In our Connecticut office we often speak with seniors and their loved ones on what it means to need long-term care and how to plan successfully to meet those needs. We would like to share four tips you may need to both educate yourself and begin to get the answers that you need.

1. Planning should begin as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many people put off long-term care planning until it is too late. Understandably, no one wants to think about a future that might involve the need for long-term care, however, the best gift you can give yourself and your family is to have a plan in place so that should the time come you are prepared and are not at risk. In addition, be sure your estate plan is up-to-date and reflects what you want. With your estate plan you can give legal authority for healthcare and financial decisions to another person that you trust. You can also designate this person or persons the authority to make decisions when you are not able to do so independently.

2. Educating yourself on the cost of long-term care is necessary. Long-term care in any setting is expensive. You can learn the cost for the type of care in our state by using this link from the Genworth Cost of Care Survey. You need to learn the different types of long-term care. Most people do not want to live in a nursing home, however, there are many steps in between nursing home care and home care. From homebase care to independent care to assisted-living care and skilled nursing home care, there are many options. You can use this link we want to share with you from the AARP website.

3. Find out if long-term care insurance is an option for you. Are you aware that there is long-term care insurance? Long-term care insurance is a type of insurance that can provide financial assistance should you need long-term care. Do not put off speaking with a long-term care insurance agent to learn more about what your options are. In addition, meet and speak with an experienced Connecticut estate planning attorney who also understands elder law planning. An experienced elder law attorney will be able to educate you on what your options in regard to long-term care are in numerous circumstances and come up with a plan to make sure you, your family, and what you care about most, is protected.

4. Discuss the need for long-term care early with your doctors and specialists. Long-term care impacts every person differently. If you have a new diagnosis or a chronic condition, speak freely with your doctor about what you should expect in the future. While your long-term care needs are unique to you, your doctor knows you and will be able to give you advice on what to understand and potentially plan for. Before you meet, make a list of questions. Long-term care, the aging process, and family relationships are all complicated. Do not hesitate to make a list of what you are concerned about and the questions you need answered. Be aware, this list will change over time as you answer one question and encounter the next.

We know this list may seem daunting. We also know you may have more questions now that you have read it.  We want you not to wait to learn more about this critical issue facing all of us, but most importantly Connecticut seniors. Remember, being prepared is the best defense you can have in place. The Northeast Law Center practices law in many Connecticut counties including Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.

The post 4 Tips You Need in Connecticut to Successfully Plan for Long-Term Care appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

To begin your research we recommend attending any events or reading any information available in your community for National Fall Prevention Awareness Day which is September 22, 2022. This is an annual nationwide event hosted by the National Council on Aging and it offers a wide range of educational tools and materials to learn about the impact of senior falls and the costs to their families. More information can be found here.

As a senior adult you need to take steps in regard to any issues you may have that would make you at risk of falling. Also, reach out to your family and friends to get their insights into the following warning signs that might put you at risk of falling.
• Decline in mental alertness
• A recent fall, or near-fall
• Vision problems
• Balance issues
• Frailty and muscular weakness
• Changes in physical health, such as a recent surgery

You might want to consider other steps like finding exercise support groups that offer evidence-based programs, such as Tai Chi, getting screened for osteoporosis, and asking your doctor or pharmacist about the side effects of your medications that could cause a fall, like dizziness.

Another very important step to take would be to take a serious look at your home. Again, include family and friends in helping you make changes to your home for safety reasons. Here are some suggestions for home safety measures that can reduce or eliminate senior adult falls.

• Improve the lighting both inside and outside your home
• Remove rugs or if you want to keep them, secure their edges to the floor
• Repair broken floorboards, cracked pavement and any other uneven surfaces
• Make wider walkways by rearranging furniture
•Keep floors free of clutter and remove any small objects from floors
• Grab bars make a great addition to your bathtub, shower, stairways and toilet areas

Finally, if you fall anywhere away from your home we recommend contacting a qualified Connecticut elder care attorney and learn about your rights. Falls outside the home are sometimes caused by negligence and there is little anyone at any age can do to prevent them. However, recouped monies may be needed to pay for expensive medical care.

We know this blog may raise more questions than it answers. We want you not to wait to learn more about this critical issue facing all of us, but most importantly Connecticut seniors. Remember, being prepared is the best defense you can have in place. The Northeast Law Center practices law in many Connecticut counties including Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.

The post Steps You Can Take Now to Prevent the Long-Term Consequences of Senior Adult Falls appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

Talking to your parents about their future should be calm and non-confrontational. You may find that your parents have already begun to think about their future. Asking thought provoking questions about the future is a start. We have some questions you can use to start the conversation.

