ShirleyBOARD.com Recommends Caregivers Plan Now For Legal and Financial Responsibilities

New article combined with ShirleyBOARDís online community and free web-based tools help Caregivers find appropriate legal and financial advice.

When caring for an aging loved one, financial and legal concerns are never easy to deal with. But having to deal with them or having to guess at your loved oneís desires during a medical emergency, especially when caring for them from a long distance away, is distressing and frustrating. Thatís why itís critical to take care of these things early on when your loved one is healthy and mentally competent.

The ShirleyBOARD, a free online community with tools and features to help those caring for aging loved ones stay organized and communicate with one another, has posted an article titled, ì Organizing Legal and Financial Affairs for Your Loved One.î The article is one of many tools that assist caregivers with finding advice about caring for their aging loved ones.

The article takes a look at various legal documents such as wills, durable healthcare power of attorney and financial power of attorney. The overview not only gives an idea of what each document is designed to accomplish, it provides a glimpse at the amount of responsibility and time commitment it takes to be a caregiver.

ìBy using the articles and tools available on ShirleyBOARD.com, I hope to provide caregivers a knowledge base and a sense of community that they can turn to when they have questions,î said ShirelyBOARD.comís founder Mark Willaman who created ShirleyBOARD to help him organize the responsibilities of caring for his aging mother. He added, ìBy interacting with a group that has similar issues, caregivers can walk away feeling inspired and rejuvenated.î

While most legal documents can be drawn up by a lawyer for a few hundred dollars, do-it-yourself legal kits are available from a number of stores or online for much less. However, it is important to make sure the kit conforms to the legal requirements of the state your loved one lives in. In all cases, these documents must be prepared while your loved one is still legally competent and capable of making informed decisions.