Trinity Elder Law - April 2020
The Power of Pet Trusts Peace of Mind Post W ith National Pet Day coming up on April 11, it reminds me how important our four-legged family members are to us. They’re there for us when we feel stress or WHO WILL CARE FOR YOUR ANIMALS WHEN YOU’RE GONE? APRIL 2020
anxiety and help us forget about our troubles. I’ve always had pets, including some that are larger than your typical furry friend, like my horses. I have five horses: Spitty, Slappy, Rascal, Sassy, and Tiny. They all have different personalities, and in their own ways, they help make every day brighter than the last. Spitty, short for SpitFire, is 22 years old, which is getting up there for a horse. She’s eccentric, with a lot of little quirks. Spitty likes to have her chin scratched, but she never wants to be inside her stall. She’s my oldest horse, but with her opinionated personality, you would never realize it! Slappy, on the other hand, is very mellow. She’s delightful and is always eager to receive attention. Slappy loves to be petted, groomed, and fed treats. She is a little younger than Spitty but not by much, as she’s 19 years old. Whenever I’m in a bad mood, she always reminds me of the simple pleasures in life with how excited she gets just to see me. Rascal is a little different from the rest of them. In general, he doesn’t like to be bothered. He lays his ears to the side of his head and makes a grumpy face whenever we need to direct him to a different stall. In fact, Rascal can be a little cranky at times — he likes to neigh and hum whenever we give him too much attention. While Spitty can be very opinionated, Sassy takes the cake — she loves attention, and she snorts and neighs if you’re in the barn and not focusing on her. If you’re tending to another horse, she gets jealous and makes her presence known by neighing even louder! The only way to stop her tantrum is to give her treats — she loves treats. Tiny, ironically enough, is really big. I often describe him as my 6-foot-tall, 14-year-old boy that doesn’t focus very well. He’s actually 4 years old and has plenty of toys. He has a treat that hangs in the stall for him to chew on and two balls that he likes to roll around. I haven’t taught him soccer yet, but I’m working on it.
Tiny when he was actually tiny.
Regardless how big your four-legged family members are, they can be a calming influence when you feel like everything is falling apart. For this reason and many others, you need to make a plan for their future in case you are ever unable to care for them. The best way to do this is to include a pet trust into your will. A pet trust indicates who will care for your pets and outlines resources for them to use. When establishing a pet trust, you need first to consider who you know that’s familiar with the type of animals you have. The person you choose also needs to have the knowledge base to handle any of your animals’ medical or geographic needs. For my horses, I thought about who I know that understands what makes for a great stall/housing situation and has knowledge of the dietary and medical needs of horses. After you’ve identified who will care for your animals, you then need to determine how much money you need to set aside for their care. This entails considering how old your pets are, if they’re prone to any illnesses, and how many animals you have. After you’ve considered these factors, you then need to identify who is going to manage that money. It needs to be someone who understands the needs of your pets and how the funds should be used. A pet trust is a concrete way to ensure your furry family members are properly taken care of when you’re gone, and it’s something no animal lover should overlook. If you have any questions or concerns regarding pet trusts, never hesitate to reach out. We can
ensure your pets will always be cared for, just like my own 6-foot- tall, four-legged kids.
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Making Your Home A DON’T FALL INTO RISKY LIVING As we age, the little things that were once easy to do will often become more difficult. For some, it’s the pressure on our knees when we use the stairs or maintaining balance on a slippery floor. When these become bigger problems, some move to houses that are better suited for their needs. But there are a few things you can do to help make your house more age- friendly. Rethink Your Tub Instead of the traditional tub design, consider a walk-in shower because they’re much easier to get in to and out of. Why risk trying to keep your balance while getting into the shower when you don’t have to? Regardless of your shower/tub design, make sure to install extra grab bars. These can help prevent falls and can easily be found at your nearest Home Depot or Lowe’s for $20–$30 each. While making these modifications, it might be useful to replace the tile with laminate. While laminate may not be as durable or aesthetically pleasing, tile is cold, can be slippery, and is usually very unforgiving in the event of a fall. Update Doors Replace your doorknobs with levers, which are easy to push down. For wheelchair access, you want to make sure your doorways are at least 36 inches wide. If you can,
Ready to Take Up the Nomadic Lifestyle After Retirement?
