Help from a Fort Lauderdale Elder Law Attorney

As baby boomers have grown older, the need for elder law attorneys has similarly grown. These types of lawyers focus on issues affecting older adults and the people who serve as their caretakers. Many different legal issues can affect older adults and their caregivers. Here are some reasons you might benefit from working with Fort Lauderdale elder law attorney Rhonda D. Zimmerman, Esq.

How a Fort Lauderdale Elder Lawyer Might Help

There are multiple ways that an experienced Fort Lauderdale elder lawyer at the Law Offices of Rhonda D. Zimmerman, Esq. might help, including the following:

• Creating a comprehensive estate plan
• Engaging in Medicaid and long-term care planning
• Pursuing claims against nursing homes for abuse or neglect
• Filing actions for conservatorship or guardianship when an older adult can no longer make decisions for themselves
• Planning for potential incapacitation

All adults should have an estate plan in place. As you grow older, it is critically important for you to have a comprehensive estate plan. If you already have a plan, an elder attorney can review it and help you make modifications as necessary to ensure it reflects your current needs and any changes in your family.

As you near retirement age, it is also a good idea to talk to your elder law attorney about Medicaid and long-term care planning. Since nursing homes and assisted living facilities are expensive, you might need to ensure that you can qualify for Medicaid to pay for care. It is critically important to plan since Medicaid has a five-year lookback period for transfers of property to a trust or a loved one. An elder law attorney can help you plan so that you don’t face penalties if you later require long-term care.

Unfortunately, nursing homes don’t always provide quality care, and some elderly patients are abused or neglected while they are in nursing homes. If you believe your loved one is the victim of elder neglect or abuse in a nursing facility, you should speak to an elder attorney to understand your options and potentially file a claim against the facility.

If you are a caretaker and believe your elderly parent can no longer care for themselves or manage their finances, you might want to file a petition with the court to establish a conservatorship. An attorney can walk you through the process of becoming a conservator of your parent.

As an older adult, it’s important to make sure that you have included legal documents to plan for potential incapacitation in your estate plan. These documents, including durable financial powers of attorney and designation of health care surrogates, can allow you to designate someone you trust to make financial and medical decisions for you if you are incapacitated. These types of documents might help your family avoid a potentially lengthy conservatorship process in probate court and help to ensure your wishes will be honored.

Talk to a Fort Lauderdale Elder Law Attorney

Working with an elder law attorney at the Law Offices of Rhonda D. Zimmerman, Esq. can help you address these and other issues that you or your loved one might be facing. Call us today to schedule an appointment at (954) 822-7566.