What is Elder Care Law?

Elder Law or Elder Care Law as it is also known is a more advanced, holistic and comprehensive form of Estate Planning that deals specifically for clients who are near retirement age or have already retired. Traditional Estate Planner only focus on death-focused planning. Elder Care Law covers much more than just creating a Will or a Trust that focuses on what happens after death; rather Elder Care Law addresses the issues that confront aging clients before death, such as how to access quality care, age in place and maintain independence when a serious illness or form of crippling dementia happens. Other critically important Elder Care Law issues are: 

• How to set up effective Financial Powers of Attorney to pay your bills when you can no longer sigh the check

• How to set up effective Health Care Powers of Attorney to make treatment decisions when you can no longer do so

• How to set up declarations on life support for end-of-life planning

• How to find a geriatric care manager when advocacy is needed

• How to pay for in-home or long-term care (LTC) and how to access government assistance for LTC costs

• How to avoid financial exploitation and abuse

• Advice on whether LTC insurance is a good option for you

• How to navigate Medicare rules and advocate for coverage

• How to access Veterans benefits for LTC costs

• Tax advice on how to give your loved ones a tax-minimized inheritance

• How to put harmony-enhancing measures in place to bomb-proof your estate plan
  

About CELA and CAP. The highest distinctions for attorneys practicing in this area of law are being a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) and a member of the Council of Advanced Practitioners (CAP) of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). Robert Anderson was the second attorney in the UP to become a CELA and the first UP attorney to be recognized as a CAP. The CELA designation is granted by National Elder Law Foundation (NELF) which is accredited by the American Bar Association. 

Solutions. Be sure you engage an experienced Elder Care Attorney—preferably one who has satisfied the requirements of being a Certified Elder Law Attorney—and who is active with both NAELA and the Elder Law & Disability Rights Section of the State Bar of Michigan. Be sure that the attorney employs a holistic approach to the practice.