People underestimate the positive effect of having water available to wildlife. Both for the wildlife and for the spectators!

Jammy Dogs come in all sizes. A warm chonk is a goodest chonk.

When you make your plan, be aware that:
-Medicare does not cover long term care.
-If you want to avoid a guardian, you must designate a trusted power of attorney/health care agent while you are still mentally able.

What you would want if you became unable to care for yourself or make your own decisions. Because once your decision-making capabilities are called into question, it is way too late. Talk to your family and friends and build supportive networks, most importantly-look out for one another. Fin/

So I don’t care if you’re 30 or 60. If you’re an adult, plan for the future. I hear “my (insert parent/sibling/spouse) knows what I want” a lot: but what if you outlive them or the relationships change. I’m begging you: it doesn’t have to be complex, but spend an hour thinking about 8/

Bird will likely go to a group home to live out her days (and that’s a good outcome because she’s affable, our Bird) and again, because the state intervened in time to salvage her assets to pay for a potential decade more of care. But I fear we are on the cusp of an epidemic of elder abuse. 7/

So the kicker here is that Bird probably could have lived out her days on the farm with a caretaker IF she had planned ahead for the possibilities. She had the financial resources. But because she didn’t plan ahead , the property is not habitable and will likely be sold to pay for her care. 6/

But of course, that’s not how death and dying work and people can spend years in terrible hygiene and survival conditions because this country is terrible about taking care of its elders. And the elders are terrible about planning for a future in which they might not be mentally capable. 5/

Thankfully, Bird owns a small farm and has assets that can contribute to her long-term care. But the kicker is, she had NO estate plan. NONE. So when she had some health issues and dementia set in, her entire plan had been to just sit on her farm (the house has been condemned) until she died. 4/

Bird was just put under conservatorship by a court after an emergency intervention by adult protective services. Previously, Bird gave her power of attorney to a friendly church couple who have now been alleged to be involved in financial abuse of Bird’s estate. That case is still open. 3/

I have had a lovely older woman (let’s call her Bird) with early-mid stage dementia staying with me for a month now. She has no known family and her only friend (also an older woman) is a terrible advocate for her and also has some mental health issues. 2/

Congrats!