Elder law attorneys are very different from other attorneys. They define their practice not by the type of legal problems they handle but by the type of persons they help. They help families to maximize the independence and quality of life of older persons. Elder law attorneys can help families accomplish this while best utilizing and protecting life savings. They make sure that older persons receive whatever help or care they may need in ways that best utilize family and government resources.
Working with an Elder Law attorney offers the family and the older person several advantages. First, the Elder Law attorney is experienced with communicating with and working with older persons and their families on interrelated legal and non-legal issues. Second, the Elder Law attorney has working knowledge of the professional and community resources publicly and privately available to meet the needs of older persons. Third, the Elder Law attorney has the expertise to prevent and solve problems in the following areas:
- Paying for Health and Long-term Care: Planning for and assisting with obtaining Medicaid, Medicare, and veterans benefits for persons at home or in an assisted living or nursing home facilities;
- Planning for Disability: Advice and drafting of financial and health care powers of attorney and patient advocate designations;
- Fiduciary Representation: Seeking the appointment of and advising guardians, conservators, trustees, executors, representative payees, and those acting under powers of attorney;
- Legal Capacity Counseling: Advising how capacity is evaluated and the level of capacity required for decision-making and representing those who are the subject of guardianship or other protective orders;
- Elder Abuse: Preventing and remedying physical and financial abuse and neglect;
- Housing: Counseling concerning continuing care retirement communities, assisted living facilities, home equity conversion, and living with family members;
- Residents Rights Advocacy: Counseling and representation concerning admission contracts, quality of care, and transfer and discharge;
- Estate Planning: Wills and trusts and minimizing estate and income taxes on IRAs, 401(k)s, and 403(b)s.
At our office, we collaborate with your financial advisors, physicians and love ones. Together, we help older persons to receive and pay for their health and long-term care, obtain necessary legal documents, protect those in danger of neglect or exploitation, maximize government benefits, and locate appropriate housing and care. Contact us to schedule an appointment.
