COVID, Ventilators and Your Healthcare Directive

In April, 91-year old Minna Buck revised her Advance Healthcare Directive. She doesn’t want to be intubated if she becomes infected with COVID. Ms. Buck has done her research and knows she doesn’t want any part of intubation. She knows that even if she survived, the recovery would leave her weak and disoriented, a burden on others, with a negligible quality of life.

No Intubation for Ms. Buck

Buck is clearly in the high-risk group. “No intubation,” she wrote in large letters on the form, making sure to include the date and her initials. “I don’t want to put everybody through the anguish,” said Buck.

Ventilators represent a loss of personal control

For older adults contemplating what might happen to them during this pandemic, ventilators represent a terrifying lack of personal control. Ventilators pump oxygen into a patient’s body while he or she lies in bed, typically sedated, with a breathing tube snaked down the windpipe. This can be the greatest fear: helplessly being hooked to a machine with the end of life looming. Yet for others, there is the hope that the machine might pull them back from the brink, giving them another shot at life.

Who will care for these patients? Where?

“It’s a very long, uphill battle to recovery,” and many older patients may never regain full functioning, said Dr. Negin Hajizadeh, an associate professor of critical care medicine at the School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell on New York’s Long Island. “Who’s going to take care of these patients after a prolonged ventilator course ― and where?”

Quality of life issues motivated one single woman to change her healthcare directive

In St. Paul, Minnesota, Joyce Edwards is 61, unmarried and lives alone. In late April, Edwards revised her Advance Healthcare Directive to specify that “for COVID-19, I do not want to be placed on a ventilator. I have to think about what the quality of my life is going to be. Could I live independently and take care of myself — the things I value the most? There’s no spouse or adult children to take care of me. Who would step into the breach and look after me while I’m in recovery?”

End of life care discussions: Think about what’s important to you

COVID has created some immediacy around end of life decision-making. Experts advise older adults to discuss what’s most important to them–independence, time with family, mobility, living as long as possible. Think about what represents a good quality of life—this will provide context for the ventilator decision. For Minna Buck, quality of life and independence outweighed living as along as possible. At 91, she has lived a long, full life.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

As the COVID crisis drags on, more clients are scheduling appointments to create or update their Living Trusts. Our Trust package includes a Pour Over Will, and for those families with children under 18, it means that they can name a Guardian. Creating a Trust helps provide some peace of mind during these uncertain times. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents.

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable.

Schedule an appointment today

Our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually via Zoom or phone. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area officesin Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. Please wear your mask and stay safe.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

As Pandemic Evolves, New Symptoms Emerge

Does anyone else wake up in the morning, take a few deep breaths and cough to test for COVID? We’re now learning that fever, cough and shortness of breath are not the only warning signs of a coronavirus infection.

As doctors and virologists learn more this insidious disease, they’re also discovering new symptoms that can accompany the more obvious respiratory problems. These new symptoms reinforce what experts around the world are telling us: The coronavirus is still in charge, capable of causing a sustained and often prolonged attack. Even more frightening for those in a high-risk demographic, are the long-term effects of the virus. People who get the disease do not develop an immunity. COVID breaks down our immune systems, and we can catch it again. The virus can leave its patients weak and disoriented.

In the early days of the pandemic, the focus was on treating those who were the sickest

But we’ve become more knowledgeable. “It takes a while for the full range of symptoms to be known when you’re dealing with a new virus,” explains Lisa Winston, M.D., an epidemiologist and professor of clinical medicine at UCSF.

COVID patients are exhibiting a broader range of symptoms

• Some patients are reporting red or purple lesions on hands and feet.
• Doctors are treating people with diarrhea and loss of appetite, sense of taste and smell.
• Dermatologist Esther Freeman, M.D., has identified red- and purple-colored toes that swell, burn and itch. This unusual symptom has been dubbed “COVID toes.”
• Rashes similar to those from hives and chicken pox have also been reported on some coronavirus patients.
• According to the Journal of American Neurology, confusion, delirium, and other neurological symptoms have also been observed in those with COVID.
• There are early reports suggesting that COVID may raise the risk of abnormal blood clotting. Clots reaching the lungs, heart or brain can cause more serious complications, including pulmonary embolism, heart attack or stroke. If the virus enters cells in the heart, it also can cause a heart infection known as myocarditis. This infection may cause chest pain, abnormal heart rhythms and heart failure.
• Happy hypoxia. This is a dangerous condition where patients have dangerously low levels of oxygen in their blood, which could cause reduced consciousness. Patients with this condition have been unusually alert and comfortable—completely unaware that they’re manifesting a serious condition.

