Turning a half-century old today, and its definitely my worst birthday ever. My mom passed away a month ago, and I've spent the past month and a half initially doubly taking care of mom and dad, now just dad whom has Alzheimers, trying to work through the nightmarishly long and stressful conservancy/guardianship process to allow me to take control of his finances and health care, as he's completely unable to manage either. He scrounged and saved a lot of money into investments when he was working, he's drawing a pension and social security, but he thinks (no matter how much I or others, including his own financial advisor whom manages his investments) try to assure him, he thinks the only money he has is the cash in his wallet. Despite assuring him, he doesn't know he has multiple bank accounts nor investments, nor income that's more than sufficient to pay for care (but being unaware, he doesn't know it, and he's legally incapacitated so we can't just talk him into signing the paperwork to give me access nor pay care facilities directly, effectively with Karen gone, no one can use the money he has to pay for the care he needs).

It would have been a lot easier if he had used the pre-paid legal protection he signed up and paid for to complete a Power of Attorney in addition to a will while he still had legal capacity, but he didn't. I found a largely filled out application for such he completed about 20 years ago, but never actually submitted to the lawyer; its too late now, as once you're legally incapacited by dementia or other conditions, you legally can't sign contracts such as Power of Attorney.