You Don’t Have to “Go It Alone” When It Comes to Nursing Home Planning

When it comes to figuring out how to plan for nursing home care for an aging loved one, do not go it alone. Did you know a qualified elder law attorney can help you choose wisely among the available options and ensure you understand what each option costs and whether there is anything you can do to shield your loved one’s life savings from being immediately depleted?

Does your loved one qualify for Medicaid? Medicare and Medicaid are two different programs that you may have heard of. Medicare is often available to all senior and disabled adults, but typically has a limited nursing home benefit, paying only for 100 days of care. If you are at the point where you are considering long-term nursing home care for your loved one, you are not likely to get far with Medicare alone. Instead, you may want to see if your loved one qualifies for Medicaid. One of the primary qualifications for receiving Medicaid benefits is an individual’s income level and assets. If a person qualifies, Medicaid will cover nursing home costs.

How can an elder law attorney help you? An elder law attorney can help you with the process of obtaining Medicaid services for your loved one. It can be important to go through these steps with an attorney instead of trying to go it alone, as your attorney can advise you of whether Medicaid may seek to recoup costs from your loved one’s estate down the road. If this is the case, your attorney can help you with estate planning strategies on behalf of your loved one that may minimize the depletion of their life savings due to Medicaid. An attorney can counsel you on how best to proceed with your loved one’s best interests in mind.

Our office is committed to excellence in practicing elder law, including Medicaid and long-term care planning. Please reach out to us to schedule an appointment.