Response to COVID will be influenced by the strength of our own immune systems

Once COVID reaches the lungs and the bloodstream, it travels around pretty freely. More research will determine how it interacts with cells. Symptoms may be caused by inflammation that results from the body’s immune response to infection—and will vary widely depending on the strength of the individual immune system. While fewer people are dying from COVID, more people are becoming infected. We can minimize the risk by social distancing and wearing masks.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust

We are scheduling appointments with clients to create or update the Trusts they created 15-20 years ago—there may be new grandchildren, property and/or investments. Think of those things that would change the inheritance for your beneficiaries.

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee.

Schedule a secure office visit or work virtually via Zoom

Our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually using Zoom or phones. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. COVID is going to be with us for a while, so wear a mask and stay safe!

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

This story is based on an article from the AARP, Unusual Symptoms of COVID-19 You Need to Know About, by Rachel Nania

Probate: A Tragic Consequence of the Pandemic

COVID is proving to be a very cunning adversary. Experts continue to learn about and respect COVID’s nuances because it’s still the one in control. While the disease is most dangerous for the elderly and those with preexisting conditions, it transcends demographics. It’s affecting those who are healthy, athletic, young and strong.

Probate has emerged as an unfortunate consequence of COVID

Tragically, thousands of people, including our health care workers, are dying from this disease every single day. Many never created a Will or Living Trust. Their families, still reeling from the shock of a tragic death, are now having to deal with Probate. They’re tackling the challenges of administering an estate during a pandemic when everything is infinitely more difficult.

California Document Preparers guides our clients through the entire Probate process

While Probate can seem overwhelming, it is actually a very methodical process. Best of all, we guide you through the entire process, and we prepare the legal documents.

As part of Probate, the Court appoints a personal representative, or Administrator, to settle the estate, so we work directly with that Administrator throughout the Probate process. The administrator is responsible for:

• Collecting all of the decedent’s property
• Paying all of the estate’s debts, claims and taxes
• Collecting all rights to income, dividends, etc.
• Settling all disputes
• Distributing or transferring the remaining property to the heirs

Access to the decedent’s accounts to determine the financial landscape 

The Administrator may meet with the financial advisor, insurance agent, accountant, etc. to acquire estate information. Gaining access to all of the decedent’s records–bank statements, savings accounts and income tax returns–will help determine the financial landscape. The Administrator is in charge of valuing and and selling assets, as necessary, to settle the estate’s debts or expenses.

During Probate, the deceased’s estate becomes a separate tax entity, so the Administrator must obtain a federal identification number and open a bank account in the name of the estate, from which to pay creditors. It is also necessary to file the estate’s tax return and a final individual tax return.

Distribution of remaining assets

Once all taxes and debts have been satisfied, the Court will then distribute any remaining assets according to state law. In California, the first priority is given to the deceased’s spouse, followed by the deceased’s children.

Working with California Document Preparers

The safety and wellbeing of our own team and our clients are important to us. For many of our clients, we are working completely virtually using ZOOM and phones. We’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures in our offices, so our clients can feel comfortable about meeting with us. Everyone is wearing masks and gloves; hand sanitizers are distributed throughout the space. We limit the number of people in the office so that we can maintain proper social distancing.

For most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

Three Months and Counting: What We’ve Learned During the COVID Lockdown

It’s been three months since we began sheltering in place. We assumed we’d be back to our happy little routines within a few weeks. How naïve we were. We now know that our happy little routines will be disrupted for a long time to come.

Along the way we’ve learned that:

There’s a deep well of generosity and a strong sense of community among us

• LVMH shut down perfume production and began producing hand sanitizer. Cable companies offered free wifi for homebound students.
• In my own community, volunteers organized grocery runs for those who couldn’t drive or get to the stores.
• Wellness checks included neighbors dropping off care packages and casseroles. For the elderly, this virus quickly could become dangerous and isolating.
• In Ohio, the Cleveland Clinic was struggling to find protective face masks for its 55,000 employees. A call to Abe Troyer, a local Amish community leader, resulted in 60 home seamstresses teaming to sew 12 thousand masks in two days. “If there is a need, people just show up,” said Mr. Troyer.

We really are all in this together

This disease freely roams the globe. It won’t be over until everyone is vaccinated. Our government talks about a vaccine by year’s end, but this virus mutates. Will the virus we develop today work on the virus that evolves tomorrow? No one knows, though the government has committed $1.2B to drug company AstraZeneca to develop a vaccine.

Expertise and government matter

There’s a reason why we have government and policies. It’s important to hire smart, experienced people, to build teams who know how to execute in a crisis. We really can’t underestimate the importance of strong leadership, experience and expertise. We’ve learned an important lesson: Crisis is inevitable, it’s how you deal with it that matters.

