Letter: Public should discuss end-of-life issues

We came to realize that longevity, which can be both a blessing and a curse, is a rising tsunami for this country. Living wills, power-of-attorney documents and last wills and testaments, as important as they are, do not guarantee that the elderly will not become totally dependent and vulnerable to those who wish to take advantage of them.

Caregiving for the elderly costs time and money, and the stress on families often comes as a shock. Round-the-clock care can easily run $90,000 annually. In some circumstances, assets accumulated over a lifetime can be depleted quickly. Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid provide essential help. However, by no means do these government programs relieve families of significant obligations.

Thanks to David Lauderdale for offering his personal story and thus encouraging this community to talk about these end-of-life issues.

Let us hope for a new, enlightened public conversation. Our own generation surely realizes that we, ourselves, are on the verge of becoming the nation's frail elderly.

Bill and Fran Bollin

Buckingham Landing

This story was originally published October 2, 2015 at 9:04 PM with the headline "Letter: Public should discuss end-of-life issues."