It’s no secret that it becomes more challenging to maintain our mental and physical health as we hit our senior years, and the risk for Alzheimer’s Disease and dementia drastically increases. If you’ve never had a firsthand experience with Alzheimer’s, you might not realize how prevalent it is and how life-altering this diagnosis can be for an individual and their family. The Alzheimer’s Association reports that 6.9 million Americans age 65 or older currently live with Alzheimer’s. November is Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, and there’s no better time to familiarize yourself with the symptoms and make plans to protect your future. Alzheimer’s symptoms don’t start as severe, and simply aging can easily explain them away. An individual may have difficulty recalling a specific story from their youth, remembering someone’s name, or paying their bills. Over time, the symptoms grow more serious. The person may become aggressive, have extreme personality or behavior changes, take longer to complete simple tasks, and make irresponsible decisions due to poor judgment. Alzheimer’s has no cure, which leaves many wondering what they can do to protect themselves and their loved ones after they reach a certain age. You have to be proactive if you want to safeguard the future. It may be too late if you wait until symptoms have already appeared. Thankfully, part of your estate plan can help create guidelines to ensure your wishes are fulfilled. You should have three primary parts of your estate plan in place to secure your future against mental decline and Alzheimer’s. First, establishing a power of attorney will enable you to designate someone to make financial and legal decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to make them yourself. Second, a living trust allows you to minimize the risk of probate and ensure your assets are passed to your beneficiaries with ease. Finally, long-term care planning helps you make a plan in case you need assistance from a long-term care or memory care facility in the future. Don’t Wait for the Signs and Symptoms How Estate Planning Can Mitigate Alzheimer’s Risks
Fans of the classic Lindsay Lohan comedy “Mean Girls” may laugh at the antics of the film’s main group of frenemies , but how these characters treat each other isn’t funny in the real world. “Relational aggression,” or indirect bullying, is a growing phenomenon among teens and young adults — particularly women. Examples of relational aggression include spreading rumors about others, sharing inappropriate images without the subject’s permission, or sending anonymous messages of a threatening nature. Victims of this type of behavior often experience self-doubt, isolation, and depression. The consequences of prolonged relational aggression can be catastrophic. According to the World Health Organization, suicide is the fourth leading cause of death among people in their mid-teens to late 20s. The Hidden Harm of Indirect Bullying Uncovering Covert Aggression
Here are three important questions to consider if you suspect relational aggression is affecting a family member or someone you know.
IS THE VICTIM SHY ABOUT SENSITIVE TOPICS? Victims of relational aggression may feel reluctant or embarrassed to talk about the situation, so they should always be encouraged to speak openly about anything in life that’s troubling them. If they’re uncomfortable discussing these matters with you or other family members, they should seek support from a therapist or school counselor who can provide them with a safe space to get advice or simply share their experiences and concerns. IS THE AGGRESSOR IN YOUR HOUSE? If you discover that your child is perpetrating relational aggression toward someone else, help them develop a more empathetic mindset by sharing your own experiences as a victim of similar bullying in your younger years or reminding them of how they felt when someone treated them cruelly. ARE YOUR FAMILY MEMBERS FRIEND DEFENDERS? If your child has a friend who’s being bullied — or one of their friends is doing the bullying — encourage them to take a stand. Bullies are likely to stand down if they’re confronted, and supporting and defending others plays a vital role in preserving a caring society. Of course, they should push back against any relational aggression they see maturely and appropriately, as violence is never the answer.
If you have any questions about planning for Alzheimer’s or need to make updates to your estate plan to help safeguard your future, call us today!
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