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Peace of Mind Post
OCTOBER 2022
To Ensure All Your Wishes Are Met Take All the Necessary Precautions
When creating your declaration, you can choose when it goes into effect. For example, you can specify a particular condition or describe an episode or event that would keep you from making mental health decisions for yourself. You can also choose your agent, preferred treatment facility, and what medications you will and won’t take. Like a declaration, you can decide when your mental health power of attorney becomes effective. Your agent will make mental health decisions for you and follow your requests outlined in your declaration. Within the combined mental health care declaration and mental health power of attorney form, you can provide additional information to help your health care providers and agents — such as activities that worsen mental health symptoms, the type of intervention you prefer, psychological and physical health histories, and who should have temporary custody of your children and pets. The only hindrance with a mental health power of attorney form is that it expires after two years — which may be why many people don’t complete these documents. But don’t let this stop you! Without this form, you won’t have the freedom to choose your treatment preferences or who will make decisions for you if you cannot care for yourself. In addition to this, your loved ones won’t be able to help you or access information about you.
“Have you designated a mental health power of attorney?” Clients often scrunch their faces and furrow their brows in confusion in response to this question. Although they’ve heard about financial and medical powers of attorney, many don’t know that a mental health power of attorney exists. With the recent World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10) and Estate Planning Awareness Week (Oct. 17–23) fast approaching, it seemed like a good time to ask you that same question. A mental health power of attorney is separate from a health care power of attorney or advance directive and can help in many ways. It’s another way to exercise your independence and ensure you dictate what happens if you cannot make your own decisions or care for yourself. Unfortunately, the negative stigmas surrounding mental health can cause some people to be unaware of how this can fully affect all of us. Some people may think a mental health power of attorney only applies to those who are clinically diagnosed with a mental health concern — but that’s not true. You never know when your mental health could change, so it’s best to have these documents in place as a preventive measure. Fortunately, Pennsylvania allows you to combine a mental health declaration and power of attorney forms. These are two separate forms that outline different requests, but when you combine them into one legal document, everything is in a single place that’s easily accessible.
I understand that it can be time-consuming to fill out these documents every other year, but use that time to see if your estate needs updating. You want these documents to best represent your wishes and needs. I highly recommend that you sign a mental health power of attorney and complete your declaration forms when selecting your medical and financial powers of attorney. Although you may never have to use this, having these documents in place provides maximum peace of mind. If you have questions about your estate plan, please don’t hesitate to call me. I’m here to help you in any way I can.
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WITH THESE 3 STRATEGIES You may perform exercises to improve your physical health, but are you doing the same for your mental health? Your mental well-being is essential in every stage of life because it affects how we think, feel, and cope with life events. How you react to stress, relate to others, and make choices also depends on your mental state. In honor of World Mental Health Day, here are three exercises you can do to keep your mind healthy and clear. Connect with others. Social interaction is great for our mental well-being. Relationships can help you build a sense of belonging and self-worth, and provide you with a space for emotional support. If possible, try to connect with family and friends each day, whether that’s on the phone, on a video chat, or in person. To make new connections, join a club or volunteer to meet like-minded people. Get active. Research shows that staying active can raise your self-esteem, help you set and reach goals, and positively impact your overall mood. Try free online activities or join a fitness class to exercise and socialize. Now that the weather is cooler, it’s the perfect time to go on nature walks. You can enjoy the great outdoors (which has tons of mental health benefits) and exercise simultaneously. Improve Your Mental Well-Being
Nobody likes thinking about their own mortality or the possibility of death, but the simple truth of the matter is that people pass away every day. That’s why it’s important to have an estate plan in place to ensure that your loved ones are taken care of. It doesn’t matter if you’re relatively healthy or have few physical assets — having a will is imperative, especially if you pass away unexpectedly. Here are two main reasons to make an estate plan today. Provides Peace of Mind Without a will or estate plan in place, your family will need to attend probate court to figure out who receives what assets. The court will name someone to oversee your estate, which could be someone who doesn’t have your family’s best interests in mind. With a will, you can name someone as the executor of your estate and lay out how your assets will be divided. It will help save your family time, money, and stress while providing them with ample time to grieve. Decides Who Will Take Care of Your Pets, Home, and Children If you’re a parent, you can use your will to determine who will become the guardian of your children. Without a will, the court may appoint a guardian whom you don’t want raising your kids. Additionally, pets are seen as property by the law, so you need to appoint someone to become their caretaker in your will. And you can’t leave your house to your pet, so you need to name the person to take ownership of your house in your will as well. Creating a will does not have to be a scary or stressful experience. If anything, it will give you and your family peace in knowing they will be taken care of if anything happens. Why Everyone Needs a Will
Creamy Parmesan Orecchiette
Ingredients
For pasta: •
For sauce: •
16 oz orecchiette
3 tbsp butter 2 cloves garlic
• • • • • •
3 cups cubed butternut squash
• • • • • • •
3 cups broccolini
1–2 tsp fresh minced thyme
Olive oil
