Disability Planning

Everyone should have personal protection documents. But they take on added importance for seniors because their condition can change so quickly.

Health Care Matters

An uncomfortable truth is aging often brings with it failures of the body and mind. That can be very embarrassing – not just for the senior having the problems, but also for their spouse and family. The Power of Attorney for Health Care and HIPAA Authorization are critical in these situations.

When a patient is not able to make decisions for themselves, the doctors will look to the patient's spouse first. But the doctors don't have to tell the spouse everything – just what the spouse needs to know to make the next decision. That means important information about the long-term needs of the patient could be left out.

But it's not abstract "patients" that we are talking about – these are family members. Ask yourself...if your elderly father (or grandfather) had dementia, would your mother (grandmother) tell you?

The answer in my husband's family was "no, she wouldn't." And that meant that my grandfather-in-law received expensive care that he never would have wanted.

More Than Just Taking Care of the Farm

The Power of Attorney for Property is an effective and flexible tool. Many powers of attorney mirror the Illinois statute on the subject. Ours goes farther – allowing the agent to apply for Medicaid benefits on behalf of a disabled senior and represent them throughout the entire process.

The power of attorney is also useful to:

• File tax returns (which may still be necessary if you have income other than Social Security, even if they are living in a nursing home paid for by Medicaid)
• Hire professionals on their behalf, such as a home care giver or attorney
• Make gifts for planning purposes (but you should definitely contact an attorney before making gifts if you think they may need Medicaid nursing home assistance at any time in the future)

How to Get Started

We offer several programs designed to help seniors and their families deal with a current crisis or plan for the future. To find out how we can help you or your loved-ones, call (888) 909-1414 or contact us online to schedule your no-fee Discovery Session.