We can learn from others

What if we took a page from New Zealand, a tiny country whose population is less than that of the Bay Area? New Zealand is cautiously COVID-free, thanks to smart leadership. They’re all over renewable energy–79% of their electricity comes from renewable, and their goal is to be 90% renewable by 2025. Think about that. An entire country working toward an environmentally conscious goal. What if we did that? What if America’s collective creativity were directed toward renewable energy? We could own this and lead the world.

Some amazing things are emerging from this crisis

We’ve learned about our own resilience, resourcefulness and ingenuity. We’ve:

• Gotten to know our families again and hopelessly spoiled our pets.
• Reduced pollution. We can do this. Venice’s canals are clearer than they’ve been in 20 years.
• Learned new languages. My neighbor can’t stop baking. It’s endless–gardening, knitting, sewing, painting and canning. These close-to-the-earth kinds of activities are somehow life-affirming.
• Rediscovered our creativity and inventiveness. Skype book clubs, Periscope jam sessions, live-streamed yoga classes and worship services. We’ve Zoomed everything imaginable—from art classes, happy hours and dinner parties to weddings and memorial services.
• Gone back to using the internet as it was meant to be used. A way to connect, share information and come up with creative solutions to pressing problems. There’s a kind of pioneer spirt about this—the kind of thing that surfaces when the power goes off for an extended period.

We’ve found inventive new ways to transact business, but something is missing

Many of these activities represent positive change that will transcend COVID. But we all want our lives back. We want to be around people again. To be in a crowded restaurant or bar, to go to movies, concerts and events. To have the freedom to hop on an airplane and travel. To meet new people, to be free to reach out and shake hands. To connect. We want to hug our friends again! Despite our agility and reliance on our online channels, we’ve learned that the need for human connection remains a powerful, driving force.

And that’s one of the good things to emerge from our lockdown. We’ll get through this. Stay safe.

The uncertainty of this disease leaves many people scheduling appointments to create or update their Living Trusts 

Our Trust includes a Power of Attorney, an Advanced Healthcare Directive and a Pour Over Will. For those with children under 18, it provides the opportunity to name a Guardian. For most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland.

Working with California Document Preparers

The safety and wellbeing of our own team and our clients are important to us. For many of our clients, we are working completely virtually using ZOOM and phones. We’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures in our offices, so our clients can feel comfortable about meeting with us. Everyone is wearing masks and gloves; hand sanitizers are distributed throughout the space. We limit the number of people in the office so that we can maintain proper social distancing.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

ER Workers Worry: If They Die, Who Will Care for Their Son?

Dr. Adam Hill, an emergency room doctor, and Neena Budhraja, a physician’s assistant, both work in New York City public hospitals that are overwhelmed by the coronavirus. They sat down one night to address a growing concern: Determining who would be their 18-month son Nolan’s legal guardian if they became infected and died. These ER workers worry about who will care for their son if they die.

These aren’t just anxious parents. They work in two of the city’s busiest public hospitals

The couple spends their days and nights intubating terrified patients, navigating stretchers in crowded hallways and searching for clean equipment. The pandemic is putting unimagined strain on medical workers, exposing them to dangers and emotional stress unlike anything they have ever experienced. Among the deaths are those of their colleagues.

They talk to their colleagues to find out how others are keeping their families safe. Some send their children to live with relatives. Another doctor has moved to his basement, Facetimning with his children upstairs. One doctor is living at an airport hotel.

Adam and Neena don’t have those options

They take turns at their hospitals and return home to their young son. Neena has thought about quitting, yet feels a responsibility to her team. This is what she trained for. Yet both have lost colleagues to the virus, and their biggest fear has been infecting their families.

Neena and Adam were married in 2017, and they lived the kind of high-adrenaline life typical of those who work in emergency rooms. They trekked to Machu Picchu and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. ER doctors are accustomed to the predictable unpredictability of ER life. But the coronavirus transcends everyone’s imaginings.

Adam knew by early March that something was very wrong

Adam recognized that something was seriously wrong when men in their 30s and 40s, otherwise healthy, were showing up at the ER with fevers or were having trouble breathing. They would deteriorate rapidly, gasping for air within a few hours. He kept waiting, thinking that his team would get a handle on these cases and turn a corner.

The hospitals began retrofitting the facilities for the virus

They installed huge fans in the ER to suck out dirty air to try to keep the virus from spreading. The fans are loud, so alarms go off constantly from equipment monitoring the breathing of patients on ventilators. The entire team is hoarse from yelling over the noise of the fans and the alarms. It’s chaotic, exhausting.

