One of the most important, and sometimes difficult, decisions you will make in estate planning is choosing a trustee. Your trustee handles your estate if you become disabled or after you die. Here is what to look for in selecting this important person: Nearby: Ideally, your trustee should live close to you, so he or
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Our state’s senior population will grow by 40 percent to about 8.9 million by 2020, according to the California Department of Finance’s Demographic Research Unit. This simple statistic tells me that the number of potential victims of elder abuse will skyrocket in the next decade – just as dire financial issues combine to hinder law
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Longevity was cause for celebration at a special luncheon this fall for centenarians and those approaching the 100-year mark. More than 40 county residents – all of whom have witnessed a remarkable century of change – were honored at the Tuolumne County Commission on Aging’s annual Centenarian Society event. “Look at how our little society
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By ringing bells and offering good cheer, Mother Lode volunteers each Christmas season inspire holiday shoppers to contribute thousands of dollars, a few coins or bills at a time, to The Salvation Army through its annual kettle drive. The Salvation Army – an international organization providing services to those suffering from substance abuse and to
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Transportation options in Tuolumne and Calaveras counties include: Public transit in Tuolumne (532-0404) and Calaveras (754-4450) counties; bus lines cover many but not all in-county destinations (one-way fares for those over 60, $1 on each). Link via Amador County Transit (267-9395) to Sacramento (Greyhound, Amtrak, airport); requires multiple transfers; no service to Modesto. Tuolumne County
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Telling a reluctant parent, spouse or friend that he or she should stop driving can be stressful. Traffic safety and insurance groups offer these suggestions: Make sure the person leading the conversation is someone the older driver trusts, and who is sensitive to the situation. Start early. Talk about driving, and that giving up the
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Don’t put a time limit on the grieving process, advises Dr. Patrick Arbore: “It takes as long as it takes.”

You may have put the rest of your affairs in order, but have you made plans for your pets? Hopefully, by now you have created a basic estate plan by doing the following: Signing Durable Powers of Attorney to make sure that someone you trust will be able to handle your finances, and/or make medical
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As the country “matures,” an age-old issue takes on new meaning: Bullying. The word conjures up images of the big playground kid taking lunch money from his smaller victims. But bullies and bullying among seniors is part of a nationally recognized problem, according to social workers and others who work with the elderly. In Ohio,
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 I know God will not give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish that He didn’t trust me so much. ~ Mother Teresa We all face the five stages of grief when a loved one dies, but it can be shocking to recognize that we must actually go through a variation of these stages each time
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