Imagine this: You’re noticing small changes. Misplacing your keys more often, struggling to find words that used to come easily, feeling a bit off in ways you can’t quite explain. It’s unsettling, and the temptation to brush it off is strong.

But what if—just for a moment—you approached these changes with curiosity rather than fear? What if seeking answers early could open doors to support, understanding, and a plan that honors your independence? What if your fears were put to rest by news of a treatable condition?

Knowledge is Power, Not a Loss of Control

An early diagnosis, whether it confirms dementia or another condition, is not a sentence—it’s an opportunity. It’s the difference between navigating uncertainty alone versus having a roadmap that helps you make the most of your strengths while preparing for future needs.

Consider these real-life benefits:

• More Time for Meaningful Conversations – When diagnosed early, families have the chance to talk openly, express wishes, and shape decisions together while communication is at its best.
• Better Healthcare Choices – With a diagnosis, doctors can tailor treatments to optimize cognitive health, manage symptoms, or even reverse issues if the cause is something treatable (like vitamin deficiencies, medication interactions or infection).
• Preserving Independence Through Planning – Establishing a Health Care and Financial Power of Attorney now doesn’t mean handing over control—it means ensuring that when help is needed, trusted people step in with your wishes in mind. Waiting too long might mean others have to guess what you would have wanted.
• Building a Support Network – Instead of facing challenges alone, early action allows you to bring in the right people, whether it’s friends, family, or professional caregivers. The goal isn’t to take over—it’s to keep you empowered with support that respects your autonomy.

Making the Most of the Now

Early diagnosis isn’t just about the future—it’s about embracing life today. It can play out in a variety of different ways:

🔹 Mary recognized changes in her thinking and got evaluated early. Her diagnosis gave her time to organize finances, plan travel experiences, and even adopt a daily routine that kept her brain engaged and spirits high.  She found local resources that she didn’t need right away but was able to be part of the decision making now, for what will happen later.

🔹 Tom, a retired firefighter, learned that his memory slips weren’t dementia but related to sleep apnea. With treatment, his thinking improved, reinforcing why seeking answers early matters.

Getting a diagnosis isn’t about losing control—it’s gaining knowledge that helps you take control in a way that honors your journey.

Health Care & Financial Power of Attorney (POA)

Two key legal tools can ensure a person’s wishes are honored while preserving autonomy:

📜 Health Care Power of Attorney (POA) – Allows a trusted individual to make health-related decisions only when the person is no longer able to do so themselves.

💰 Financial (Durable) Power of Attorney (POA) – Ensures responsible financial management while the individual is still making their own decisions, but provides a safety net for when assistance is needed.

Featured Expert

Meet Janna Wallace, a local attorney who specializes in matters specifically related to the needs of older adults, both with and without brain change. In an effort to serve my clients better, I had the pleasure of meeting with Janna to learn more about the value, benefit and necessity of getting a healthcare and financial POA in order BEFORE we need it.

I asked Janna to explain to all of you what she had explained to me:

“A well-written Power of Attorney (POA) is an essential document for anyone facing a debilitating illness. It ensures that one’s wishes are carried out even when an individual is no longer able to manage their own finances. It is important to get a POA in place before one loses the capacity [or willingness] to sign a POA.

A POA is a legal document that appoints an agent (sometimes referred to as an “attorney-in-fact”) to manage financial and legal decisions on the principal’s behalf when the principal is no longer able to make those decisions. Generally, one names a primary agent and then a successor agent or two.

A Healthcare POA appoints an agent to make medical decisions on one’s behalf when one can no longer make or communicate medical decisions. An agent under a POA is a fiduciary who must act in the principal’s best interest. Additionally, the agent only has power to act according to what the POA document specifically allows them to do. For instance, being able to make a gift on the principal’s behalf must be specifically allowed for the agent to gift any of the principal’s assets, even to the principal’s spouse.

Having an attorney draft the POA document is very important as the attorney will draft the document to meet the principal’s specific needs, especially when a principal has a chronic illness that may require special planning to apply for public assistance benefits.

When there is no POA in place, or the POA is poorly written, and an individual has lost their capacity to make decisions for themselves, the individual’s family is faced with petitioning the court to have a guardianship put in place. The guardianship process requires a hearing before the Clerk of Court. The Clerk must find the individual incompetent and then appoints someone to serve as Guardian for the individual. The process is time consuming and expensive. The court may appoint someone other than a family member to be guardian.

It is far better to plan ahead and have a proper power of attorney and healthcare power of attorney in place.” – Janna Wallace

You Are Not Alone

If you or a loved one is noticing changes, the bravest and most empowering step is to seek guidance. At Senior Moments Consulting, we help families navigate these conversations with clarity, compassion, and confidence.