Tracking the Coronavirus: One Family’s Super Spreader Event

Children and teenagers frequently help spread the coronavirus

Children and teenagers who get the coronavirus tend to recover quickly, without lingering aftereffects. But here’s where it gets dangerous. Many of these children live in multigenerational families. Their own symptoms may be mild and short-lived, but when they pass the virus on to frail or vulnerable family members, it can have life-threatening consequences.

On the trail of infection that began with a 13-year old girl

According to CDC scientists, one 13-year-old girl became infected with the coronavirus just before an extended family gathering. Eleven other relatives, including her mother and father, two brothers and two grandparents, also became infected.

The potential for children to transmit the disease is well established

This girl was exposed to the coronavirus away from home in June. Four days after the exposure, a rapid antigen test reported a negative result. These antigen tests often produce erroneous results. Two days later, she experienced nasal congestion–her only Covid-19 symptom.

That same day, she, her parents and two brothers traveled to a family gathering that included 20 relatives over the course of three and a half weeks. Fourteen of them stayed in the five-bedroom, two-bathroom house for varying lengths of time, ranging from eight to 25 days. None wore a face mask or social distanced. Six other relatives visited but maintained physical distance and remained outdoors, though none wore a mask.

Twelve of 14 people came down with Covid-19

• The onset of symptoms appeared up to 18 days after the start of the gathering.
• Their ages ranged from 9 to 72.
• The virus could have been spread by any of the people in the group.
• One person was hospitalized and another went to the ER because of trouble breathing.
• None of the day visitors—those who stayed outside the house–became ill.

Simple procedures that help keep us safe

“This scenario reemphasizes the need for basic public health precautions–even with people we know and love,” said Dr. Megan L. Ranney, a professor of emergency medicine at Brown who was not involved with the study.

Winter presents new challenges as we move indoors

Knowing or loving someone doesn’t keep that person from transmitting the virus.

• Physical distancing, face mask use, and hand hygiene help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
• If you’re exposed to the coronavirus, you should remain isolated from others for 14 days.

A vaccine just around the corner? Highly unlikely

While the Trump administration keeps telling us that a vaccine is “just around the corner”, don’t count on it. Proving the safety and efficacy of a vaccine, managing its manufacture and distribution is likely a year away. Even if a vaccine is licensed, it may not be 100% effective, and we still may have to wear masks. This is a virus, and it mutates. This season’s vaccine may be less effective on next year’s viral strain.

Getting used to living with the uncertainty of the coronavirus

We’re all aware of increased anxiety levels as we strive to keep our families safe. Here at CDP, we’re seeing more Living Trust clients. They range from young couples with children to seniors wanting to update their existing Trusts.

Our Living Trust package includes a Power of Attorney and an Advance Healthcare Directive. In a Pour Over Wil, make sure there is a plan for who would care for your children and pets if you are rushed to the hospital. We guide you through this, and we prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee.

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.

Trending: A Return to Our Rural Roots

Those of us who grew up in small towns understand the ritual of leaving home to pursue our dreams on a bigger, more exciting stage. But sociologists are tracking a new trend. According to a New York Times article, people are returning to their roots–often to those small towns that they couldn’t wait to leave.

The model is changing: Rural life has become more desirable

Our big cities, including  New York City, San Francisco and Los Angeles, are experiencing declining populations—largely because they’ve priced themselves out of the market. But there’s more going on that suggests a national, cross-generational homecoming. Last year, Gallup found that while roughly 80% of us live in urban areas, rural life was really what most people wanted.

A 2018 study by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health reported that in spite of economic and health concerns, most rural Americans are pretty happy and hopeful.

For rural adults, their lives came out better than they expected

A majority said they were better off financially than their parents at the same age and thought their kids would likewise ascend. As for cultural woes, those under age 50, as well as people of color, showed notably higher acknowledgment of discrimination and commitment to social progress.

University of Minnesota researcher Ben Winchester is now identifying a brain gain in rural America. Mr. Winchester found that from 2000 to 2010, most rural Minnesota counties gained early-career to mid-career residents with ample socioeconomic assets. A third of them are returning, while the rest are new recruits. It’s a longing to return to a simpler, safer, less frenetic way of life. Each has a story of departure, longing and return.

The demographics of this exodus span cultures and race

They are black women missing their families in the rural South, Muslim women organizing workers in meatpacking towns on the plains, young gay men hoping to return to their small-town roots. This is rural America–a place rife with problems yet an increasing diversity, vibrancy and cross-cultural camaraderie.

