I am going to start [View all]

but this is going to take awhile and I will need to update.

I am 76, my sister is 82. She is a retired professor of English specializing in Southern Literature. She has lived alone her adult life. She has never been more physically active than normal daily life. When she retired she moved to be close to my husband and me. We have a brother but he lives on Vancouver Island and has some health issues. We live in East TN.

Several months ago, I became aware that she was not paying her bills, not even opening her mail. I was already POA so I plowed through piles of paperwork to learn her finances. It was a lot. Put many bills on autopay and then learned about insurance and investments.

I took her car keys and she did not complain. I sent my POA paperwork everywhere needed.

I now pay her bills, monitor her investments and worry. I will say, she is financially secure. I do not worry about money.

Money has lost its meaning to her. She is content for me to handle everything.

On Memorial Day, she fell and broke her hip. She went to rehab and is now in assisted living they were generous to accept her, she is not independent enough. She has a caregiver who has been helping and will continue.

I sign paperwork, I make decisions. I am managing her life as well as that of my husband and mine.

This is a lot of work. I recommend people learn about someone's life before they are required to learn it quickly.

I jokingly said I would become a consultant. I could teach people what they need to know and do. I would charge $1000/ hr for this.

I now have to make sure her house and belongings are secure. It is something new every day.

stay tuned there will be updates. Thanks for listening.