If you care for a spouse, parent, or loved one, you know their struggles, including housing, health care finances, and long-term care. Family caregivers, typically close family members supporting an elderly or sick senior, often feel overwhelmed by the need to make their loved one’s final years as relaxing and peaceful as possible.
Caregiving quality becomes more critical as loved ones get older. As time passes, planning for the future will be necessary to ensure that their current and future needs will be met. Because of their expertise, attorneys specializing in elder law can ease the burden of caring for a loved one.
In What Ways Can Elder Law Aid Family Caregivers?
Here are the many ways that elder law and knowledgeable lawyers can assist caregivers of elderly family members:
1. Long-Term Care Planning
Many families have differing opinions on the best method to look after a beloved family member. A lawyer specializing in elder law could provide an objective opinion regarding creating a long-term action plan because solid emotions do not influence them.
A compassionate elder law attorney evaluates situations to decide whether the client could receive treatment at home or be more suited to long-term home care. They then look into ways to protect assets to prepare for the possibility of long-term nursing.
2. Applying for Medicaid or Veterans Benefits
Other assets and medical expenses are considered when deciding on Medicaid eligibility. However, the requirements vary from state to state. A good lawyer for elder law can guide you on whether the application for Medicaid is the most appropriate option for your future, including its impact on your financial choices.
The benefit of aid and attendance is designed to help those with high long-term health expenses. However, most veterans need to realize they are qualified. You can seek advice from an attorney with expertise in elder law for these and other programs of the government and resources through which your loved ones could benefit.
3. Creating a Living Trust
It’s only natural for your beloved to want their belongings, including their inheritance, for family members or important institutions. Without estate planning assets of your loved ones could be subject to probate.
However, they can maintain control over their assets through the help of a living trust. A probate attorney can assist you in navigating the legal requirements for establishing living trusts and probate proceeding.
4. Placing a Durable Power of Attorney
You might be worried about your loved one’s health choices when they have Alzheimer’s or a different type of dementia. It would help if you talked to an attorney with expertise in elder law to draft the durable power of attorney. This lets an appointed person make financial or medical decisions for your loved one should they be incapable.
Suppose your family member becomes incapacitated without a durable power of attorney. In this scenario, an attorney expert in first party special needs trust can assist you in beginning guardianship proceedings to allow you or another guardian to handle the personal and financial affairs of children with special needs.
5. Protecting Assets
Family members could benefit from seeking out lawyers who specialize in elder law to be able how to recognize warning signs of financial abuse. If your loved ones slow down or lose their health, an individual may benefit by coming over and “helping out,” or a dishonest adult may try to get access to accounts for financial gain.
Their assets must be safeguarded from fraudsters. A lawyer specializing in elder law may identify the presence of criminals or fraud and help the elderly client or their family.
Conclusion
Our senior family members are important to us. As a sign of our gratitude and appreciation, we should treat them properly, particularly their health and basic needs. We must also protect other aspects of their lives, including their property and liberty. The law on elders is essential to the protection of your loved ones. So, the assistance you want and can provide will significantly impact the lives of the elderly.