Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/1502526
per set with 45-day trial period Stream to Your Smartphone Virtually Invisible Santa Cruz Location 550 Water St., Suite A Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Watsonville Location 243 Green Valley Rd., Suite C Freedom, CA 95019 $999. $1,299. 99 99 Virtuall www.scentmd.com Call TODAY at (831) 531-4231 to order! Now Carrying Sony OTC Devices with prices between What's new in bunion surgery? One of the most over- looked body parts yet the most essential are our feet. We don't pay any attention to them until they hurt and if we wait long enough deformities like bunions or hammer- toe will limit our shoe choices. Bones that start to dislocate or cause pain inside shoes should be addressed promptly. But if we can't wear our regular shoes, we may not get to maintain our exercises to stay healthy physically and mentally. Eventually, these deformities would benefit from surgery, but who really wants surgery? Needing to undergo foot surgery may sound ter- rifying and painful with long periods of down time. Traditional surgery to correct misaligned foot bones typically includes a large incision of about 4-6 cm, breaking the bone to reposition it, then secured with metal hardware like screws, pins or plates, and a recovery time of about 3 months. Having healthy functional feet is necessary to our day to day lives, but is there a better way? Bunion surgery has been around since 1881 and has evolved most dramatically in the past decade with minimally invasive surgery (MIS). In con- trast to traditional open surgery, MIS is a surgical technique that reduces trauma to the soft tissue thus reducing pain and expediting the healing process. MIS has been well adopted in a variety of fields including vas- cular surgery, urology, general surgery, gyneco- logic surgery, orthopedic surgery, to name a few with the increase in demand to shorten the down time and maintain independence. Foot and ankle surgery has quickly adapted MIS techniques to correct toe deformities with just a poke hole incision that heals with- in a week and the technique continues to evolve over the years. Using specialized instrumentation, bone re- alignment is possible without the use of metal hardware, which reduces the risk of implant rejection, infection and scar pain. Splinting of the newly broken bone is achieved with specialized bandaging to maintain the new position. Patients are able to walk after surgery in a protected shoe for about 4 weeks, then return to a tennis shoe thereafter. Currently, there are only a few foot specialists in Santa Cruz County who have trained in this technique but it is expected to catch on more over the next several years. Minimally invasive foot surgery has the same out- come as traditional open surgery with the added benefits of less trauma, less pain, less scarring, and faster recovery. Plus, many of these toe surgeries can be done comfortably under local anesthesia, eliminating the risk related to general anesthesia. If you're ready to trans- form your feet for the better, schedule a risk- free consultation with Dr. Tea Nguyen by calling 831-288-3400 or visiting 831feet.com By Tea Nguyen, DPM Financial & Legal Issues for Cargivers There are many re- sponsibilities a caregiver becomes in charge of when taking care of some- one with a neurological condition. For example, caregivers should keep in mind financial and legal matters. People with cognitive impairments may struggle to handle their affairs and may be vulnerable to scams and exploitation. We have tips to help you plan with respect and dignity while also balancing indepen- dence and protection. Measures to Protect a Loved One's Finances & Legal Affairs When you want to protect money and legal affairs for a loved one, consider their ability to think clearly. If they can think clearly, they may be able to help with plan- ning. However, if a loved one's cognitive function- ing is impaired, caregivers may turn to the courts for assistance. You can make different legal and monetary arrange- ments to protect your loved one if they are unable. Here is an overview of these arrangements. • Personal Banking - It's a good idea to accompany your loved one to a meeting with their banker to discuss legal representation choices even if they can think and understand well. While sharing a bank account can simplify transactions it is important to understand that the caregiver will have crit- ical duties that need careful thought and understanding. • Durable Power of Attor- ney for Finances (DPOA) - As a caregiver, becoming a Durable Power of Attor- ney for Finances (DPOA) allows you to manage the finances of your loved one if they become unable to do so themselves. You will only act on their behalf according to their wishes while they are still able to make decisions. But if they are unable to make deci- sions, you will be respon- sible for managing their finances and ensuring their financial affairs are taken care of. It's a crucial step to protecting their financial well-being. • Advance Health Care Directive - An advanced health care directive is a document that records a person's health care and end-of-life decisions. It has two parts: the durable power of attorney (for health care) and health care decisions. The chosen healthcare agent can make important decisions about their care, like providing, withdrawing, or withhold- ing food and water. The agent can also permit organ donation, autopsy, and how to handle the body after death. This document is imperative. It ensures that the person's wishes are respected and helps prevent family disagreements and legal battles over medical treatment. • Revocable Living Trusts - A living trust is a docu- ment that shows how a person's assets will be managed if they can't. It also says how the assets will be given out after they die. The person who makes the trust can be called the Settlor, Trustor, or Grantor, and the person who carries it out is called the Executor. Unlike other legal documents, a trust is not filed in court. However, it's best to have a lawyer help with things like changing the names on financial accounts and property deeds. The Grantor can change or end the trust while they are alive and have mental ca- pacity. It can't be changed when the Grantor dies. Advantages of a Trust: • A trust is a life manage- ment tool that states how to manage assets during your loved ones' lifetime, incapacity, and after death. •A trust avoids the need for a conservatorship, probate of an estate after death, and Medi-Cal re- covery by the state after death. •Distribution of assets after death is generally quicker and less expensive. •Will - A will, like a trust, outlines how your loved ones' assets will be distrib- uted upon death. However, unlike a trust, it is not pro- tected from court probate. A will has no legal effect until death and the court has accepted it for probate. • Conservatorship - If someone hasn't planned for their future with documents like a Power of Attorney and Advanced Health Care Directive, they may need to go through a legal process called conservatorship. A court will appoint someone to make decisions about your loved ones' healthcare, finances, and living situation if can't do so themselves. The court will only grant conservatorship if there's clear evidence that the individual can't make these decisions due to mental or cognitive incapacity. During a conservatorship, the con- servator will be supervised by the court. During this time, they must provide regular reports. Con- servatorship ends when the person can make decisions again or passes away. Taking care of money and legal matters for a loved one is a big responsibility that should be handled carefully by caregivers, professionals, and the courts. To find the best solution for your family, plan carefully and talk it over. If you would like to learn more about Legal Planning, the Del Mar Caregiver Resource Center is hosting a class in English and Spanish in August. The English class will be hosted by Steven Mudd, Esq. from Hempel & Mudd Law on August 10th at 1 P.M. The Spanish class will be hosted by Vicky Canepa Berg from Legal Services for Seniors on August 11th at 1 P.M. Please vis- it www.delmarcaregiver. org/education to register for those classes. By The Del Mar Cargiver Resource Center