Elder Law Attorney (2)

Elder Law Attorney There are many reasons why an elderly person may have the need of an elder law attorney.

There are documents to get ready when an individual begins the journey into their elder years.

There are documents to handle an individual s finances, home, medical needs, etc.

Once of the most recognizable of all documents that are prepared in an elderly person s life is a will. It is vital that each individual have a will in place to take care of their personal belongings and money that may be left to others in their family. If an individual passes away without a will in place, that person s property will most likely go into what is referred to as probate, which is when the court determines who has the right to the property. This entire process can take a great deal of time to conduct, sometimes as long as a year, if there are lots of components to the person s estate.

Another reason for contacting an elder law attorney is to have that individual draw up a plan to take care of your money and estate while you are still living, and especially if you have to go into long term care. The entire process of understanding what is involved in the long term care and nursing home world is extensive. Individuals must understand what benefits they qualify for and how to go about getting those benefits. An estate planning lawyer can assist any elderly individual to know what needs to happen to plan for their later years in life.

Another aspect that an elder law attorney can assist an elderly person with is completing a living will, a durable or medical power of attorney, etc. These documents will come in handy in the event of a medical treatment or long term stay in a hospital or rehabilitation center. If an elderly individual cannot be present, mentally or verbally when a critical medical treatment is considered a living will, can speak for them. It is important for each elderly individual to have a living will in place so that their wishes are met in the event that lifesaving procedures must be taken on their behalf.

Likewise, if an elderly individual need medical treatment and they cannot consent for themselves, but there is no living will that details that they do not want to have the treatment a family member or friend who has a medical power of attorney can seek and consent to medical treatment on that person s behalf. It is important for the individual to take the time to choose the right person to work on their behalf. The person with a durable medical power of attorney must be able to make the decisions that the elderly individual wants to have happen on their behalf. Likewise if there is a financial power of attorney in place, the individual must make sure that this person is honest and trustworthy to make financial decisions on the elderly person s behalf.

Seeking an elder law attorney can be a great benefit to the average elderly individual and their family members.