One of the many things that the Elder Law professionals at Scott Counsel specialize in is the creation of what’s known as a Life Resource Plan. But what is a Life Resource Plan? Simply put, it works to define, organize, prioritize and mobilize every single aspect for care for a loved one. That means that they discover your needs, group them into categories, rank them by priority, and then carry out the plan to provide you with the best care possible. While each and every Life Resource Plan will be different, based on an individual’s unique needs, there are three areas in which all of them are the same:

• Making sure proper care is provided to the elder, whether at home or in a care center, in order to maintain the quality of life that he or she wants.
• Locating both public and private sources to help pay for long-term care while resolving any issues that were created by a high cost of care.
• And finally, it offers peace of mind that comes from the right choices are being made to make sure that those we love are safe and getting the proper care while managing to preserve family resources.

So, when do you enact such a plan? The perfect time is normally right after an event happens that leaves you worried or concerned for his or her well-being. Something like:

• They receive a diagnosis of cancer, Alzheimer’s disease or some other chronic illness or condition
• A catastrophic event, like a fall, mishap with medication, a fire, accident at home or a car wreck
• You’ve discovered your loved one has been wandering off, is malnourished, dehydrated or simply unable to care for him or herself because of functional limitations.
• A medical event, like a stroke, heart attack, or aneurysm
• Burnout of the primary caregiver

While it is possible to wait until the person has an immediate need for a Resource Plan, waiting that long can put everyone hat a disadvantage. Creating one prior to actually needing it benefits everyone in several ways:

• It helps to get your loved one the care that he or she needs right now, which can bring relief for caregivers.
• It gets you plugged into a network of community services and resources
• It increases the chances of your loved one being able to age at home, which can increase dignity and independence.
• It gets all legal and financial affairs in order.
• It enables the family to avoid asset protection crisis when your loved one makes the transition to long-term care outside the house.
• It helps to empower you with a support network that assists in dealing with every legal, healthcare and long-term care transition your loved one will face for the rest of their lives.

Life Resource Plans are often right for the following people:

• Senior individuals who are dealing with effects from aging, chronic illnesses such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, stroke, or dementia, or any disabilities from accidents or illness.
• Cognitively, emotionally, or developmentally disabled persons, regardless of age.
• Those people of any age who have been permanently disabled due to accident or illness.

Finally, let’s look at the benefits a Life Resource Plan provides:

• The senior or disabled loved one gets the proper care faster, as well as having as much independence as possible for as long as possible and the ability to age with dignity.
• Families receive help in getting the right care and resources, and guidance with legal, health care and long-term decisions as the senior’s condition progresses, and security due to the spouse and dependents being provided for.
• A Life Resource Plan provides reassurance that the elder will enjoy the best quality of life he or she can until the end.

If you or someone you love needs assistance with Elder Care law issues, call 856-281-3131. Let us help ease your stress and give you a plan.

 

We’ve all heard and probably made use of day care for children at some point in our lives, but something that is likely unfamiliar to us is the concept of Adult Day Care. It’s a real thing, and just like regular day care does for our children, Adult Day Care allows older adults in our lives to be looked after while we’re tending to some of the other important things in life needing our attention, like jobs.

By the simplest definition, Adult Day Care Centers are able to provide both care and companionship for older adults who might need help or supervision during the day. They can also provide a much-needed sense of relief to both family members and caregivers alike, by letting them work, handle personal affairs, or simply relax, all while still having the peace of mind that their loved one is being well taken care of. The goals these places strive to reach include delaying or preventing institutionalization by offering a type of alternative care, enhancing self-esteem and encouraging socialization. There are two types of day care as well—adult social day care and adult day health care. The former offers much in the way of social activities, meals, recreation and some health-related services. The latter, on the other hand, provides more intensive health, therapeutic, and social services to those who have serious medical conditions or who are at risk of needing nursing home care.

Some services can include the following, and participants do so on a scheduled basis:
• Counseling
• Education
• Evening care
• Exercise
• Health screening
• Meals
• Medical care
• Physical therapy
• Recreation
• Respite care
• Socialization
• Supervision
• Transportation
• Medical management

Most Adult Day Care Centers are open during normal business hours and may be a standalone operation or located within senior centers, nursing facilities, places of faith, hospitals, or schools. The staff might do such things as monitor medication, serve both hot meals and snacks, perform physical or occupational therapy, and arrange any social activities. They can also help to arrange for transportation to and from the center.

Keep in mind that not all states will license or regulate adult day care centers. There could be a lot of difference between centers; because of this, it’s important to learn as much as possible about each center near you. And if you can, visit the ones closest to you and talk with any staff or other families that use the centers to see if it is right for your situation. You might also wish to check whether your state has an adult day care association.

The costs for such services can range from as low as $25 to over $100 a day, but this depends on the types of services the facility offers, the type of reimbursement, and the geographic region. Since an adult day care isn’t usually covered by Medicare, you might be able to receive financial assistance through either a federal or state program (like Medicaid, Older Americans Act, or the Veteran’s Health Administration).

If you or someone you love needs assistance with Elder Care law issues, call 856-281-3131. Let us help ease your stress and give you a plan.

Getting older brings with it a host of not only problems, but questions too. Where do I turn for help? How much is this going to cost? Who’s paying for it?
The truth is that there are laws in place that are called filial laws. They state that the adult children are responsible for the long-term care costs for their parents. Though, it should be noted that filial laws are quite rarely enforced. Nevertheless, let’s take a more in-depth look.

Filial Responsibility Laws

Over half the states in the country have what are called, “filial responsibility” laws. The rules set in place by these laws do not apply if someone qualifies for Medicare. In the event that the person does qualify, then Medicare will pay the bills. However, if the person cannot pay for care prior to getting help from Medicare, then the children might be required to pay, though many of them also take the adult child’s ability to pay into account as well.

The purpose of these laws is to lessen the burden the patient places on the state’s welfare system, and many allow long-term care providers to sue for payment, but still others also make failing to care for a parent a criminal offense.

However, as we said, oftentimes these filial laws are not enforced. This is simply because many elders who cannot pay for care on their own are able to get federal help through Medicaid, and federal law does not allow them to go after adult children. What’s more—many people who need help paying for nursing home care will often qualify for Medicaid, and it’s quite abnormal for someone to have a hefty bill prior to qualifying for Medicaid. Filial laws often don’t have any affect on families simply due to the fact there are so few opportunities to apply them.
In a number of states, all of the following things would need to hold true for a child to be held responsible for a parent’s cost of care:

• The parent got care in a state that has a filial responsibility law.
• The parent did not qualify for Medicaid when he or she was getting care.
• The parent does not have the money needed to pay the bill.
• The child has the money to pay the bill.
• The caregiver makes the choice to sue the child.

If you or someone you love needs assistance with Elder Care law issues, call 856-281-3131. Let us help ease your stress and give you a plan.