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=Financial help for seniors=Lots of financial help is available for seniors, including home care support and assisted living, free flu shots, discounted prescriptions, housing benefits like rent help, homeowner’s grants and deferred property taxes, and discounted bus passes. If you’re 60 or over, you should know about these benefits.Understand your legal rights==
==What old age security =You have the right to live in the manner you wish and other income assistance can you get?free of elder abuse===Under the [http://canlii.ca/t/84gj law in BC], all adults are entitled to live in the manner they wish as long as they don’t harm others and they are capable of making decisions.
If the abuse involves a criminal offence such as threats, assault, forgery or intimidation, the designated agency must report it to the police.
====Where there is financial abuse====The PGT Public Guardian and Trustee investigates reports of financial elder abuse when the older adult’s assets are at risk and the person is incapable of managing his or her their financial affairs. In some situations, the PGT Public Guardian and Trustee may take steps to become “committee” '''committee''' of the estate, so it can make financial decisions to protect the person’s assets (“committee” is discussed later in this script). If the PGT Public Guardian and Trustee gets a report involving concerns about physical risk, it will refer the situation to a designated agency.
=Financial and medical affairs==If you are concerned with the response to a report of abuse===If you are concerned about the response offered by a designated agency to a report of abuse, you have options.
==Can you disinherit a family member?Common questions==Yes, but the ''Wills, Estates and Succession Act'' lets a court change a will that doesn’t adequately provide for the maintenance and support of the deceased person’s spouse or children. So a court can change your will after you die if it decides that you’ve been unfair or unreasonable toward a spouse or child. However, by consulting a lawyer for estate planning, you may be able to give away your estate in other ways that don’t involve a will. For example, in some cases, an alter ego trust or a joint partner trust may let you avoid probate fees and the effect of the Act.
===How can I prepare for the possibility of becoming incapable of making my own decisions?===It’s a good idea to plan for the possibility you won’t be able to make your own decisions. For more information example, to deal with decisions on wills your legal and estate planningfinancial affairs, check scripts [[Making you can make a Will '''power of attorney'''. With an “enduring power of attorney” you can appoint another person to make financial and Estate Planning (Script 176)|176]] to [[legal decisions for you. It continues — or endures — if you become mentally incapable. The Disappointed Beneficiary (Script 179)|179]]person you appoint is called your attorney.
==Can you make your own decisions about your healthcare and where =Should I transfer my home to livemy child so I can stay in it with them?===All adults have the right to live as It depends. As people age, they wish and often need help with their daily needs, but may not want to accept or refuse support or assistance, as long as they’re capable leave the comfort of making these decisions and don’t harm otherstheir own homes. BC’s ''Health Care (Consent) Sometimes, family members or friends will suggest they move into your home and Care Facility (Admission) Act'' also confirms the right of all adults over 18 have you transfer your home to make them in exchange for their own medical and health care decisionslooking after you. This can be a good way to get the help you need, while letting the younger family member or friend get a home.
[updated July 2018]
'''The above was last edited reviewed for legal accuracy by John Blois[http://www.bcheritagelaw.com/team/nicole-garton/ Nicole Garton] and [http://www.bcheritagelaw.com/team/elizabeth-markus/ Elizabeth Markus], Heritage Law.'''
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