Legendary NFL Player, Gale Sayers, Battles Dementia

On March 20, 2017, NBC Sports reported that Gale Sayers has dementia. Sayers is best known as a legendary NFL player for the Bears. Dementia, unfortunately, is common, and Florida trust and estates attorneys are frequently facing inheritance and guardianship disputes involving it. Does Sayers have a valid estate plan in place? How can having a valid estate plan prove beneficial to someone with dementia? Don’t estate plans only affect me when I die? What do West Palm Beach probate lawyers know about dementia and undue influence? Can you create a valid will after your doctor tells you that you have Dementia or Alzheimer’s? Can you amend your Florida trust or will even though you have severe dementia and are being influenced by a family member?

Florida Estate Planning and Mental Illness

In cases where a mental illness, like dementia,  is an issue, a good estate plan should focus on health related issues. What does this mean? Florida estate planning attorneys can tell you that an estate plan can include health documents. Who’s going to make health care decisions for you if you no longer cannot make them for yourself? Is there a power of attorney to assist with simple things like paying your taxes and bills? Is there a power of attorney to assist you with personal things like getting your prescriptions and getting you to the doctors?  Does the health care proxy or medical durable power of attorney jive with the rest of your plan? Are they up to date? Are your fiduciaries all lined up and ready to go? West Palm Beach wills lawyers know that money is important, for sure, but so is one’s mental and physical well being. If Sayers has a proper estate plan, he may be able to avoid, if necessary, a guardianship.

To read the entire article about Sayer’s struggle with dementia, click here.