3 tbsp flour
Salt, to taste
2–3 cups chicken broth 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
Ground black pepper, to taste
Pumpkin seeds
Lemon juice, to taste
Salt, to taste
Directions
1. Cook orecchiette according to package directions. 2. On 2 baking sheets, place veggies. Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and roast at 400 F for 20–30 minutes until tender. 3. In a pan, melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic and thyme, then sauté until soft. Add flour and whisk until smooth. Pour in the chicken broth 1/2 cup at a time, whisking to incorporate. Finish with Parmesan cheese, lemon juice, and salt. 4. Toss everything together. Top generously with pumpkin seeds and Parmesan cheese. Inspired by PinchOfYum.com
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GIVE A FURRY FRIEND A LOVING HOME Over 5 million animals arrive at animal shelters annually and more than 800,000 animals are euthanized every year. If you decide to adopt a furry friend, you’re saving their life and giving them a second chance to find a loving home. Pets are a great addition to any family — especially older adults. In honor of Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, here are a few reasons seniors should adopt a furry friend. Gives You Purpose Taking care of another living thing — like a four-legged friend — is a huge responsibility. Having pets gives us a purpose because they depend on us to live. You also can create an unbreakable bond with your furry friends. This companionship can decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation, which can improve your mental health. Boosts Your Social Life You can take your pet to the park and meet other pet owners and bond with them. Walk your dog (and cat) whenever you get a chance; you never know who will initiate a conversation with you. Having a companion to take walks with will support an active and healthy lifestyle. So while your furry friend is getting their daily dose of exercise, you can too! By Adopting From an Animal Shelter
For me, spending time in nature is key to maintaining my mental health and wellness
Practice mindfulness. Paying more attention to the present moment can also improve your mental health. It can help you enjoy the world around you and help you understand yourself better. To practice mindfulness, consider your current thoughts, feelings, and body sensations. Don’t dwell on these items, but be aware of them. Doing this will give you a new perspective on life and what’s happening around you. If you want to practice being more mindful, try yoga and meditation. Both of these activities will help you develop an increased awareness of both your body and mental state. Not every tip or trick for improving mental health will work for you, so if you feel like you need help, never be afraid to ask. You’re not alone in your hardships, and there are resources and professionals available to assist you every step of the way.
If you would like to adopt a four-legged companion today, here are some animal centers and adoption facilities in our area.
Butler County Humane Society 1015 Evans City Rd. ButlerCountyHS.org
Puzzle Time!
This no-kill shelter’s mission is to provide temporary and safe homes to homeless cats and dogs until they find a forever home. You can donate money, volunteer time, and even foster animals. Go to the website for more information.
Orphans of the Storm OrphansOfTheStorm-PA.org
You can view furry friends that are up for adoption — and, in addition to this, older adults may qualify for a special sponsor pet. Volunteer options are available if you would like to make an impact on the lives of these animals in a different way.
When adopting a four-legged family member, it’s vital that you put them in your estate plan. If you have a pet, please contact me so we can properly plan for their future. If you have any questions visit FourLeggedFamilyMembers.com to learn more and get started.
Answer:
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340 N. Main St., Suite 103 Butler, PA 16001 724.256.8850 www.TrinityElderLaw.com
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INSIDE This Issue
1
What Is a Mental Health Power of Attorney?
2
Why You Should Make an Estate Plan Today
Mental Health Is Equally as Important as Physical Health
Creamy Parmesan Orecchiette
3
Pets Give Us a Sense of Purpose
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A Cat Helped Write a Physics Paper?
According to Hetherington’s 1982 book, “More Random Walks in Science,” he explained, “After an evening’s thought, I simply asked the secretary to change the title page to include the name of the family cat.” And that’s what happened; the professor named his Siamese cat, Chester, as his coauthor. Of course, the name Chester wouldn’t look convincing as a scientific paper coauthor. So, he invented “F.D.C. Willard.” The initials stand for Felis Domesticus Chester . The last name, Willard, was the name of Chester’s father. The professor didn’t feel too guilty for trying to deceive the publisher: “Why would I do such an irreverent thing? … If it eventually proved to be correct, people would remember the paper more if the anomalous authorship were known. In any case, I went ahead and did it and have generally not been sorry.” The journal loved the paper, but the ruse stayed secret among his close colleagues until a visitor arrived to meet the authors. When Hetherington told them the truth, they laughed, and not long after that, the feline coauthor became quite famous. F.D.C. Willard not only saved Hetherington from rewriting the entire paper, but also continues to inspire cat-related academia antics. On April 1, 2014, the American Physical Society (APS) announced all cat-authored papers would be made freely available. “Not since Schrödinger has there been an opportunity like this for cats in physics,” they wrote. We couldn’t agree more.
A Cat Coauthored an Influential Physics Paper The True Story of F.D.C. Willard
BY DIALING 911
Cats defy the laws of physics all the time, so it’s only fitting a cat would teach us physics more directly — by coauthoring a highly cited, influential physics paper. In 1975, Jack H. Hetherington was a professor of physics at Michigan State University, and he completed a paper on atomic behavior. However, he had a problem: As a sole author, Hetherington had used “we” throughout the paper. A colleague pointed out that publishers reserved that language for papers with multiple authors. With today’s software, this would be a minor inconvenience. But to fix his error in 1975, Hetherington would have to retype the entire paper manually on his typewriter. Time was short, and Hetherington had done all the work himself.
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