Taking precautions to stay safe

Neena covers her scrubs with a gown that hides her wrists. She wears an N95 mask, a face shield, a cap and gloves. She uses the same face mask for two straight shifts, instead of changing it between patients as standard protocol calls for.

When her shift ends, she tapes her N95 mask to the inside of her locker and wipes down her face shield and stethoscope with alcohol. She changes out of her scrubs in a bathroom, leaves her sneakers and takes a packed subway or bus home. The trains are crowded now because of virus-imposed service cuts. Arriving home, Neena quickly turns away from Nolan, throws her airtight bag of dirty scrubs into the laundry room — where they will sit for at least 48 hours before she washes them — and takes a shower.

COVAD takes a personal toll on healthcare workers

Adam is not sleeping well. Late at night, he scrolls through a Facebook group of fellow ER doctors. One doctor wears gloves and a mask at home to protect his family. For Neena, a colleague’s death was a turning point–the overcrowded emergency room, the lack of isolation rooms, the hallways jammed with people on stretchers waiting days for a spot in intensive care to open up. She thought about quitting. One day, Adam found himself “crying uncontrollably, just finally letting out all the emotions from the past month.”

Choosing a guardian for Nolan in case something happened to them

As Adam and Neena worked on their Living Trust, a key part of this was deciding on a guardian for Nolan—if something happened to them they wanted to make sure that they were choosing the person who would care for their son—not the court. Because of the virus, everyone’s life has become a little more uncertain–Adam and Neena named three backup guardians.

Despite the stress, long hours, sleepless nights and concern for the health of their families, both Neena and Adam had always planned to spend their entire careers practicing emergency medicine. Dealing with the pandemic has strengthened this commitment.

Doctors worry that if social distancing stops, the rate of infections will spike again

Over the course of ten days, they have seen a steady decline in new virus patients at their respective hospitals. The fear that they will get sick has not gone away, and colleagues continue to test positive. Doctors are realists; they worry that if people stop social distancing too soon, a second wave of cases will inundate the hospital.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. 

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

This story is based on a story in the New York Times by Jesse Drucker.

COVID Heroes: Scientists Are the New Rockstars!

Europe’s new heroes aren’t actors, musicians or politicians. The new celebrities are epidemiologists and virologists. These are the people who are drawing huge virtual crowds around the world during their regularly scheduled briefings. There’s a good reason for their popularity. COVID Heroes: Scientists are the new rockstars!

In a time of political disinformation and delusional happy talk, people want the truth

We need to know what to expect, to be able to make plans. We’ve learned that we can rely on these scientists—not necessarily our politicians–to provide accurate information.

In Italy, Dr. Massimo Galli, an avuncular director of infectious diseases

In a hospital in Milan, Dr. Galli quickly became a familiar face on Italian current-affairs TV shows, delivering no-nonsense updates about the virus. He called social distancing “the mother of all battles”. He understands the way Italy’s multigenerational families and geographical density made Italy’s infection rate so steep. Between broadcasts, Dr. Galli creeps back to his laboratory to help his colleagues with research.

In Greece, Prof. Sotirios Tsiodras, addresses the nation every day at 6pm

Professor Tsiodras’ delivery is flat, and he relies heavily on his notes as he provides the latest data on the confirmed sick, hospitalized or deceased. He offers practical advice—such as using a solution of four teaspoons of bleach per liter of water for disinfecting surfaces, including our hands. This church-going father of seven has been frank, proactive, alert to dispelling misinformation. Greece has fewer than 100 deaths since the start of the outbreak.

Dr. Christian Drosten has emerged as the voice of scientific reason in Germany

Long respected for the depth of his knowledge and willingness to share it with peers, Dr. Drosten has never sought the limelight. Colleagues have described him as an unlikely hero. Germany has had a relatively low death rate. As chief virologist at the Charité University Research Hospital in Berlin, Dr. Drosten is a sought-after guest on talk shows and the star of a daily podcast. He makes it clear that he “is a scientist, not a politician”.

Here in the U.S., Dr. Anthony S. Fauci is a highly respected immunologist

Dr. Fauci is the head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. He has had a brilliant career, advised six presidents and received numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He has been instrumental in developing treatments that enable people with HIV to live long and active lives. Dr. Fauci has been outspoken on the need for social distancing and being cautious about not reopening our economy while COVID cases are still on the rise. His honesty and forthright delivery have made him a hero of the left while angering those on the right who see his efforts attempting to undermine Trump. He now has security guards.

