10/07/2026
Your parent got the diagnosis this week.
Dementia. And now everything you were going to get around to doing, legally, is suddenly urgent.
Here is what most families do not know: legal documents require your parent to have "capacity" at the time of signing. That does not mean perfect memory, but it does mean they understand what they are signing. In early-stage dementia, that window is often still open. Later on, it may not be.
What needs to happen now, while they can still participate:
- Durable power of attorney (finances)
- Healthcare directive and medical proxy
- Review of any existing will or trust
- A conversation about Medicaid, if long-term care is a possibility
Without these in place, a family that loses that window ends up in court. Guardianship and conservatorship are the legal alternatives, and neither one is fast or private.
You did not get to choose the timing of this. You do get to choose what happens next.
General education, not legal advice for your family. [Book Now](https://app.lawmatics.com/forms/share/6fb6a44f-2655-4f47-9d28-d382f05c68fc) and protect the window you still have.