Canton Elder Care Lawyer
It is never too early to start thinking about how your needs, the needs of your aging loved one, will begin to change as you age. Where will you live and how will you afford it? What type of assistance will you require? Who will help you make decisions? Elder law encompasses all of these legal matters, and here at the Law Office of Brian S. Karpe, our Canton elder care lawyer assists clients in a wide range of issues, from creating the basics, such as a will, to more advanced planning, such as the creation of a medicaid trust.
Healthcare Power of Attorney
A healthcare power of attorney names an agent (usually a close family member such as an adult child or spouse), to make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated due to an injury, illness, or cognitive decline (dementia).
Living Will / Advance Healthcare Directive
A living will, which is also called an advance healthcare directive, is a legal document that informs your healthcare providers what type of medical care and services you wish to receive should you become incapacitated. Unlike a medical power of attorney, which lets an individual make these decisions for you, an advance directive takes out all guessing—you will only receive the medical treatment defined in the document.
Guardianship
Individuals who can no longer care for themselves may benefit from guardianship, which enables a guardian to make all financial, legal, healthcare, and living decisions for them. Guardianship means the loss of many civil rights for the incapacitated person, however, and being a guardian comes with many duties and responsibilities.
Special Needs Trust
A special needs trust places an individual’s assets in a trust, for their benefit, in order to reduce the size of their assets so they remain eligible for certain government programs, such as Supplemental Security Income and Medicaid.
Health Care Surrogate
Similar to a power of attorney, a healthcare surrogate can make medical decisions for a person who cannot do so themselves. However, a healthcare surrogate is limited to medical decisions only.
Medicaid Planning (Long Term Care Planning)
Most of us will end up spending at least some portion of our lives in a long term care facility, such as a nursing home, assisted living home, or independent living facility. These types of long term care are incredibly expensive—so expensive, that most people cannot afford more than a few months of care. Medicaid can pay for these types of long term care, but in order to be eligible, an individual’s net worth must be very low. A Medicaid trust can be used to hold onto your assets and become eligible for Medicaid at the same time.
Call a Canton Elder Care Lawyer Today
Whether your elderly loved one recently suffered a major setback or you simply want to start planning for the future, either for yourself or for another person, we urge you to reach out to the Law Office Brian S. Karpe. Call us today at 860-217-1458 today for a free consultation with an experienced Canton elder care lawyer.
