I am embarrassed by the fact that I received this book a good while ago and I still have not read it. I have skimmed through it; I've read small bits of it; and I think it looks very useable. I am keeping it and will continue to refer to it; however, I can not say I am really reviewing it.

I am sure that the reason I'm not reading it is a combination of denial that I am getting old enough to be doing this planning, and a resistance to add more to my way too big ToDo lists. ( )

The book, Estate Planning for People With A Chronic Condition or Disability may not be as tempting as the latest thriller or spy novel, but if you are one of millions Americans facing daily life with a chronic or disabling disease, thoughts about the future and planning for it are important for emotional as well as medical and legal reasons. If you have strong feelings about your health care options and end of life care and realize a time may come when you can no longer express your feelings to your loved ones, this book can help you make those preparations with its step by step basics for planning your estate which includes health care proxies, “living wills,” HIPAA requirements, trusts, wills and power of attorney. Now is the time to legally document your wishes so your loved ones have your thoughts in a binding document to guide their decision-making during difficult times. It is a gift to them as well as a choice about your own life.

The book breaks little new ground but it does an excellent job of gathering resources into one volume and using clear, precise language to help readers through this sometimes “difficult to think about,” journey as they make end of life decisions about health care, finances and other resources. While the author, Martin Shenkman takes great care to advise readers to consult an attorney, forms are included that can be used if resources are limited. This book is a great starting point when faced with a chronic or disabling condition within the family and legal issues that may occur such as the need for power of attorney, or access to medical records, etc.

An excellent resource and a book that may be especially helpful to people with Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, or Alzheimer’s Disease since some specific examples are cited but a great resource for other chronic/disabling diseases conditions too. As someone with MS I was glad to have a chance to review this book and learn more about estate planning options. ( )

Not only am I not a lawyer, but I have a chronic illness that oftentimes interferes with my ability to think clearly and follow along with difficult topics - things like estate planning and the intricacies of law. That is perhaps one of the reasons why this book has impressed me so much. In spite of my difficulties I was able to follow along with the information in this guide with relative ease, and between the easy organization and the checklists that make it easy to keep track of what you've done versus what you haven't and the things that you need to be working on, it made the whole process of sorting out my estate needs that much easier. For those with a chronic illness or disability, having a good, well thought out estate plan and the tools in place to assure that your own wishes are respected and your family is taken care of may be even more of a necessity - and a worry - than they are for the general population. Given the variety of disabilities out there this book won't offer the perfect solution for everyone, and there are areas where it's weak, such as a lack of content when it comes to arranging an estate to care for a disabled dependent, but as a starting point and an easy to follow guide, especially for those who may not have done much to start on their estate planning, it's an excellent tool. ( )

This is a clear, well-written guide that would be useful to just about anyone but especially useful to those dealing with chronic illnesses or disabilities. It's written in a clear, informal style with advice and checklists. It's not necessarily the kind of book you read straight through -- but is immensely useful to consult as a reference book. And not just once -- estate planning necessarily can change as your life changes and your priorities or other conditions (financial status, marital status, etc.) change. So it's one I'll be keeping on the shelves for awhile. ( )

Took me awhile to get to this one. This book is useful for anyone with a chronic illness to help make sure all their ducks are in a row should anything happen to them. The book could be useful for anyone, but with specific tips for those with chronic illnesses or disabilities, it's an essential. I just had my first child, and this book will be crucial for me. Thanks Librarything and Demos Health!