General information about aging, care, and legal authority. Benefits rules and individual documents require current professional review.
Capacity is decision- and time-specific; the relevant question is the legal standard for the act being taken at that time.
Define the immediate decision
- A diagnosis or advanced age alone does not answer whether a person can sign a particular will, trust, power, or contract.
Authority, care, and payment records
- dated medical and functional information relevant to the decision
- drafting notes, witness observations, and prior consistent instructions
Escalation and safeguards
- Which legal capacity standard applies to this document?
- What accommodations would support the person's own decision-making?
Risks to pause on
- Family members should not substitute their preferences for the person's own choices merely because help is needed.