The Importance of Pennsylvania Life Care Planning as a Senior Citizen
Some people are familiar with the term life care planning, but typically only related to personal injury lawsuits. When someone is severely injured in an accident, they may need life care planning services to help them adjust to their permanent injuries. However, if you are looking at your planning for your needs as you age, you want an elder law attorney specializing in senior life care planning.
As you get older, it’s crucial to look at how to protect yourself. Protecting yourself is more than just estate planning or Medicaid eligibility, though. To learn more about how our Pennsylvania life care planning attorneys can help, contact Anderson Elder Law today.
What is Elder Life Care Planning?
Life care planning covers estate planning, Medicaid eligibility, and more. At Anderson Elder Law, we can prepare you for everything that could happen. If you are hospitalized for an injury or illness, we can prepare you for transitioning to skilled rehabilitation and then to your home. If you are not better and fully independent, we can help you figure out what’s next and find the least restrictive setting.
Think of life care planning as the “all-inclusive” package. Our holistic legal services include estate planning, care coordination, asset protection, public benefits eligibility and application, financial decision making, health care, care advocacy and support, and more. The idea is to have a comprehensive plan in place so that you and your family can respond to any challenges that get thrown your way, whether it be a disability, chronic illness, or just your needs changing as you age.
Is Medicaid Planning the Same as Life Care Planning?
Medicaid eligibility and planning is only one part of life care planning. Many people assume elder law is asset protection and how to become eligible for Medicaid assistance. Medicaid planning is only concerned about what happens to you if you need to transition to a nursing home. It doesn’t factor in all the other aspects of aging and elder law.
When you hire an elder law attorney, you want someone who can help you find the highest level of care available in the least restrictive setting. Your elder law attorney that specializes in life care planning will be there to help you navigate transitions as you go up and down between different levels of care. They will also be your advocate whenever necessary. You will have access to people who can get things taken care of on your behalf.
Whereas when you hire a Medicaid attorney, their primary goal is to get your assets down to reach the eligibility limits for Medicaid so you can move to a nursing home. They won’t connect with social workers and specialists who can help you prepare to come home after a hospitalization and get home health care set up.
Contact Our Elder Law Attorneys in Pennsylvania Today
Are you ready to understand more about elder law and life care planning? If so, make sure you’re meeting with an elder law attorney by choosing someone who is certified. A certified elder law attorney (CELA) has undergone special training, passed an exam, and practices elder law at least 16 hours a week. At Anderson Elder Law, we have two Pennsylvania certified elder law attorneys who will be happy to answer all your questions.
To learn more about how we can help, contact Anderson Elder Law today to schedule a consultation.