care facility, where she receives full-time care and has a good quality of life.  When she was still living in her home, but slowly succumbing to the disease, she always had multiple bottles of Costco-sized “over-the-counter” medications throughout her home. 

Dogs make people happy! They make people smile.  Who doesn’t love to pet a dog or visit with a cute little puppy?  Pets are not only fun, they have also shown to improve senior citizens’ health, according to the American Animal Health Hospital Association.  Many Assisted Living
Communities have begun introducing neighborhood pet therapy programs in their communities, and also allowing seniors to bring their companion pets with them into their new home.