Beautiful picture.

My heart is breaking for you and your family.

Big Hugs!

Lori

@Jessica_Rose
Dear Jessica:
Welcome back home....  safely!!!
My biggest heartfelt HUG for you !!!!!
Danielle❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
       

Very atmospheric picture, would make a good print.

Nice photograph!

Christine

It had got to be hard to have body issues that are very serious.
Some people get feeding tubes and their lives can continue for quite a while.
Does not sound like the preferred way to eat, obviously.

You are a good and kind daughter.  Keep spending as much time as you can with family.
Ask all the questions you never asked of him if you have unanswered ones.

Hugs,

Christine

First, I want to thank those who posted comments. Now the bad news...

OMG. Does it ever end? My dad met with his 'financial advisor' today, a person my dad deems to be 'brilliant'. Luckily, my brother and his wife were there.

1 - The so-called financial advisor is not licensed
2 - He believes banks are a terrible place to keep money, they are evil
3 - He believes strongly in Bitcoin
4 - He said that if you had a COVID-19 vaccination, then Bill Gates can track your every move

I was told there was nearly a physical altercation when my brother asked the 'advisor' to leave. My dad BELIEVES this lunatic. He thinks the guy walks on water. This is the same guy who (a year ago) talked my dad in breaking several CDs (which incurred a penalty) and buying an annuity of nearly $1,000,000 which won't begin paying out for five years. My dad was 91 at the time. I'm not even convinced the company is legitimate. I plan to contact them tomorrow, but they may not be able to provide any information without reviewing my power of attorney first. It just keeps getting better...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

P.S. - Heidimarie, your comment made me smile!

Beautiful pic of the sunrise Jess. So sad that people would take advantage of an old man and steal thier money. Morals seam to be a bit lacking in our society.
 
Big hugs for you and your family
Gina

Annuities often pay a nice commission to the seller.  Sorry that you have this situation to deal with also.  Crypto can be very risky.  Valuations can go up and down from their principal value for about any asset, even US Treasuries that are not held to maturity, then there is inflation risk and interest rate risk of course.  Risk varies.  Liquidity varies. 

Investment managers should always put their customers in investments that are suitable for their customers.  The advisors that are even more for their customers do what is also in the best interest of the customer, as a fiduciary.

Hope this turns out well.

Chrissy

@Jessica_Rose
Dear Jessica:
Very thankfully your brother intervened on behalf of your father.
Unfortunately the world is full of people that take advantage of others.

The financial world can be confusing for many, particularly older individuals.
In my business world, many CPAs are also CFPs. 
Certifications and licensing for  Certified Public Accountant  and  Certified Financial Planner  are not
easy to achieve... the certification process and exams can take many years to complete.

A certified financial planner, CFP, has received a formal designation from
the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc.  CFPs help
individuals in a variety of areas in managing their finances, such as retirement,
investing, education, insurance, and taxes.

Certified Public Accountant certifications and licensing are very comprehensive.  CPA candidates must hold a bachelor's degree and complete a number of accounting and business courses. Accounting program enrollees can pursue concentrations like auditing, international tax, or forensic accounting to specialize their knowledge and work in specific subfields.

Though no state requires graduate-level education for CPA licensing, earning a Master's degree in accounting can help prospective CPAs fulfill the 150-credit education requirement. Holding an advanced degree can help accountants boost their earning potential and qualify them for upper-level roles.

I went to college for 6+ years to earn my Masters in Business Administration degree which included coursework that applied directly for me to be able to pass and attain the exhaustive CPA and CFP testing and certifications.

When selecting a CPA and/or a CFP be certain to ask about their contractual obligations regarding fiduciary commitments to their clients.  A person who is bound by the requirements of fiduciary duty is known as a fiduciary, and the person who benefits from fiduciary duty is referred to as a beneficiary.

U.S. law and standards of professional conduct oblige fiduciaries to exercise a high standard of care, loyalty and honesty in providing services to their clients and stakeholders. The fiduciary is required to prioritize the interests of the beneficiary over their own.

