Legal Considerations and Aging: What you should know

Television and the media over the years have filled our mind with you make a will when you get older so you know who is going to get your money when you pass. TV shows and movies have provided us with stories of how children and loved ones fight over money when a parent or loved one passes. Even today on the news we continue to see family fights over a love one's estate after he or she has passed and there were multiple wives, children, step-children involved. Remember the case of Anna Marie Smith and her 90 year old husband. That case may still be in the court with the biological son of the aging husband fighting for control of the estate after his father passed.

Yes it is true as you age you should have a will but honestly you can have a will the day you start to accumulate assets and money. Today most will and estate lawyers are talking to 18 year old college students, 28 year old new parents, 38 year old professionals, 48 year old adult children who have aging parents and so on about having a will.

Besides having a will there are much bigger issues in regards to an aging person's healthcare needs and the financial cost of having full time care. Comfort Keepers encourages their families to educate themselves on the law and how their aging loved ones could be impacted by life changing decision such as admission to a nursing home.

To read more about this topic, click HERE to go to Comfort Keepers article. If you live in Delaware County and are in need of an eldercare attorney, please click HERE.

Elderlaw: Definition and Information on its Importance in the life of Elderly and Seniors

Ever wonder what the term Elderlaw means? What does an Elderlaw Attorney do? And why is there a need for such a specialized area of the law? I know as a lay person, my first thought was what other than a will could an Elderlaw Attorney do for me or for my aging loved ones? And then I met Dana and Robert Breslin, Elderlaw Attorneys on Edgemont Ave in Brookhaven.

After one short conversation with them and a look at their website, I realized there is much much more to Elderlaw than I would have ever thought. Especially when it comes to making decisions on another's behalf, what I am responsible for financially if something happens to that person and how decisions made have tax consequences and how other long term planning situations can affect the life of my aging loved one financially and legally.

I can not encourage you enough as a Senior yourself or your adult children to start the process of educating yourself. To see the definition of Elderlaw and find resources, click HERE.