Cover of The Care Compass, October 8, 2026

The Care Compass, October 8, 2026

The Care Compass, October 8, 2026

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The Care Compass Elder Law, Estate Planning, and Protecting Aging Parents from Scams with Paul Schlegel Dame Nicole Brandon sits down with Prescott, Arizona attorney Paul Schlegel of Burnham Law to talk through elder law, estate planning, grandparent guardianship, and the scams that target aging parents. Walking Into Care Compass With A Hero Dame Nicole Brandon opens The Care Compass by welcoming listeners back and thanking them for journeying with her through the hardest parts of caregiving. She reports on an extraordinary week in Prescott, Arizona, where the city hosted the Walk to End Alzheimer's and a Senior Health Fair, events she says show families rallying around each other with love and support. Nicole tells listeners she rarely calls anyone a hero, but today's guest is one of the few she does. She introduces Paul Schlegel, an attorney with Burnham Law, and explains why families so often avoid thinking about the law even though life inevitably brings legal circumstances into the picture. Nicole recalls her own most vulnerable moment, saying Paul never made her feel wrong for her fears, and that his ability to listen and then translate her circumstances into real legal solutions is what convinces her he belongs on the show today. Why Families Must Plan Ahead Paul Schlegel explains that families practicing elder law rarely plan ahead, and that he has personally witnessed siblings fight bitterly after parents pass away without estate planning documents in place, disputes that can poison relationships for the rest of their lives. He shares that his own mother is ninety and his father ninety-three, both still living independently in Colorado, and that he and his siblings sat down together to plan their parents' estate so everyone already understands what will happen and there is no tension waiting ahead. Paul then recalls acting as personal representative and power of attorney for an elderly couple living in an RV with no children nearby. When the husband broke his hip during the early days of COVID and never recovered, Paul found himself arranging around-the-clock care for the widow, who had dementia, and sometimes spending the night with her himself when no caretaker was available, an experience that deepened his appreciation for people living with dementia and Alzheimer's. Guardianship, Scams, And A Family's Close Call Nicole asks about grandparents who suddenly become guardians for grandchildren, and Paul explains that courts typically grant permanent guardianship, or sometimes adoption, and he urges grandparents in that position to put estate planning documents in place naming a future guardian for the children. He describes his own contract doing dependency work for the county, representing both parents and children in abuse and neglect cases, visiting foster placements, and growing genuinely attached to the children he represents over cases that can stretch for years. Nicole shares that her mother's RAZ Mobility Phone, which only dials pre-programmed family members, protects her from scammers targeting people with Alzheimer's. Paul then tells his own story: a caller claiming to be an attorney convinced his parents that their grandson had been in an accident and needed thirteen thousand dollars in cash to avoid jail. His parents withdrew the money before calling Paul, who confirmed his son was safe at home, and his parents returned the cash and reported the attempted scam to police. A Career From Classrooms To Courtrooms Paul describes family law as a broad umbrella covering divorce, modification of parenting plans, and enforcement of child support and spousal support, distinct from probate law, which handles wills and powers of attorney. He explains that Arizona requires a parenting class for anyone going through a divorce involving children, a class he taught for the county for about ten years, always stressing that courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child rather than either parent. Nicole asks about grandparents during divorce, and Paul notes Arizona has a grandparent's rights statute allowing petitions for visitation time. He traces his own path from teaching middle school and working summers as a wrangler leading horse pack trips, into a master's degree and an unfinished doctorate in Latin American history at Northern Arizona University, and finally into law school after his own difficult divorce left him determined to understand the legal system. He later served as a city court judge for eleven and a half years. Finding The Right Attorney And Cherishing Time Paul offers practical advice for anyone nervous about calling a lawyer: ask around, since attorneys live and die by reputation, and look for someone compassionate rather than someone chasing money. He clarifies that probate attorneys, not family lawyers, handle wills, living wills, and powers of attorney, so families should match the right specialist to the right need. Nicole shares that her own parents have ...
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