It’s an American journey that’s come full circle

Political scientist Veronica Womack described the metaphorical significance of her black students at Georgia College considering work in agriculture. “It’s come full circle,” Dr. Womack said. “When our ancestors were made free, land was their pursuit.” So when she says her students are coming home, she explained, she means that they have realized that farming is a “vehicle that I can use to be free.”

They’re entrepreneurs and artisans, redefining success

There’s a prairie trend of young people, drawn by family ties and affordable entrepreneurship, returning to rural and small-town homes after college graduation. They’re opening restaurants or starting small, unconventional farming operations. One college senior founded a direct-to-consumer beef company in Nebraska and sold $52,000 worth of meat in nine months. 

The concept of “home” is subjective

My mom grew up in a small town in Ohio. We lived in Washington state, but every fall, as the leaves began to turn, my mom would tell us how homesick she was–she missed the brilliant fall colors of a small Ohio town. Home for my mom was always Ohio. It’s not surprising that my mom chose another small town to raise her family—this is where my brothers and I grew up. But I couldn’t wait to go away to college and begin tasting the world outside of that bubble. I’ve traveled all over the world, lived in big sprawling cities, and now I’ve returned to my roots, living and thriving in a small town once again. As our lives become more complicated, this kind of lifestyle change is increasingly attractive to those seeking a better quality of life, a safer place to raise their children.

Living with the uncertainty of the coronavirus

With COVID, the cities’ high rents and job losses have played a big part in the urban exodus. We’re all aware of increased anxiety levels as we strive to keep our families safe. Here at CDP, we’re seeing more Living Trust clients. They range from young couples with children to old people wanting to update their existing Trusts. It’s providing peace of mind at a time when we’re all feeling vulnerable.

Our Living Trust package includes a Power of Attorney and an Advance Healthcare Directive. In our Pour Over Will, make sure there is a plan for who would care for your children and pets if you are rushed to the hospital. We guide you through this, and we prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee.

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 article is based on a New York Times story by Sarah Smarsh.

Life Planning: It’s Not Just for Old People Anymore

In a New York Times article, two cousins shared their fears about COVID. One had a favor to ask. If she and husband both ended up extremely ill — or worse — would her cousin be willing to drive the 300 miles to her house and get her young sons.

Sadly, tortured conversations like this are happening around the globe.

Concern for their families is prompting many young couples to create Living Trusts

Life planning isn’t just for old people. For those with children under 18, creating a Living Trust has an even more important role. Our Living Trust package includes a Pour Over Will that allows them to name a Guardian. If something happens to them, this Guardian will care for their children—not someone whom the court appoints.

Only one out of three adults has taken the time to complete an Advance Healthcare Directive. This legal document allows you to identify the person who will speak for you if you become incapacitated. We include an Advance Healthcare Directive in our Living Trust package.

Be Prepared: Pack a bag with essentials

COVID is highly contagious and unpredictable. It’s especially important for the elderly and those in the high-risk group to pack a bag with essentials in case you are rushed to the hospital. Think of what you’ll need–glasses, phone, charger, medications and a list of those to contact if necessary.

For those most at risk, The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has published a new tool to help make decisions about whether to go to the hospital if you become seriously ill with the coronavirus, or stay at home with the support of hospice or palliative care services.

COVID will be with us for a while

We’re six-plus months into this wretched disease, and we’re at least a year away from a safe, effective vaccine. Even with a vaccine, it’s not unlikely that it will not be 100% efficient. It may be necessary to continue wearing masks and following protocols. While our risks may diminish, they may not be completely eliminated. Having a plan in place is the best preparation for ensuring that you are treated as you would wish. It also provides needed clarity for your loved ones. Stories about the inability to visit their loved ones and of these patients ultimately dying alone has prompted many to create their Living Trusts.

Creating a Living Trust is providing peace of mind to many Bay Area families

As the COVID crisis drags on, more clients are scheduling appointments to create or update their Living Trusts. As noted our Trust package includes a Power of Attorney, an Advance Healthcare Directive and a Pour Over Will.

Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents

At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable.

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.

Balancing Love and Life in the Time of COVID

While COVID has been devastating for business, it’s also taking a toll on relationships. The stress of being together 24/7, trying to homeschool the kids while managing their own workloads can create volatile situations. In many cases, there’s additional stress when partners work in essential, high-risk jobs where they’re exposed to COVID, worrying they’ll bring the disease home to their families. The following scenario describes a situation with which many couples are likely familiar.

In New York: “I can’t take it anymore.”