1. Do your parents have an estate plan? Have they met with a Connecticut estate planning attorney and created their last will and testament? Do they have any powers of attorney to help them if they were to suddenly become incapacitated due to an accident or illness? Do they have a living will? If they have all these documents, good. If they do not have any estate planning documents, you should encourage them to start now.

2. What about long-term care? As your parents age, what would they want to do if they needed assistance with daily tasks, such as keeping up with necessary medications, personal hygiene, or home-related responsibilities? Would they prefer in-home care or moving to an assisted-living facility? How would they pay for the care or facility? Do they have long-term care insurance? Will you need to help them look for other ways to pay? Now is the time for this planning, and again, your Connecticut estate planning attorney can help with long-term care planning.

3. When creating their documents, who will be in charge? Be sure that your parents talk with their attorney in deciding who should be in charge of their finances and make healthcare decisions for them if they become incapacitated. Their Connecticut estate planning attorney can help them make wise choices. Making these decisions now will help your parents, you and your family cope so much better when any incapacity occurs.

4. Do your parents have a team? Your parents should have a team of qualified legal and financial professionals to help them. A qualified Connecticut estate planning attorney is essential, as well as, a financial planner and CPA. Working with qualified legal and financial professionals can help ensure that the goals, wishes and legacy of your aging parents are followed.

We know this blog may raise more questions than it answers. We want you not to wait to learn more about this critical issue facing all of us, but most importantly Connecticut seniors. Remember, being prepared is the best defense you can have in place. The Northeast Law Center practices law in many Connecticut counties including Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.

The post 4 Important Questions to Ask Your Aging Parents appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

First, according to science, your loved one’s dementia is caused by the deterioration of brain cells and may be the cause of any behavioral changes in your loved one. There may be nothing you can do to change him or her, nor should you expect the behavior to change. Keep in mind that what you are witnessing may be the symptoms of his or her illness. We would like to share some ideas you and your family may want to use as you support your loved one and keep him or her safe within the disease process.

1. Support your loved one by keeping things simple. If your loved one is in a confusing situation, he or she may feel overwhelmed and become agitated. Situations might include: attending an event with many members of his or her family, trying to decide what to wear each day or being asked to name a restaurant to eat lunch. As you support your loved one, try to break things down into the simplest of tasks, meet only one or two family members at a time, choose between two outfits to wear and have someone else name a restaurant to have lunch. Keeping things simple may be the best support you can offer.

2. Support your loved one by establishing routines. Routines, like keeping things simple, can also feel safe to a person experiencing the symptoms of dementia. You and your loved one may have a morning routine, regular meal times, a daily walk and an evening routine (eat supper, take a bath or shower, put on pjs, watch a favorite television show and go to bed) are suggestions of ways to provide structure to your loved one. Take time to support your loved one by creating a written schedule of your routines that can hang on the wall or be put in a notebook. When tasked with the responsibility of reminding your loved one to use his or her supportive devices, such as hearing aids or a walker, be sure to be kind. The goal is to always treat your loved one with dignity, not in a paternalistic or demeaning way.

3. Support your loved one by avoiding arguments. As previously mentioned, memory loss and the disease process may be responsible for making your loved one argumentative. Try to remain calm and do not mirror your loved one’s anger with your anger. Have a plan for yourself in place so that if you begin to experience feelings of anger or irritation while caring for your loved one, you know that the best thing you can do may be to step outside for a moment and catch your breath, or at least pause and count to five. This will allow you time to reset, reminding yourself that the symptoms your loved one may be exhibiting are from his or her illness. 

As you struggle to successfully support your loved one with memory loss, be kind to yourself. Caring for a loved one with memory loss or dementia or Alzheimer’s can be an overwhelming experience. Do not hesitate to reach out to your family members for help. Remember, the fact that you are present and caring for your loved one can be the greatest source of support and comfort you can provide. 

We know this blog may raise more questions than it answers. We want you not to wait to learn more about this critical issue facing all of us, but most importantly Connecticut seniors. Remember, being prepared is the best defense you can have in place. The Northeast Law Center practices law in many Connecticut counties including Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting. 

The post Struggling to Support A Loved One With Memory Loss? Here Is How You Can Help appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

In preparing to care for the needs of your aging parents should they become incapacitated due to an illness or accident, you should take steps now to protect your aging parents by addressing their need for an estate plan. Estate planning is more than just creating wills and trusts, it also includes drafting legally sound health documents.

Legal health documents created with your Connecticut estate planning attorney can protect your aging parentsin a crisis created by COVID-19, an accident, or other health issues like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. However, there are four mistakes we caution you to avoid when using the estate documents of your aging parents to advocate for them.

