Elder Care Law
Elder Care Law or Elder Law deals with helping people plan for and cope with situations that occur as loved ones age. Whether your loved one is a parent, spouse, sibling, friend or neighbor … whether you live in the same house, around the corner, in the next town, or a thousand miles away … dealing with the aging of a person who is dear to your heart can create anxiety, guilt, fear and a host of other feelings. Morphis Law & Mediation is here to help.
Very often Elder Care Law and Estate Planning overlap. These practice areas also often get confused by clients. The reason for this overlap and confusion is that both Elder Care Law and Estate Planning deal with the same assets. The difference between these two practice areas is that Estate Planning deals with a person’s assets after the person dies and Elder Care Law deals with a person’s assets while they are alive. The majority of a the time when a client comes to Morphis Law & Mediation to discuss either practice area we end up discussing both with the client.
The reasons that individuals or often the children or family of individuals contact Morphis Law & Mediation about Elder Care Law vary. Some the repeating reason we hear include:
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They are worried about the cost of long term care in either an assisted living or skilled nursing facility (commonly expressed as “we don’t want the government to take all that we have worked for …”
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They are beginning to experience or see a loved one experience declines in the individual’s ability to manage their affairs (such as keeping track of their bank account balance)
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They are veterans with healthcare needs
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The believe that a loved one is in danger of harming himself or others (such as by continuing to drive)
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Their spouse or parent is ill and they are worried about paying for their care
All of these situations are unique to the individuals that are experiencing them but Morphis Law & Mediation has the knowledge and experience to advise and assist with any of the above situations, and many other similar situations.
Along with Estate Planning, Elder Care Law often overlaps with Guardianship Law. Consults involving Elder Care Law and Guardianship Law often center around what can be done to help a person with advancing dementia who does not want to be helped. Sometimes, and preferably, these consultations are done years in advance of anyone needing any actual assistance. This advanced planning allows time for everyone involved to better learn about, be prepared for and handle difficult situations should they occur. Other times these consultations must be done after a crisis situation has occurred. Regardless of the timing if you feel that someone is a legitimate danger to their self or others you can always contact Adult Protective Services and file an anonymous report.
If you or a loved one need assistance in this area please call Morphis Law & Mediation today at (828) 328-5297.