After seven years and two children, “I can’t take it anymore.” One New Yorker stormed out of their 700 sq ft apartment in tears. She and her partner had weathered miscarriages, birth of two children and a cross-country move.

But it was the pandemic, the months of isolation and sheltering in place, that brought their relationship to the breaking point. One partner a healthcare worker, exposed to the virus every day in long, punishing shifts. The other stuck at home trying to work while caring for two toddlers. No family to provide support or discretionary money for child care. It’s easy to understand how relationships are pushed to the breaking point.

One in ten couples is likely to separate because of pandemic-related problems

• According to an Ipsos poll released Aug. 4, studies have shown that financial problems, an unequal division in parenting and household responsibilities are among the top reasons couples separate or file for divorce.
• Miami family law attorney Aliette Carolan has seen an increase in the number of couples filing for divorce. “If you were on the cusp of a divorce before COVID, this is likely to push that relationship over the edge.”
• Cynthia Rogers, M.D., child psychiatrist and associate professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at Washington University in St. Louis, explained: “The constant anxiety that many of us feel can place an enormous strain on relationships, especially now as parents are making decisions about their children’s schooling.”
• Anxiety is exacerbated by the realization that the government is doing nothing to halt or manage the pandemic, further increasing the feelings of isolation and futility.

Yet incomes can be uncertain, house and other asset values may have shrunk. People are unsure of what they can afford. Many worry that trying to divorce during these uncertain times may be out of reach.

If you and your spouse are thinking about Divorce

California Document Preparers has been assisting couples with Divorce since 2003. If you and your spouse can agree on a parenting plan and division of property, we can save you a lot of money. The best part is that we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents. Contact us to talk to us about your amicable Divorce.

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.

New Learning on COVID: It’s Attacking the Heart

Emerging data show that some of the coronavirus’s most potent damage is inflicted on the heart

It seems like a lifetime ago, but at one time we were naive enough to think that COVID was an infection specific to the lungs. We’ve learned a lot in the last six months. We now know that there is hardly any part of the body this virus doesn’t attack. Some of the virus’s most potent damage is inflicted on the heart, and it can result in organ failure.

Meet Eduardo Rodriguez, poised to start as #1 pitcher for the Boston Red Sox

In July the 27-year-old tested positive for COVID. “I’ve never been that sick in my life, and I don’t want to get that sick again.” His symptoms abated, but he felt so tired after throwing 20 pitches during practice that trainers told him to stop and rest. Tests showed he had a condition many are still struggling to understand: COVID-associated myocarditis. Mr. Rodriguez won’t be taking the mound in the 2020 season.

And a patient in his early 50s with COVID-related heart disease

Myocarditis means inflammation of the heart muscle. Some patients are never bothered by it, but for others it can have serious implications. One 50-year old patient had been in perfect health with no history of serious illness when he contracted COVID. When the fevers and body aches started, he isolated himself and waited to get better. But his condition deteriorated and he accumulated gallons of fluid in his legs. When he came to the hospital unable to catch a breath, it wasn’t his lungs that had pushed him to the brink–it was his heart. He is now being evaluated to see if he needs a heart transplant.

MRI scans of patients recovered from COVID

A German study examines the way SARS-CoV-2 affects the heart. Researchers studied 100 individuals, with a median age of just 49, who had recovered from COVID. Researchers performed MRI scans of their hearts and made some alarming discoveries: Nearly 80% had persistent abnormalities and 60% had evidence of myocarditis. The degree of myocarditis was not explained by the severity of the initial illness.

Though the study has some flaws, it makes clear that in young patients who had seemingly overcome SARS-CoV-2 it’s fairly common for the heart to be affected. We may be seeing only the beginning of the damage. Despite treatment, more severe forms of Covid-19-associated myocarditis can lead to permanent damage of the heart, which in turn can lead to heart failure.

Deferred care results in a bump in heart attacks and death

Since February 2020, nearly 25,000 more Americans have died of heart disease than in the same period in previous years. Some of these deaths could be put down to COVID, but the majority are likely to be because patients deferred care for their hearts. That could lead to a wave of untreated heart disease in the wake of the pandemic.

The AMA’s Message: Don’t Die of Doubt

The American Heart Association has a new campaign called “Don’t Die of Doubt” to address the alarming reduction in people calling 911 or seeking medical care after a heart attack or stroke.

• It’s been clear that high-risk people are those who are overweight, have diabetes or high blood pressure. Add those with heart conditions to that high-risk list. The CDC recommends that the more than 30M Americans living with heart disease take extra precautions.
• Doctors and researchers should no longer think of Covid-19 as a disease of the lungs but as one that can affect any part of the body, especially the heart.
• The only way to prevent more people dying of heart disease, both from damage caused by the virus as well as from deferred care of heart disease, is to control the pandemic.

