As people age, they become more likely to develop Alzheimer’s or some other type of dementia.
Dementia gets progressively worse as time goes on. In the condition’s final stages, a person may have no ability to communicate or process information. They will likely need help with very basic life tasks.
By the time the condition reaches its later stages, it may simply be too late for the patient to do any meaningful financial or estate planning. Legally, they may not even be allowed under Connecticut to make a valid will or execute other estate planning documents.
Therefore, it is important for people to recognize early signs of dementia. If they notice these signs in themselves or in their loved one, they should seek out appropriate medical help promptly:
- Short-term memory loss that makes it hard to retain basic information, such as where one put things
- Difficulty concentrating to the point where it interferes with tasks like paying bills
- Fundamental confusion about place or time
- Lapses in judgment regarding important tasks like money or hygiene
- Forgetfulness over commonly used words or difficulty coming up with the correct term for a common object
It can be hard to distinguish between an early sign of dementia and just ordinary aging or even a person’s typical behavior. Concerned people should look for patterns of behavior as opposed to isolated problems that their loved one quickly recognizes and corrects.
Other key questions to ask are whether a concerning behavior is getting worse over time and whether the behavior is out of character for the person.
Those in the early stages of dementia may still be able to prepare
Those in the early stages of dementia are often able both to continue to live independently and to make important financial and estate planning decisions themselves.
A resident of the New Haven area with a recent dementia diagnosis should promptly learn what their legal options are both for covering the cost of long-term care and providing for their loved ones.