Seniors and Elder Law

senior couple

senior coupleFlorida is fortunate (and proud) to be home to the largest concentration of seniors of any state in the nation. Residents of many other states have chosen to spend their senior living years right here in the “Sunshine State,” and they are a blessing to our communities. Our state has responded by providing numerous resources to aid our seniors. We, at OurSeniors.net are happy to play a part in that network of resources and opportunities that the senior lifestyle offers today.
In the legal profession, the Florida Bar Association recognizes lawyers who have the special knowledge and skills needed to deal professionally with senior-related issues. This body of knowledge may be very different from those involved in legal areas like liability, patents, copyrights or criminal defense. For this reason, the Florida Bar grants board certification in specialized areas like Wills, Trusts and Estate Law, and Elder Law. Any attorney who earns one of these certifications is a recognized expert in dealing with the special legal issues that confront seniors.
Elder law attorneys are especially well trained and versed as advocates for the elderly and their families or loved ones. These lawyers are experts in a wide variety of legal issues that can affect our seniors or their relatives. Common types of senior-related legal matters are often related to health care, long-term care planning, guardianship, retirement, Social Security, Medicare/Medicaid, senior assisted living and other important matters. Often, these are issues that seldom if ever come up in a general law practice.
Like geriatricians (doctors who focus on senior healthcare), board certified Elder Law Attorneys focus on the legal needs encountered in senior living. Not only can they handle important financial and estate planning matters, they also take care of day-to-day issues affecting the actual care of seniors, such as senior assisted living, memory care living and even end-of-life planning. Because they are often better equipped to handle the emotional and physical needs of senior lifestyles, they are the preferred choice for many legal matters. Some of those matters include:

  • Creating and understanding a durable power of attorney and a health care power of attorney.
  • Providing help with health care and planning, including long-term care options, senior assisted living, memory care living, patient rights and Medicare.
  • Helping to locate long term care facilities and managing senior assisted living or memory care living
  • Making Guardianship plans, helping with the selection and appointment of a legal guardian.
  • Arranging the legal aspects of financial planning (including durable financial power of attorney), housing opportunities and planning, income, estate, and gift tax matters.

When a senior or family member contacts an Elder Law Attorney or a Wills, Trusts and Estate Law Attorney, they should be sure to ask some standard questions. Those include questions about how long the professional has practiced law and how long have they specialized in elder law, what percentage of their time is devoted to elder law, are they board certified and how are their fees are determined.
There are several ways to locate a qualified elder law attorney.  Family and friends may be a good place to start, as well as recommendations from other professionals like CPAs or a trusted senior real estate specialist. The OurSeniors.net Senior Transition Pro Team is a network of trusted and talented professionals that includes several attorneys who are well qualified to help with your senior-related and elder law needs. You can contact one of them by clicking on the link or calling the number listed.

We should always mention our very own professional office staff here at OurSeniors.net. You can contact an OurSeniors.net Advisor to get advice by phone at 866-333-2657 (se habla español), or by using Contact Us.  Check out our website at OurSeniors.net and take an online look at our senior living magazine, OurSeniors.net Magazine.
Have a great day and thanks for reading our blog.

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