Category Archives: Elder Law
How to care for an elderly parent
As much as you may try, aging is something you cannot escape, and it affects all families. It can be challenging for adult children to imagine their parents as seniors and to understand and respond to the reality that each parent will age differently. Even if you are in the fortunate circumstance where your… Read More »
6 (Surprising) Myths About Long-Term Care
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning age 65 today will have a 70 percent chance of requiring some long-term care (LTC) service and support during the remainder of their life. In the case of women, the typical LTC need will last about 3.7 years compared to men who will… Read More »
6 Things to Watch Out For Before Signing a Nursing Home Contract
Suppose your mother can no longer make decisions for herself and she now needs nursing-home care. You are stressed and anxious. You’re now staring down a twenty-page, single-spaced nursing home contract. You wish you could flip straight to the last page and sign then and there, just to get it over with. Do not… Read More »
When Assisted Living May Not Be Enough
Jane’s father Jerry decided, on his own, that it was time to move into an assisted living facility. Jerry’s arthritis had worsened to the point where he couldn’t dress himself, he struggled to get in and out of the shower, and he was lonely living by himself. Jerry did very well at his new… Read More »
What is a Continuing Care Retirement Community?
There are three distinct living phases associated with a continuing care retirement community (CCRC). The first is independent living when a resident enters into the community with few if any disabilities requiring limited assistance. In this phase of independent living, community residents typically take advantage of the broad range of social, physical, and intellectual… Read More »
4 Key Things to Know About Estate Planning for Seniors
When it comes to establishing wills and estate plans, older Americans outpace their younger counterparts. Still, a significant number — 19 percent of those over age 72 and 42 percent of those between 53 and 71, according to survey data — lack any type of estate plan. Although estate planning for seniors can seem daunting, and even… Read More »
Gift vs Loan vs Advancement: Why the Classification Matters
While we all want to provide financial help to our loved ones—whether they are family or close friends—it is important to understand that how the money is classified will directly affect your estate planning. Accordingly, the intent behind the transfer of the money is key when determining if it will be considered a gift… Read More »
What Does an Elder Law Attorney Do?
According to the US Census Bureau, more than 51 million Americans are currently aged 65 or older, and the number is steadily increasing while medical and technological advancements are allowing seniors to live longer and better lives than ever before. The expanding needs of the US aging population are contributing to an increase in… Read More »
Elder Law vs. Estate Planning: What’s the Difference?
The short answer: Both estate planning and elder law share similar concerns. The longer answer? The differences make all the difference. Elder Law vs. Estate Planning: The Concerns are Similar No matter what age we’re, life can deliver some hard knocks. Hope for the best, but plan for the worst. We can… Read More »
End of Life Planning Challenges: Preserving Quality of Life
As a lawyer, I am a firm believer in end of life planning. I prepare powers-of-attorney documents (Healthcare Powers of Attorney and Living Wills) so that when my clients can no longer act for themselves, the documents will convey on other trusted people the authority to act on my clients’ behalf. But when it… Read More »