1. Avoid the mistake of not understanding what a living will is for. A mistake many people make is thinking that a living will is another name for a last will and testament. It is not. A living will is a separate legal document that informs everyone what the personal choices are concerning the health care of your aging parents, and in particular their end-of-life medical decisions.

2. Avoid the mistake of not knowing the wishes of your aging parents in regard to their health care. Do you and your family know the health care concerns or wishes of your aging parents? Have you and your family ever had specific conversations with your aging parents about their health care and put them in writing? In writing down their health care preferences, if the document is unclear or not even known about, then the document will be ineffective. Make plans now to have your aging parents meet with a qualified Connecticut estate planning attorney to construct accurate health care documents or update existing documents.

3. Avoid the mistake of not understanding a health care document. The health care document, created with your Connecticut estate planning attorney, is a very important tool to have in the estate plans of your aging parents. While your parents have capacity, they can each choose a trusted family member or friend to advocate for them in a health care crisis. This person will be named as their agent. All family members must understand and know that the agent will be tasked with advocating for the incapacitated aging parent if needed.

4. Avoid the mistake of choosing the wrong person as “agent”. Your aging parents, when choosing their agent, need someone they trust to advocate for them and follow their wishes. Someone who will be available whenever he or she is needed.

We know this article may raise more questions than it answers. We want you not to wait to learn more about this critical issue facing all of us, but most importantly Connecticut seniors. Remember, being prepared is the best defense you can have in place. The Northeast Law Center practices law in many Connecticut counties including Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.

The post Commonly Seen Mistakes Families Can Make When Advocating for Aging Parents appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

Fortunately, there has been great progress over the past half-century. Much of the credit for this progress should go to family caregivers. Family caregivers provide more than 80 percent of day-to-day support for aging adults. Let us share five tips with you in regard to caring for senior loved ones right here in our blog.

1. Caring through food. Grocery shopping and meal planning are big tasks. Taking on those two tasks would be monumental. It would also relieve stress for senior loved ones with mobility issues, and provide nutritious food choices. In addition, preparing easy-access finger-foods and pre-cooked multi-serving dishes can be helpful. If your senior wants to reduce clean-up you can provide plastic cups, plates and straws.

2. Caring through clothing. Adult children and family caregivers can help aging parents by keeping their laundry clean, and by laying out loose-fitting, comfortable clothes. Also, buying comfortable shoes and clothes with Velcro and large zippers can help senior adults adapt to temperature changes and varying weather.

3. Caring through hygiene. Good hygiene is a must! However, bathing may need to require caregiver supervision, as bathtubs and showers can be slippery and dangerous. Throw rugs, bath mats and other such obstacles need to be removed to reduce the risk of tripping and falling. Adaptive bathing equipment, such as shower chairs and hand-held showerheads, can be helpful.

4. Caring through dental maintenance. Be careful, a lapse in dental care could lead to complicated, and painful, health issues. Make sure elder loved ones are rinsing their teeth after every meal, and help them brush or keep their dentures clean if they need assistance. You should consult their dentist for more specific advice.

5. Caring through toileting. There is adaptive safety equipment that can help seniors use the toilet safely. Equipment, such as raised toilet seats and grab bars, could be made available. If possible, have them work on a daily routine of bathroom visits to avoid accidents.

We know this blog may raise more questions than it answers. We want you not to wait to learn more about this critical issue facing all of us, but most importantly Connecticut seniors. Remember, being prepared is the best defense you can have in place. The Northeast Law Center practices law in many Connecticut counties including Hartford, New London, Tolland and Windham. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.

The post 5 Tips for Caring for Aging Seniors During National Older Americans Month appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

The post Elder Care Advocacy Team Helps You Determine When a Senior Needs Home Care Assistance appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

We want to do more than just pick up the pieces after a crisis. Our Geriatric Care Manager and elder law attorneys can help elders and their loved ones take a proactive approach to problem-solving. The goals of this new program are keeping the elder loved one at home and stretching the family’s finances by finding the best price for services needed so assets are available over the long term. To learn more about this program, call us at 860-928-2429 in Putnam or click here to fill out a contact form on our website and send it in to get the conversation started.

Planning for Future Physical Care, Mental Health, and Financial Well Being

Failing physical and mental health is a common problem for elders. Degenerative conditions and chronic health problems can add up and leave elders less able to do all they once did. Medical advances allow many elders to function physically and mentally further into their adult years. However, conditions from bone loss, vision and hearing loss, dementia and Alzheimer’s, and the loss of mental acuity forces elders to rely on their family, friends, and health care professionals to meet the needs of daily life.

