(Radio Iowa) – A lawyer from southwest Iowa who focuses on eldercare and estate planning says she’s finding many Iowans are ill-prepared for worst-case scenarios. Deborah Peterson, of Council Bluffs, led an online workshop this week on behalf of the Iowa chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. “People are not doing a really good job of having their affairs in order all the time, and one of the things we really push on is doing powers of attorney,” Peterson says, “because when any type of dementia sets in, the affected loved one is not able to make good decisions.”

More than seven-million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s disease, including some 62-thousand in Iowa. Another 100-thousand Iowans serve as caregivers for family members and friends. Peterson says some people don’t like to confront their mortality by creating things like a will or medical power of attorney, which is understandable, however:

“It’s very important that early on, while you’re competent in life, you can pick someone that you trust, and that’s a big word, a trustworthy person to handle your affairs, financial and health wise,” Peterson says, “and a lot of people don’t have that in place.” Having a living will isn’t just for the elderly. What’s considered early-onset Alzheimer’s can strike a person in their 30s, and Peterson says many people are simply unprepared — at all ages.

“Unfortunately, in that situation, then you’re going to be stuck with having to go to a court proceeding and having to prove the person with dementia being unable to manage their affairs,” Peterson says, “and it can be a long, drawn out, expensive process.” Some people will wait until they have children or buy a house before they’ll draw up a will, but Peterson notes the legal age in Iowa is 18, and that’s not too early to get organized.

“We see that what happens is when a parent or a loved one passes away, then the kids will say, ‘Oh my gosh, I need to get this done because look at this mess Mom and Dad left us,'” Peterson says. “Most of the messes that are created, most of us lawyers can clean them up, but it’s not cheap and it’s not easy.” The Alzheimer’s Association is hosting hour-long virtual workshops for veterans every Tuesday this month, though many of the topics are relevant to anyone facing Alzheimer’s disease and all are welcome to attend — for free — via Zoom.

To learn more or register, visit alz.org/crf.