A good estate planning and elder law attorney can help you and your loved ones through a variety of difficult situations, but can only do so if you take the time to reach out for help. Elder law attorneys specialize in the legal issues that people face as they get older. Whether you find yourself in need of help, or have elderly family members or loved ones who need assistance, talking to an elder law attorney can be one of the best decisions you make. Here are some reasons why you might need to reach out to an elder law attorney for assistance.
Talking to an Elder Law Attorney Because you Need Help
The most common reason why people first talk to an elder law attorney is because they are facing a legal problem and need assistance. As the name implies, elder law attorneys help people who are facing legal issues that arise out of the aging process. These issues include end-of-life health care decisions, creating a will or estate plan, making provisions for passing decision-making responsibilities to someone else if and when you become unable to make choices, as well as navigating the often complicated government programs that help seniors, such as Medicaid, Medicare, and even veterans benefits. On the other hand, elder law attorneys are not attorneys who typically assist elderly people with all the legal issues they might face. For example, if you are charged with a crime you need the assistance of a criminal defense attorney, even if you are elderly.
Talking to an Attorney for Your Loved One, Not You
Many times people come to an elder law attorney not because they themselves need help, but because they have a family member or loved one who is not receiving the kind of assistance they might require. Many reach out to an elder law attorney because they have elderly parents. These parents might have health issues, financial problems, or might be unwilling to address the legal problems they are currently facing. Knowing what to do, when to do it and how to do it can be frustrating enough, but it can be even more so for those with elderly loved ones simply because you want to help, but the person you are trying to assist either doesn’t recognize that they need help, or refuses to talk about the possibility. In such a situation, an elder law attorney can often give you guidance on what you can do to help your elderly loved one. Further, if you can convince your eldery loved one to speak to an elder law attorney on his (or her) own, he can be assured that the attorney will offer the needed guidance and assistance during this difficult time.
Since founding Parman & Easterday in 1985, Larry has led over 1,000 free, community-service education programs and helped more than 10,000 Oklahoma families go from putting off their estate plan to getting it done. His goal for every client is the same: to become the person their family calls "the one who took care of everything."
Larry is the author of three books: The Straight Shooter's Guide to Estate Planning; Estate Planning Basics; and Guiding Those Left Behind in Oklahoma. He served as Oklahoma's Secretary of State and Secretary of Commerce, and his firm is the only member of the American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys in the state.
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