Kate Ashford

Well, for a time, we had to put caregivers in place. She couldn't be home by herself. She wasn't mobile. So we had to put caregivers into the home. But that's complicated, finding people in a very rural part of the state who could be there at the times when we needed. And then sometimes people didn't show up and family had to step in. So it was the whole thing.

Yeah, in-home care is not the cheapest of options, but we were trying to keep her in the home for as long as we could. So it was a good in-between option, and she didn't want to leave. So for the time being, it was helpful to be able to bring in care.

Yeah, in-home care is not the cheapest of options, but we were trying to keep her in the home for as long as we could. So it was a good in-between option, and she didn't want to leave. So for the time being, it was helpful to be able to bring in care.

Yeah, in-home care is not the cheapest of options, but we were trying to keep her in the home for as long as we could. So it was a good in-between option, and she didn't want to leave. So for the time being, it was helpful to be able to bring in care.

So thankfully, my stepfather has an enormous family, and they circled the wagons, and he was kind of taken care of. So he was not on my plate, but my mother very much was my responsibility at the time.

So thankfully, my stepfather has an enormous family, and they circled the wagons, and he was kind of taken care of. So he was not on my plate, but my mother very much was my responsibility at the time.

So thankfully, my stepfather has an enormous family, and they circled the wagons, and he was kind of taken care of. So he was not on my plate, but my mother very much was my responsibility at the time.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Exactly.

I think you're exactly right to call it a series of conversations, because sitting down and saying something like, Mom, it's time for me to take over your finances probably isn't going to create the back and forth you're looking for. Yeah. So ideally, this should happen over time in little moments, starting years before you might actually need to do anything before anyone is worried or sick.

I think you're exactly right to call it a series of conversations, because sitting down and saying something like, Mom, it's time for me to take over your finances probably isn't going to create the back and forth you're looking for. Yeah. So ideally, this should happen over time in little moments, starting years before you might actually need to do anything before anyone is worried or sick.

I think you're exactly right to call it a series of conversations, because sitting down and saying something like, Mom, it's time for me to take over your finances probably isn't going to create the back and forth you're looking for. Yeah. So ideally, this should happen over time in little moments, starting years before you might actually need to do anything before anyone is worried or sick.

It can be one big conversation if it needs to be. One approach is to bring up your own planning, estate planning, financial planning, and ask your parents how they've prioritized. So what sorts of things have they put in place and how did they make those decisions? It puts them in the position of being the advisor, which helps.

It can be one big conversation if it needs to be. One approach is to bring up your own planning, estate planning, financial planning, and ask your parents how they've prioritized. So what sorts of things have they put in place and how did they make those decisions? It puts them in the position of being the advisor, which helps.

It can be one big conversation if it needs to be. One approach is to bring up your own planning, estate planning, financial planning, and ask your parents how they've prioritized. So what sorts of things have they put in place and how did they make those decisions? It puts them in the position of being the advisor, which helps.

I actually didn't. I was really lucky in that my mom and stepfather had done all their estate planning without me having to prompt them. So when I had to step in to manage things, it was really just a matter of going back to their attorney to alter the names on the paperwork.

I actually didn't. I was really lucky in that my mom and stepfather had done all their estate planning without me having to prompt them. So when I had to step in to manage things, it was really just a matter of going back to their attorney to alter the names on the paperwork.

I actually didn't. I was really lucky in that my mom and stepfather had done all their estate planning without me having to prompt them. So when I had to step in to manage things, it was really just a matter of going back to their attorney to alter the names on the paperwork.

If we had had to start from scratch, it would have been a big process in the middle of something that was already really stressful.