Fiduciary duty is a serious obligation. If a fiduciary doesn't fulfill their duties, called a breach of fiduciary duty, the beneficiary could be entitled to damages. 

Sorry that this got so long and detailed, but some of what I stated above is most
important to anyone seeking financial and accounting advice.

Warmly,
Danielle [Northern Star Girl]

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on September 16, 2024, 08:20:56 PMFirst, I want to thank those who posted comments. Now the bad news...

OMG. Does it ever end? My dad met with his 'financial advisor' today, a person my dad deems to be 'brilliant'. Luckily, my brother and his wife were there.

1 - The so-called financial advisor is not licensed
2 - He believes banks are a terrible place to keep money, they are evil
3 - He believes strongly in Bitcoin
4 - He said that if you had a COVID-19 vaccination, then Bill Gates can track your every move

I was told there was nearly a physical altercation when my brother asked the 'advisor' to leave. My dad BELIEVES this lunatic. He thinks the guy walks on water. This is the same guy who (a year ago) talked my dad in breaking several CDs (which incurred a penalty) and buying an annuity of nearly $1,000,000 which won't begin paying out for five years. My dad was 91 at the time. I'm not even convinced the company is legitimate. I plan to contact them tomorrow, but they may not be able to provide any information without reviewing my power of attorney first. It just keeps getting better...

Love always -- Jessica Rose

P.S. - Heidimarie, your comment made me smile!

The responsibility of helping other with their wealth management is very high and professionals need to be accountable for their fiduciary duties.

Thanks Gina, Christine, and Danielle! I think it's important for people to realize that not every 'professional' financial planner works in the best interests of their customer. There are many who will happily sell you financial instruments with the highest fees so they make a better commission. Be careful.

Last Wednesday, I received a call from a hospice care provider. My sister-in-law had first contacted them a few weeks ago. Before they could do anything, they had to discuss the situation with me, since I have a health care POA for my dad. I described the situation to them, and they said they would review his case to see if he qualified.

Thursday afternoon, the care provider called and said 'when can you come sign the paperwork so we can admit your dad?' Obviously, I had a few questions! By 'admit', they meant adding him to their program. They provide both in-home and hospice care. Apparently, my dad's health conditions qualified him for their services. Since he needs help, I told them I would visit them on Friday.

Susan and I left home at 9:30am Friday. We met my brother and his wife for lunch and discussed the situation, then went to the health care provider. We talked to them for well over an hour, and I signed the paperwork. They immediately sent a health care worker to visit my dad, and my brother and sister-in-law met them at my dad's house. Meanwhile, Susan and I headed back home. The traffic was much lighter than expected, which was nice. We got home around 7:00pm, and I made supper.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

This lovely preying mantis was near our walkway Friday morning.
 

We know why they pray, at least the males.

Quote from: Jessica_Rose on September 21, 2024, 05:26:09 AMThanks Gina, Christine, and Danielle! I think it's important for people to realize that not every 'professional' financial planner works in the best interests of their customer. There are many who will happily sell you financial instruments with the highest fees so they make a better commission. Be careful.

Last Wednesday, I received a call from a hospice care provider. My sister-in-law had first contacted them a few weeks ago. Before they could do anything, they had to discuss the situation with me, since I have a health care POA for my dad. I described the situation to them, and they said they would review his case to see if he qualified.

Thursday afternoon, the care provider called and said 'when can you come sign the paperwork so we can admit your dad?' Obviously, I had a few questions! By 'admit', they meant adding him to their program. They provide both in-home and hospice care. Apparently, my dad's health conditions qualified him for their services. Since he needs help, I told them I would visit them on Friday.

Susan and I left home at 9:30am Friday. We met my brother and his wife for lunch and discussed the situation, then went to the health care provider. We talked to them for well over an hour, and I signed the paperwork. They immediately sent a health care worker to visit my dad, and my brother and sister-in-law met them at my dad's house. Meanwhile, Susan and I headed back home. The traffic was much lighter than expected, which was nice. We got home around 7:00pm, and I made supper.

Love always -- Jessica Rose

This lovely preying mantis was near our walkway Friday morning.

