"...You should never expect anything more of your parents than what they gave you to make your own way in this world with..."

Well said!!!

I totally agree!!!!

My thanks to all for y'all's advice!!!!!

My Mom & step-Dad have recently been diagnosed with Dementia and many legal possibilities are now closed.

It is not too late for us sane ones to dampen down some of the other's.

I will be applying y'all's good advice to my own family situation.

Thanks again!!!!

Depending on how things unfold from here, you might want to consider a conservatorship for your mom. No idea of the cost to obtain ... might be prohibitive.

this year, estate attorney, in california, quoted me 'about' $5,000 for a conservatorship - has to go before a judge.

yikes!!!!!

Wildman,



Is it that a good estate attorney has told you that the "many legal possibilities are now closed" or is this just an assumption that you or someone in your family is making?

If you have not gotten this as an opinion from an attorney, I think it is worth talking to an attorney about this specific issue. It may be that there is a difference in the level of impairment necessary to cause a doctor to diagnose dementia, and the local jurisdiction's legal definition of how impaired someone must be so as to preclude them from handling their own funds/affairs and, for example, setting up the trusts and the other possibilities discussed. There still may be options open. If not, conservatorship will probably be necessary. In either case, it sounds like a talk with a good estate/elder law attorney is in order.

Hope that something can still be done.