What Tony Bennett’s Story Teaches Us About Planning for Dementia

When legendary singer Tony Bennett’s family publicly shared his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, they did something many families shy away from: they talked openly about the importance of planning early.

Dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other progressive cognitive conditions are hard topics. But when a diagnosis like this is on the horizon, it gives you an opportunity to plan ahead in ways that truly protect your loved one and their dignity.

Tony Bennett’s family was able to make thoughtful decisions about who would manage his affairs, who would speak for him on medical matters, and how to honor his wishes even as his capacity changed. That didn’t happen by accident. It happened because they acted early—before the disease progressed too far.

Here in Nebraska, I see this issue often. Families come to me when a parent, spouse, or loved one is already struggling with cognitive decline—and by that point, the legal options are more limited. Once capacity is lost, many planning opportunities close.

When you’re facing a diagnosis like dementia or Alzheimer’s, there are three critical tools to put in place through proper Nebraska estate planning:

First, a Durable Power of Attorney for finances. This allows your loved one to appoint someone they trust to handle financial matters—paying bills, managing property, filing taxes—before they lose capacity. Without this document, your family may later have to pursue a formal Nebraska guardianship or conservatorship through the County Court, which is more expensive, time-consuming, and public.

Second, a Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care (often part of an Advance Directive in Nebraska). This lets your loved one name the person they want making medical decisions if they can no longer do so themselves. An Advance Directive also typically includes a Living Will component, which outlines their preferences for end-of-life treatment—things like life-sustaining interventions or comfort care. Without these documents, doctors may be forced to rely on default laws or court orders, which may not reflect the person’s true wishes.

Third, it’s critical to revisit or update your loved one’s will or trust while they still have legal capacity. In Nebraska, a person must have testamentary capacity to execute a valid will, and contractual capacity for a trust. If cognitive decline progresses too far, they may lose the ability to create or amend these documents—and your family could be left facing unintended outcomes.

It’s also important to remember: banks and hospitals can’t legally act on “verbal wishes.” Financial institutions require legal documents. Without them, your family may have to petition the County Court for a Nebraska guardianship to make decisions on your loved one’s behalf—a process that can take months and often invites family conflict, especially if there are disagreements over who should serve.

Tony Bennett’s family set an important example: plan early, before capacity is lost.

If your family is facing a new dementia diagnosis—or if you’re seeing early signs of cognitive decline in a loved one—this is the time to act. These aren’t easy conversations, but they are some of the most loving and protective actions you can take.

If you’d like guidance on putting the right documents in place—Durable Powers of Attorney, Advance Directives, Living Wills, guardianship planning, and estate planning—I’d be happy to help. You can reach me at 402-259-0059 or zach@zandersonlaw.com to schedule a consultation.