When a person reaches a point when they can no longer manage their financial or personal affairs, a loved one may have to petition the courts to appoint a guardian. But guardianship is often a last ditch effort, and with planning, it can be avoided. A guardianship proceeding in New York takes place in the Surrogate’s Court, where a person or institution may be appointed to handle the care of an adult who is physically or mentally unable to handle their personal needs, their financial affairs, … [Read more...] about Defining and Avoiding Conservatorship
Incapacity Planning
Three Ways Estate Planning Allows You to Maintain Control
Estate planning is normally something people like to avoid. Nobody likes to think of what could happen should they lose the capacity to make their own decisions or to think what’s going to happen to their family after they pass. In reality, estate planning allows you to maintain control of many aspects of your life, as well as your passing. 1. Controlling Medical Decisions One aspect of estate planning is the preparation of advance medical directives. These documents allow you to specify … [Read more...] about Three Ways Estate Planning Allows You to Maintain Control
Senior Citizen Resources
One resource that may be overlooked when considering the well-being of senior citizens is the use of community services. While estate planning tools, along with retirement planning and incapacitation planning, help with a senior citizen’s needs later in life, many seniors are unaware that there are also community services that can address issues of the elderly. For instance, in New York, each county government has an Office for the Aging which works to enrich the lives of those 60 and older, … [Read more...] about Senior Citizen Resources
Home Care Services for Senior Citizens
Home care is an arrangement for providing personal or health care services for an individual in the comfort of their home. In the case of senior citizens, it helps them stay in the familiar comfort of their home rather than entering a long term care facility. Often the task for home care falls on a spouse or another family member. This can become stressful and exhausting for caregivers, and there are other options available. Seniors living independently in their own homes, or residing with … [Read more...] about Home Care Services for Senior Citizens
The Difference Between Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities
Many use the terms nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities interchangeably, but these terms actually determine how the expense is covered for senior citizens. While most senior citizens are familiar with Medicare and its health benefits to those 65 and older, many people don’t realize that Medicaid is also an important benefit for seniors, particularly when it comes to nursing homes. Medicaid is a joint state and Federal program that will pay most nursing home costs for some people with … [Read more...] about The Difference Between Nursing Homes and Skilled Nursing Facilities
Deciding on a Long-Term Care Facility
It is conceivable that the majority of us will need some type of assisted care during our lifetimes. Of those over the age of 65, it is estimated that 50% of women and 25% of men will need to enter a long-term care facility at some point. Fortunately most of these are short stays for rehabilitation services, but there are still many that will stay longer. Recent surveys indicate that of all of the people that enter long term care facilities; about one third of them will be there longer than a … [Read more...] about Deciding on a Long-Term Care Facility
What Are Advanced Directives?
We all know the importance of planning for a time when we’re no longer here, but about planning for a time when we’re unable to speak on our own behalf? It’s a scary notion to be sure, but about 60% of Americans will need some form of long-term care during their lifetime. For many, this will be due to mental disability or other forms of incapacitation. And if you’re not competent, you won’t be able to voice your wishes about medical treatments, end-of-life measures or even your personal … [Read more...] about What Are Advanced Directives?