COVID has created an urgency on many levels, including creating 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 Power of Attorney and an Advance Healthcare Directive. It also includes a Pour Over Will, and for those families with children under 18, it means that they can name a Guardian rather than having the court appoint one for you. Creating a Trust helps provide peace of mind during these uncertain times. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable.

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.

The source of this article: Haider Warraich (@haiderwarraich), the author of “State of the Heart: Exploring the History, Science, and Future of Cardiac Disease,” is a cardiologist and researcher at the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Our Memories Will Fail As We Age, Right? Wrong

 

Even 20-year-olds forget the simplest things

Are you over 60 and alarmed as you find yourself forgetting things? I drove down the street yesterday and for a flashing moment, I completely forgot why I was on that street. I was going to the bank, of course, and I remembered as soon as I saw the signage. But what if I hadn’t recognized that familiar brand? Isn’t that enough reason to send me rushing off to the nearest neurologist?

Like my friends, I forget names that I used to pull up effortlessly. I misplace objects, finding them in unlikely places. And yet my long-term memories are fully intact. I remember the names of my third-grade classmates and arcane details from long ago journey or the details of a favorite meal. A friend whose husband died of Alzheimer’s told me that he lost whole decades at a time. The 90s, then the 80s. By the end, he remembered nothing. For my mother, active and healthy until her death at 94, this was her worst fear–losing her mind.

A neuroscientist in a New York Times article tells us that the problem is not necessarily age-related

Short-term memory contains the contents of your thoughts right now, including what you intend to do in the next few seconds. It’s doing some mental gymnastics, thinking about what you’ll say next or that you’re now walking to the hall closet to get a pair of gloves.

Short-term memory is easily disturbed or disrupted

It depends on your actively paying attention to the items that are in your mental to-do list. But any distraction can disrupt short-term memory. Our ability to automatically restore the contents of our short-term memory declines slightly with every decade after 30.

It may not be age but the story we tell ourselves

According to neurologist Dr. Daniel J. Levitin, 20-year-olds make the same short-term memory errors that 70-year-olds do. The relevant difference is not age; rather, how we describe these events. Twenty-year-olds don’t think, “Oh dear, this must be early-onset Alzheimer’s.” They think, “I’ve got a lot on my plate right now”, or “I really need to get more than four hours of sleep.” The 70-year-old observes these same events and worries about his/her brain health.

Memory impairment is not inevitable

In the absence of brain disease, even the oldest older adults show little or no cognitive or memory decline beyond age 85 and 90, as shown in a 2018 study.

Some aspects of memory actually get better as we age

• Our ability to extract patterns, regularities and to make accurate predictions improves over time because we’ve had more experience.
• Older adults have to search through more memories than do younger adults to find what they’re looking for. I always think of my memory as a huge database. An older person simply has a lot more data to sort through to find the answer!

New experiences help keep your mind pliable and fresh

Dr. Levitin discusses something with which many of us can relate. He calls up a treasured childhood memory of a Butterfinger candy bar and the smell of fresh grass in the spring. “I don’t feel 50 years older. I can see the world through the eyes of that mischievous 10-year-old. I can remember when the taste of a Butterfinger was the most delectable thing in the world. I can remember the grassy smell of a spring meadow. These were sensory pleasures that were novel and exciting back then.

“I can still eat a Butterfinger and smell spring meadows, but the sensory experience has dulled through repetition, familiarity and aging. So I try to keep things novel and exciting. My favorite chocolatier introduces new artisanal chocolates a few times a year and I try to savor them. I go to new parks and forests where I’m more likely to encounter the smells of new grasses and trees.

“When I find them, these things I remember for months and years, because they are new. And experiencing new things is the best way to keep the mind young, pliable and growing — into our 80s, 90s and beyond.”

Many of our Living Trust clients are older

Many of these clients are still working, some are retired, others are thinking about it. Age-related topics such as memory loss frequently surface in our conversations about estate planning documents—especially in regard to end-of-life planning or incapacity planning.

COVID has also helped create an urgency about creating 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 Power of Attorney and an Advance Healthcare Directive. It also includes a Pour Over Will, and for those families with children under 18, it means that they can name a Guardian rather than having the court appoint one for you. Creating a Trust helps provide peace of mind during these uncertain times. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents.