HERE’S HOW TO PLAN FOR IT Y ou’ve worked hard for years to arrive at this moment: retirement. Now that you’re free of your 9-to-5 job, you have a lot more time for activities you enjoy. That extra time is what leads many people to turn to a nomadic lifestyle after retirement. Touring in an RV, sailing around the world, or even just retiring to a cabin in a remote locale are all popular options for new retirees. If the spirit of adventure is calling you, here are some financial Some folks choose to sell their home and use the income to fund their travels, staying in apartments and rentals as they go. If that seems too drastic, downsizing to a smaller home is also a good option, especially if you plan to travel in intervals but want a home base to return to. This also gives you the option of renting your home while you’re away and using the money to continue traveling. Ask Other Nomads Crowdsource advice from friends and family members who’ve taken the leap. Lots of other people have shared your dream and made it a reality. Many have turned their experience into books or blogs, like Lynne Martin, who’s been traveling around the world with her husband, Tim, for the last three years. The Martins used the sale of their home to finance their travels. They also take cruises to cut down on travel costs and often If you have a specific place in mind for your retirement, like Hawaii or Texas, look at rental costs and other lifestyle changes that can affect your budget. For example, Hawaii’s cost of living is cheaper than other popular retirement states, like Florida, but basic commodities may be more expensive. If a boat or RV is more your style, be sure to add repair and fuel costs into your budget. tips to set you on the right path. Downsize Before You Go dine in to save money. Do Your Research As you go about researching and planning, be sure to consult with your financial advisor so they can help you look at your current situation and make adjustments. With the proper planning, you’ll be living your nomadic dream in no time.
Easy Deviled Eggs
While the kids hunt for Easter eggs in the yard, whip up this easy deviled egg recipe for a hearty snack that’s sure to satisfy any craving.
INGREDIENTS • 1/2 cup mayonnaise • 2 tbsp milk • • 1/2 tsp dill weed • 1/2 tsp fresh chives, minced • 1/2 tsp ground mustard 1 tsp dried parsley flakes
• Salt, paprika, garlic
powder, and pepper, to taste
• 12 large eggs, hard-boiled • Fresh parsley, minced, and paprika for garnish
DIRECTIONS
1. In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise, milk, parsley flakes, dill, chives, mustard, salt, paprika, garlic powder, and pepper. Mix well and set aside. 2. Cut eggs lengthwise and remove yolks carefully to preserve egg whites.
3. In a small bowl, mash yolks. 4. Mix mashed yolks with mayonnaise mixture. 5. Spoon or pipe the mixture back into the egg whites. 6. Garnish with fresh parsley and paprika. Refrigerate before serving.
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Age-Friendly
THE 3 BEST VITAMINS FOR AGING Are You Getting the Nutrients You Need? As we age, it’s crucial we get specific vitamins and minerals to help keep our bodies healthy. But there are so many advertisements that claim specific vitamins will give us the nutrients we need that it’s hard to discern what is actually beneficial for us and what we could do without. To clear up the confusion, we asked doctors, “What are the three essential vitamins we need as we age?” Vitamin C Vitamin C is vital for collagen production, skin repair, and building strength in your bones. In addition to protecting your skin against sun damage, it can also repair existing damage that results in lines and wrinkles. While oranges are a great source of vitamin C, it can be found in a variety of foods including chili peppers, parsley, kale, kiwis, and This vitamin helps slow the breakdown of collagen, which helps give our skin its youthful appearance and elasticity. Vitamin A also helps keep your immune system and eyes strong and healthy, and it can be applied topically to help repair your skin. In fact, retinal, a form of this vitamin, is one of the only FDA-approved wrinkle treatments. It works inside cells, assisting receptors in functioning as if they were younger. If you need vitamin A, you can find it in sweet potatoes, kale, mangoes, and carrots. Vitamin E strawberries! Vitamin A
G SITUATIONS eliminate all doorway thresholds, as they’re easy to trip over and harder for wheelchairs to get over. Make sure at least one entryway into your house doesn’t require a step. If this isn’t possible, install a ramp at one of the entryways into your house. Consider Your Kitchen
Tile is hard to stand on for long periods of time, especially if you have lower back or hip pain. Vinyl, linoleum, wood, or cork flooring are much more forgiving. In addition to being slightly softer surfaces, these options also provide a little more grip, so you don’t have to worry as much about slipping when handling hot food. If you feel these options are a great start to making your home age- friendly, reach out to your doctor for other useful tips. They will know firsthand the best ways to make your home safer as you get older.