In Spain, Dr. Fernando Simón has become an endearing scientific hero

The director of Spain’s health emergency center, Dr. Simon delivers COVID updates. He acts as a counselor for anxious citizens who have peppered him with questions online, including whether people should take off their shoes before entering their homes (not necessary). Dr. Simón tested positive for the virus in late March, prompting a nationwide outpouring of sympathy and well wishes.

Legitimate COVID information will be coming from Dr. Fauci, the CDC or the WHO

It’s important to remember that developing a vaccine for this disease is going to take much longer than we would like. Making sure that it’s safe will take time, manufacturing it will take more time. And remember that we’re all part of this big global community—everyone must be vaccinated.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland. 

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.

COVID-19: Is There Some Good to Come Out of This?

We’ve lived through some tough times. Many of us remember the way the Vietnam War, and Watergate tore our country apart. The 2008 recession eliminated many small businesses, and it took a few years for the rest of us to get back on our feet and begin to prosper. And now we find ourselves completely kneecapped by COVID-19. Within just weeks, our lives have radically changed, and we face another long month of sheltering in place. But we find ourselves asking if there is some good to come out of this.

A global phenomenon, we have no idea when this will end

COVID-19 is a virus, and scientists tell us that it’s mutating, which will make it more difficult to develop a treatment or vaccine. Yet we’re tired of being cooped up. We want haircuts and spa days. We’re annoyed that we have to cancel our vacation plans. How selfish we are. The burden of this will fall disproportionately and tragically on the old, the weak and the poor in ways that are too awful to contemplate.

But take heart; some good things may come from this pandemic

1. Innovation: That fundamentally American ethic

Business owners who want to remain successful have had to be nimble. I know one small business owner who closed one office, furloughed part of his team and began offering his services virtually. All within one week. He is now planning to expand what is now his new, leaner business model.

2. There can be no doubt that we are part of a global community

Oblivious to borders, there’s no passport control for this guy. The only way of stopping the virus’ spread would be to shut borders completely. No coming in or going out. Cooperation among nations is essential to combating the epidemic. Sharing knowledge and tools is critical because this airborne disease roams the globe.

3. Getting to know your family and your neighborhood

As we’re all locked up in our local quarantines, we might get better acquainted with our neighbors and our families. We might be more present to the people around us, the people we love. Families with extra time together may go back to enjoying just being together, doing simple things—card games and board games, playing catch, cooking, going for walks or bike rides.

4. It may make future epidemics less likely

If we’re smart, we can take the lessons from this pandemic and learn from them. Public health needs to become a specialty, and our public officials need to be paying attention to the first signs of trouble and begin preparing. We lost precious time and we’re paying the price in lost lives and a plummeting economy. Much has been learned about the containment and mitigation of infectious disease. Vaccines against future viral challenges are likely to be developed faster as a result.

5. The miracles of modern medicine have let us down

No popping a pill for this one. There is no cure. This is going to be harder than what we’re used to, and it’s going to be around for a while. COVID promises to change the way we travel, work and recreate. Recognizing our own vulnerability might slap us around and make us humbler.

6. Our environment may benefit

• India’s 1.3 billion people have created one the world’s worst smog problems. The Himalayan mountain range is now isvisible from a distance for the first time in years. People now can see the stars. All of this proves that better air quality can be achieved.
• China’s emissions have been reduced by 25%; coal use cut by 40% and good air quality days are up by 11%.
• Without traffic and air travel, greenhouse gas emissions have fallen dramatically. Pollution in New York has reduced by nearly 50% because of measures to contain the virus.

A global pandemic claiming people’s lives shouldn’t be seen as a way of bringing about environmental and social change, but we may be able to take some of these bitter lessons and apply them to other parts of our lives. At the very least, we can hope that our government officials are learning that we need our allies, our global relationships. We are, indeed, in this together.

During this health crisis, many are feeling an urgency to create a Living Trust 

Our Trust package includes a Will, Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and Incapacity Planning. We guide you through the process and prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, we charge one flat fee for most of our services. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable. Schedule an appointment today at one of our three Bay Area offices in Dublin, Walnut Creek or Oakland.

Note that our offices are open and we’ve instituted stringent sanitation procedures. We can also provide our services virtually.

We service the entire East Bay and North Bay areas

Berkeley, El Cerrito, Richmond, Pinole, Alameda, San Leandro, Castro Valley Newark, San Lorenzo, Concord, Alamo, Danville, Lafayette, Orinda, Moraga, Pleasant Hill, Martinez, Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley, Discovery Bay, Pleasanton, San Ramon, Livermore, Tracy, Hayward and Fremont. Our clients also live in the Napa Valley, Benicia, Vallejo, Martinez, Fairfield.