Quite often, a health emergency occurs with the elder which causes the family to realize that the elder’s life needs are changing fast. As the elder is released from the hospital, health care professionals urge the family to consider the question of keeping the elder at home where there is the most comfort or placing the elder in a nursing home where there is the best and speediest medical care. This dilemma typically starts the family’s search for the best solution. This is where our Geriatric Care Advocacy Team quite often enters the scenario.

Our Geriatric Care Manager meets with the elder and family to assess the situation, in terms of health care needs and financial ability. Here is where the experience and wisdom of our Geriatric Care Manager comes into play. With 15 years of elder care experience, she understands and can explain the public and private resources available, the differences between them and the qualifications for them. She has an unparalleled knowledge of prices and availability so she can match needs with resources in a way that produces solutions that are financially sound and that stretch the assets for maximum value.

Working with our Geriatric Care Advocacy Team can help the elder and the family prepare for the inevitable. When a diagnosis is received or an elder recognizes some declining ability, we can help create a comprehensive plan for the elder’s physical, mental, and legal health. Initial questions can include topics such a Will, Advanced Directives, Estate Plan, or a Trust to ensure the plan is honored. We can also provide ongoing support to families whose parents and grandparents find themselves needing additional services, helping them to explore their options, and meeting the needs of the elder as time marches on.

Managing Nursing Home Care and Financial Concerns

Another common problem for the elderly is finding and financing high-quality nursing home care or in-home support. While only about three percent of all seniors live in nursing homes and assisted living facilities¹, many more rely on professional help to live comfortably at home.

Choosing the right kind of care can be a puzzle all on its own. With a staggering number of private and public options offering different levels of care, it can be hard to know which solution is best for the elder. Add to that the fact that many seniors are resistant to getting the help they need. When you are facing overwhelming options, our Geriatric Care Advocacy Team can come to your aid, providing you the knowledge and experience to understand the options and costs and potential outcomes.

All that care comes at a cost, as well. Elders who have not thought ahead about their end-of-life care can find themselves in financial crisis, just when they should be most focused on their health. Our elder law attorneys can help by preparing a unique plan for the elder to pay for a nursing facility or in-home health care using a combination of trusts, insurance options, and government programs like Medicare, and Medicaid so that you don’t have to worry if you will have the funds to pay for the care you need. This is an area where our elder care manager and elder law attorneys work together to find the best solution for each particular elder and his or her situation.

Responding to Elder Abuse and Inappropriate Care Choices

Isolation is one of the biggest problems facing elders in Connecticut and across the country. When health and distance keep elders from connecting with family and friends, it can make it hard to know when things are not as they should be. Unfortunately, far too many seniors fall victim of elder abuse by relatives or professional caregivers. This is especially common when a senior’s family lives far away and is unable to observe the elder’s day-to-day care. Whether a situation is as severe as elder abuse, or is simply a matter of inappropriate care choices, Our Care Geriatric Advocacy Team can be trusted to step in and evaluate a situation to see if there is a problem. Our elder care manager can assess the care your loved one is receiving, versus what he or she really needs, so that the family can make the best choices.

Use Our Elder Care Advocacy Team to Assist and Shield Your Elders

We know common problems for the elder today are not solved only on paper. That’s why we have assembled this team of experienced, skilled and experienced elder law and elder care professionals to help our clients make the right choices to care for their loved ones. Our elder law attorneys Alyson Aleman and Frank Herzog have personal experience and professional expertise in the care of elders. Frank’s personal experience as a long-time caregiver of his own elderly mother and Alyson’s professional experience as a social worker give them unique perspective.

Now we are happy to announce our experienced Geriatric Care Manager provides an umbrella of professional services with the goal of keeping elderly family members at home and meeting their home health-care needs. When it comes time to consider assisted living or nursing home options, our Geriatric Care Manager’s vast knowledge of Connecticut care facilities and services can help you and your family sort through all the options and make smart decisions. To learn more about this program, call us at 860-928-2429 in Putnam or click here to fill out a contact form on our website and send it in to get the conversation started.

[1] “65+ in the United States: 2010”, Loraine A. West, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, June 2014.

The post How a Geriatric Care Manager Solves Elder Problems appeared first on Northeast Law Center.

This blog post will explain certain long-term care financing options available to seniors and their families. It will explain how financial planning choices made now can affect the care you receive in your final years. At the Northeast Connecticut Law Center, we can help you sort through the different ways to prepare for your future health needs, so you can make the choice that is best for you and your family. To get started with us, click here to Contact Us. Fill out the form on our website and send it in. You can also call our Putnam office at 860.928.2429 or our Danielson office at 860.779.0348.

