Why and when you need an estate planning/elder law attorney

Top reasons why you may need an estate planning or elder law attorney:

1. To keep more of your assets and money for your family than for the government/attorneys
2. To have peace of mind that your family and all you have worked for is protected
3. To avoid the state’s plan for the passing of your estate (probate) because it is complex, difficult, expensive, and time-consuming, and you want to make sure you don’t put your family through it
4. To acknowledge that your needs will change as you age, and it takes critical planning to ensure that you and your family are cared for as you grow older
5. Because the government (through Medicare/Medical/Medicaid) will not be sufficient for your long-term care, and you know that an attorney can help you to evaluate your options to make sure you are protected

Top reasons when you may need an estate planning or elder law attorney:

1. Your estate becomes worth $150,000 or more (not including debt)
2. Your loved one has been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s
3. You are worried that you do not have a plan in place for your estate and family after you’re gone – everyone needs a plan, regardless of age, estate size, or family composition
4. You are concerned about your or your loved one’s ability to cope with rising costs, continue to pay bills, or provide for ongoing medical care

Do you have any of these concerns?

Advertisement

Alzheimer Family Coaching

Today’s guest blogger is Linda Fodrini-Johnson, Founder of Eldercare Services, which provides invaluable assistance to families needing help with aging and/or demented family members.  The tasks can be overwhelming, and having someone to help you to navigate through it is priceless.

When a family member is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, often little is given to the patient or the family as they all are entering a very long journey of feelings of anger, disbelief, grief, depression, fear and concern.

It would be my ideal that each family who must experience this disease is given a coach to help them find joy and peace on this path that can be filled with potholes.  The professional could help families review and update legal tools that will be needed for decisions in the future, help them look at all the options for the future and help them plan for the costs as well – enlightening them to entitlements and benefits.

The coach would get to know the family on an intimate level and know what types of interventions would work well for the patient and each family member.  How we approach a challenge will vary from person to person and from family to family – we are all unique.

When the families have the trust in one single person or a small group of people to guide them on this journey, they truly can be freed to live and find joy in the moment.

Often professional Geriatric Care Managers are experienced at Alzheimer’s family coaching and, with just one visit a month, can give families the life line then need to find peace of mind and quality of life despite having to traverse a disease that steals minds.  At Eldercare Services, we have been guiding families in this manner for many years.

About Eldercare Services: Linda Fodrini-Johnson, MA, MFT, CMC, is the Founder and Executive Director of Eldercare Services and President of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers.  Eldercare Services is a pioneer in a unique delivery of services, providing counseling, geriatric care  management, home care services, family support groups, classes and community education, with offices in Walnut Creek, Oakland, and San Francisco, California.  To contact Linda, email her at Linda@EldercareAnswers.com or visit Eldercare Services online at www.EldercareAnswers.com.