S U D O KU
Vitamin E is a great resource to keep your cells healthy as they fight damaging free radicals. Free radicals damage parts of our cells, including proteins, DNA, and cell membranes, and they are found in fried foods, alcohol, and tobacco smoke. Vitamin E also protects our skin from a degree of sun exposure and has anti-inflammatory benefits. Sunflower and soybean oils are excellent sources of Vitamin E along with nuts and seeds.
You should try to get an even mix of all these essential vitamins, but you don’t need to build your diet around them. If needed, you can find these in pill or chewable form at your nearest drug store! If you have any great diet recommendations where you get all your necessary vitamins, let me know next time you’re in the office! I’m always looking for ways to incorporate vitamins into my diet.
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I N S I D E This Issue
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How to Plan Your Pet’s Future Care
How to Make the Most of a Nomadic Lifestyle After Retirement Easy Deviled Eggs
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Don’t Fall Into Risky Living Situations
Are You Getting the Nutrients You Need?
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The Lawyer Who Took on a Multibillion-Dollar Company
SOMETHING IN THE WATER WHY ROB BILOTT TOOK ON DUPONT Rob Bilott never should have agreed to represent Wilbur Tennant’s case. one that went far beyond the boundaries of Tennant’s farm and into the drinking water of every American.
The cattle farmer had presented evidence of the strange malady plaguing his cattle to lawyers, politicians, and veterinarians in Parkersburg, West Virginia, but no one took Tennant’s case seriously.
The letter mentioned a mysterious chemical called PFOA, and Bilott requested documentation from DuPont to find out more about it. However, the company refused, so Bilott requested a court order. Soon, dozens of disorganized boxes filled with thousands of 50-year- old files arrived at Bilott’s firm. He was worried he wouldn’t be able to find anything incriminating or even conclusive in the mess of documents, but soon, his time as an environmental lawyer helped him see the bigger picture. It became clear that DuPont had orchestrated a massive cover-up regarding their use of PFOA. PFOA is used in the manufacturing of Teflon, and the company had knowingly exposed workers and the Parkersburg water supply to it. Bilott filed a class-action suit as a medical monitoring claim on behalf of the people of Parkersburg, and, as of 2011, a probable link between PFOA and six health conditions, including two types of cancer, has been found. Because of the medical monitoring claim, plaintiffs can file personal injury lawsuits against DuPont. So far, 3,535 people have. If it weren’t for Bilott and Tennant, the public might have never known the dangers of PFOA.
But when Bilott saw the evidence for himself, it was clear that something was wrong.
The videos and photographs Tennant had collected showed cattle with patchy fur, growths and lesions, white slime coming from their mouths, and staggering gaits. Tennant told Bilott that the abnormal behavior and physical deformities had started after his brother Jim sold his property to DuPont, a chemical company with a big presence in Parkersburg. Jim’s property bordered on Wilbur’s, and a stream running from Jim’s property provided water for all the cattle and wildlife in the area. Since the sale, the stream had become frothy and discolored, and the animals that drank from it were sick, malformed, or dead, including 153 of Tennant’s 200 cows. When Bilott stumbled upon a letter from DuPont to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the real horror story began to emerge —
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