Safeguard Your Tomorrow with a Long-Term Care Financing Plan

For seniors over age 65, paying out-of-pocket for long-term care can be devastating. AARP estimates one in four people age 65 will pay over $50,000 to cover things like nursing homes, assisted living, or in-home assistance with everyday tasks.¹ Without proper planning, these expenses can have a significant and unexpected affect on your ability to provide for your loved ones after you are gone.

To protect your interests, it is wise to adopt a long-term care financing plan to account for the cost of day-to-day care. This will give you the confidence to know that you are financially covered in the event of a late-life illness or disability. How you do this will depend on the care you expect to need, your ability to pay premiums now, and the availability of funds later in life, such as from a pension or retirement account. Depending on your circumstances, you may consider some combination of:

• Trusts
• Long-term care insurance
• Hybrid life insurance

Set Aside Money Today in a Trust for the Future

If you have enough assets to fund your own long-term care, there are several different trusts that can be a good option. By placing your money, home, and other assets into a trust and naming an alternative trustee, you can be sure the assets are available, even if you are no longer able to sign the checks. If mental or physical disability makes it so you can no longer care for your own needs, the trustee is permitted to spend your assets to pay for your long-term care.

A trust has the advantage that everything you put in, you – or your beneficiaries – can take back out. These are your assets, and you have control of them. There is no insurance company telling you what is or is not covered. All those decisions are up to your trustee and the person you grant your power of attorney for medical purposes.

However, a trust is also limited by the assets you put into it. If you have a smaller estate, the cost of your final illness could deplete your savings and force your trustee to sell your home or other assets just to cover the cost of your long-term care.

Long-Term Care Insurance Provides Financing for Living Assistance

Another option for long-term care financing is a dedicated long-term care insurance policy. You pay premiums into this policy over the years. Then when you need to pay for assisted living, nursing home care, or home health care, you can file a claim with your insurance company to receive benefits to cover the cost.

The benefit of a long-term care insurance policy is that you pay the premiums over time. This means even if you don’t have the money to pay for your long-term care right now, as long as you are paying the premiums, you will be able to make a claim for benefits when you need them.

However, long-term care insurance policies are becoming rarer, and more expensive, as insurance companies adjust for people living longer. Premiums can often be quite high, especially if you want a high enough level of benefits to pay for all your long-term care needs. If you end up not needing long-term care financing, your family can’t get those premiums back. Also, these policies give insurance companies a say in what care they will or will not cover. That could leave you living below your expectations.

Hybrid Life Insurance Policies Provide for You and Your Family

A third option to cover your long-term care financing is often called a hybrid life insurance policy. This is a whole life insurance policy that you can draw from while you are alive to pay for long-term care up to the policy limit.

Unlike a long-term care policy, when you pass away your heirs receive whatever has not been used up to the chosen limit. That means you won’t lose your money if you don’t end up needing long-term care.

However, these hybrid policies have certain down-sides. They tend to be even more expensive than long-term care policies or traditional whole life policies. They also still require you to file a claim to receive benefits, which means the insurance adjuster gets a say in your care.

Choosing the Right Balance for Your Future Health Needs

Each of these options have pros and cons. Any option on its own may not be able to provide everything you need. By combining these products and tools, you and your estate planning team can customize your long-term care financing provisions to match your needs, care preferences, and assets.

The details of how these long-term care financing plans work together are more complicated than can be explained in this article. There are different approaches available and the factors to consider before signing up for long-term care insurance or another life insurance policy.

At the Northeast Connecticut Law Center, we want to make sure our clients are ready if they need long-term care. Our family care plan, called Safeguarding Tomorrow, gives peace of mind to families and makes sure your estate plan is always up to date. Whether you are just starting on your estate plan, or a member of our Safeguarding Tomorrow Client Care Program, we will review your current assets, goals, and any health concerns you may have. Then we will help you consider the flexibility of a trust as well as the costs and hassle of using an insurance option to help you find the balance that is right for you.

Don’t Wait on Your Long-Term Care Financing Plan, Call Us Today

It is important not to wait when planning for end-of-life financing. The sooner a you sign up for a long-term care or hybrid insurance policy, the lower your premiums will be. That means delaying the decision could end up costing you hundreds, or even thousands of dollars. To learn more about long-term care financing or estate planning, click here to Contact Us. Fill out the form our website and send it in. You can also call our Putnam office at 860.928.2429 or our Danielson office at 860.779.0348. We practice law in many Connecticut counties including Dayville, Hartford, New London, Tolland, Vernon and Windham.
¹ 5 Things You SHOULD Know About Long-Term Care Insurance, AARP, March 1, 2018.

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