At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable

Itching to Get Away? Travel in the Time of COVID

We’re well into our sixth month of COVID restrictions. We’ve mismanaged our response to the pandemic, so we can’t travel to countries in the European Union. But it’s fall, the best time of year to travel, and many of us are itching to get away. Surprisingly, there are quite a few countries that would be delighted to take our tourist dollars, including the Maldives, Jamaica, Mexico, the Caribbean, Serbia, Croatia, Turkey, Ecuador and Brazil. Dependencies may include a temperature check, COVID test and the ability to show a place of residence during our stay.

Travel closer to home: What does a COVID vacation look like?

I traveled to Washington state’s Whidbey Island a month or so ago. I flew into Seattle’s SeaTac airport, rented a car and drove up to the island—about a two-hour trip.

Some observations: Forget about social distancing on the airplane

There were no COVID concessions on my flight–it was packed. It may be that we can expect that—the airline industry has been hit hard by COVID. With fewer flights to popular destinations, I suspect these flights will be full. Be comforted by the fact that air is circulated and filtered on airplanes, so most viruses don’t spread easily on flights. Reduce the risk by frequently washing your hands, using hand sanitizer, wiping down your tray table, wearing a mask, opening up the vent above you and freezing to death for the duration of the flight.

Be aware that your flight may be canceled and cost more. A colleague flew from Oakland to eastern Washington, and his expensive connecting flights were canceled in both directions. This translates to a lot of extra time hanging out in airports—and increasing your risk of exposure. He’s in the high-risk group with health issues, so this trip was terrifying for him.

To be aware of:

• If you need to rent a car. In some areas this could pose a problem because people are renting cars and taking road trips instead of flying.
• For a road trip: Pack a cooler with water and food. Fewer stops are safer.
• While we’re used to a high level of COVID awareness in the Bay Area, this is not the case in many parts of the country. Iowa and South Dakota have no mask requirement. In 17 states, there is some mask requirement, which means that the level of COVID safety will vary by city and county.

Everyone knows the drill by now

For my little adventure, everyone, everywhere, was masked and social distancing—at the car rental counter, cafes and shops. The TSA team wear masks, face shields and gloves. As I drove up to Whidbey, I noticed that the rest areas were closed. For those traveling with kids on longer road trips, this could pose a problem. Kids require frequent snack and bio breaks.

If you’re planning a road trip: Some tips from the experts

Do some research and be flexible. Even if you’re doing a business trip that will require renting a car at the airport, there’s a very good chance you’ll encounter closures and frustration.

• Research travel advisories.
• Don’t leave home without hand sanitizers and disinfecting wet wipes, disposable gloves, sealable disposable plastic bags and tissues. You’re allowed to carry a 12-oz bottle of hand sanitizer on the plane with you.
• Expect to be wearing a mask in all indoor public places, so bring a stash.
• Stop and buy water and snacks—it will limit the number of times you need to stop for refreshments.
• Drivers may want to wear disposable gloves while pumping gas. Pay with a credit card rather than cash, eliminating a face/face interaction.

Bathroom access these days can be challenging

Limit fluids. Many public restrooms are closed. Starbucks or other fast-food establishments may prevent noncustomers or even customers from using their bathrooms.

Dining

Restaurants in some states have resumed dine-in service, but there will be limitations on the number of people permitted in a given space. Eating in outside patios or decks is safer. Consider purchasing your own food and eating outdoors. This will all become more difficult as the weather gets cooler.

Sleeping

If staying in a hotel, call ahead to confirm your reservation.

• Consider renting a home rather than staying in a hotel—you’ll have a kitchen to cook your own meals.
• Guidelines from the American Hotel & Lodging Association include stringent cleaning procedures for everything from elevator buttons to exercise equipment.
• Recommended guidelines include wiping down high-touch areas–doorknobs, TV remote control, etc.
• For stays of more than one night, forgo housekeeping services so that you can control sanitization and limit the number of people who come in and out of your room.

Trying not to touch handles, doorknobs, elevator buttons, escalator railings, etc. is challenging. Keep hand sanitizer in your bag and use frequently.

Before leaving on your trip: Create or update your Living Trust

 

COVID has created an urgency on many levels, including creating 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 Power of Attorney and an Advance Healthcare Directive. It also includes a Pour Over Will, and for those families with children under 18, this means that they can name a Guardian rather than having the court appoint one for them.

Creating a Trust helps provide peace of mind during these uncertain times. Best of all, we guide you through it and we prepare the legal documents. At California Document Preparers, for most of our services, we charge one flat fee. We’re helpful, compassionate and affordable.

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.