Why this occurs is beyond me, but this time of year it seems the scammers are extra busy on the phones and emails trying to separate people from their hard earned money. Maybe part of it is due to the scammers trying to piggyback into very legitimate advertisements for Medicare Advantage Plans. The scammers have nothing to do with Medicare or any other government program, but the goal is to get enough financial information from you so they can access your accounts. How do they do this? One method is to try to scare you by saying they are calling from Social Security and that there is a problem with your social security number or your benefits. Do not be fooled. Social Security doesn’t call people and threaten them with a cutoff in benefits, or say there could be an increase if you give them additional personal information.

As years go by our physical health and family situations change. Sometimes they are gradual normal changes, such as physical abilities, and sometimes it is abrupt, such as the birth of a child or death of a spouse, or changes in laws that affect us. Whenever these changes occur, it should make us think if we need to revise legal documents so that our legal and financial affairs are properly handled.

When your spouse suddenly needs nursing home care or full-time care at home, it can be emotionally draining and frightening because of the fear that all your hard earned life’s savings will be at risk. However, if you get the advice you need from an experienced elder law attorney, the average family should not have to lose their assets and can keep their home, their car, and in most cases all of their financial assets. That bears repeating. For the average couple, all of their assets can probably be protected if they are represented by an attorney who knows the Medicaid rules, and who is representing them.

When families are faced with a loved one who is in the final stages of life, the anguish and stress can be almost unbearable. Hospice is a service that can help the whole family, including the one near death, cope with the final months or days of life. Every family we have met that used hospice has been very grateful for the support and comfort and advice given, not only to the person dying, but to the whole family.

If your family is facing the need for long term care at home, or in a nursing home, one of the first things that comes to mind is do you need the help of an elder law attorney. The big concern is what kind of care is needed. The second is can care be at home, in an assisted living facility, or a nursing home. The third is “how are we going to pay for that care?” The variety of programs for homecare, assisting living and nursing home care, and the qualifications to receive federal, state, or veterans benefits to pay for that, often results in a jig saw puzzle that leads to confusion and frustration. A bonafide elder law attorney will devote most or all his or her practice to elder law issues, and will have staff that understands the problems faced by families, and the solutions. So how can you select a competent elder law attorney?

A general overview for elders from a legal standpoint includes making financial, legal, and health care decisions if the elder person became incapable, to pass on property to heirs upon death, getting the best possible long term care if needed, preferably at home, and preserving your life’s savings for yourself and your family.