In Dr. Atul Gwande’s “Being Mortal” the author makes the point resoundingly clear that the perspectives of the dying are very different than the perspectives of the young, middle aged, seniors, or the elderly. People dying see their days in very different ways from the rest of us.
Family members tend to make lots of assumptions about how someone wants to be treated when they are dying based upon their history together and the expressed preferences of the person when they were NOT YET knowing of the certainty of their demise. There comes a point, Dr. Gwande argues, when the theoretical certainty of death is overtaken by the knowledge that one is dying.
Elder law attorneys practice in two arenas. For those few who are aware of statistical realities in time to plan ahead, we serve the final estate planning and management needs of our clients. We arrange things to minimize death taxes, and maximize access to publicly available benefits and insurance to offset the exorbitant costs of final care.
The majority of our clients are those on the brink of transition, fully knowing that they are about to perish. We help these people preserve their estates, the last thing with which they can demonstrate their devotion, and assure them that whatever their needs may be, our efforts will be aimed at those needs. We do not work for the children (often in their 50s and 60s) of our clients. Although financially they may be the people who benefit from our work, they are not the focus of what we do. We work to understand and appreciate the changed perspectives of our clients to accomplish their final goals.
This article is written by an attorney at Wyatt & Mirabella, PC. Always consult an attorney before making any legal decisions. To make an appointment today for a free consultation, please click here to contact us.