A major illness or accident is more than just a health problem for the elderly. Financial assets can be devastated, and families thrown into havoc when a person is rendered incompetent or incapable of executing financial and medical decisions. A simple way to avoid the cost and crisis of such a situation is by planning ahead with “advance directives,” and assigning Durable Power of Attorney to someone that can be trusted.

Advance directives are as varied as the individual’s situation, and can...