Sounds like your dad will soon be receiving extra care.

Chrissy

That should ease you load, having someone looking in on your dad is good.

My weekend lawncare visit went well. We got to my dad's house a little earlier than usual, unloaded our luggage, then woke my dad up to see what he wanted for lunch. He sleeps 80 - 90% percent of the time now, so we have to wake him up for meals and taking his medications.

Susan and I made a few quick stops at TJ Maxx and Ross, then went to McAllister's to pick up lunch. While we were out, my dad attempted to mow the yard. He mowed for less than five minutes, then had to take a 10 minute break before going back into the house. He told us that he nearly had to crawl from the detached garage back to the house. He has promised that he won't try mowing again. My dad only ate two bites of his sandwich, and two bites of his potato salad, then went back to sleep on the couch. It took me about four hours to mow and edge the yard, but the temperatures were a bit nicer, so it wasn't too bad. For supper, we had the leftovers from lunch. My dad took one bite of his sandwich, then finished off an Ensure before going back to sleep. He's drinking three - four Ensures every day. He complained that someone is breaking into his house and drinking them at night. After supper, Susan and I went to my brother's house so I could get a good shower.

I woke up around 5:30am Sunday morning. At 6:30am, I went do to the bridge over the lake so I could get some sunrise photos. It was a beautiful morning, and I didn't go back to the house until 7:30am. My dad was still asleep, but I knew what he wanted for breakfast. I drove to the local McDonald's and ordered two breakfast sandwiches and a 'big breakfast' for my Dad. He only ate a few bites before going back to the couch and falling asleep.

One of my dad's neighbors has been a tremendous help over the last few years, and my dad wanted her to have one of his grandfather clocks. She and her friend came over at 11:00am. After removing the weights and pendulum, we used a dolly (hand truck) to take the clock to her house. The clock had not been wound in at least 20 years, so we were all a bit surprised that it started up fine and seems to be running well.

Susan and I left for home at 3:15pm Sunday, and traffic was a bit lighter than usual. We weren't very hungry, so we just had something light for supper. We plan to visit my dad again this next weekend. Hopefully he will keep his promise and not try to mow the yard again!

Love always -- Jessica Rose


Sunrise


Carolina Satyr close-up

Hello Jessica, here is a new specimen for your garden. It's Apatura iris or the purple emperor, red-listed butterfly shooted by me and my daughter. Those photos are lying idle anyway, and your garden could use them. 

P.S. Sorry, my camera isn't as good as yours.

That is a beautiful butterfly, thank you! Please, don't be concerned about your camera. Any camera is better than no camera, and the best camera is the one you will have with you when you need it. You live in a place I may never get to see, and sharing your photos lets me visit you and the land you love. Thanks for dropping by and visiting me today!

Love always -- Jess

I'm a community mentor for a speech therapy class at a large university. The class includes graduate students who are learning how to help members of the transgender community. Each student is paired with a transgender client. After the one-one-one therapy sessions, we get together as a group. During our most recent meeting, we discussed what makes us feel safe with other people. I mentioned being frightened of people who flaunt their religion, because many religious groups are vehemently opposed to the LGBTQ+ community. I said I would rather walk into a home with pentagrams on the walls instead of crosses. While all of the clients agreed, some of the students were shocked!

Although some religions are very accepting and welcoming, many others frown on us and actively fight against our existence. I mentioned that if they have any religious displays in their treatment rooms or offices, they should include a rainbow flag or a trans pride flag to let their clients know they are in a safe space.

Love always -- Jess

A skipper at my dad's house.

Ooooh I like that picture Jess.

Chrissy

Thanks Christine!

I have an aunt and uncle in Sarasota FL, they're OK. A good friend works at the mine near Cripple Creek CO, he's OK too. I've had a long week, and we plan to visit my dad again this weekend, so I'll be on the road. I'm also on-call at work, and some big changes are going in Saturday night. It could be a long weekend. At least the auroras were strong enough to reach central Arkansas Thursday evening! They were very faint, but using a long exposure brought them out nicely.

Love always -- Jessica Rose