Does your mother live on her own? Does she enjoy good health? If your answers are yes, that is good news. Are you aware that during the month of May, National Elder Law Month is celebrated? During the month, elder law attorneys get out into their communities to educate seniors and their families on caring for and protecting seniors. This month would be a good time to discover ways to help your mother age in place and to also reach out to an experienced and qualified Florida elder law attorney in your area.
When you meet with an elder law attorney, she can assist you and your mother in developing, among other things, a long-term care plan. This plan could prepare her for the costs associated with nursing homes and other long-term care facilities if they are needed. In addition, you and your mother may find resources through your attorney’s office that will help your mother age in place.
We would like to share a few ways to help your mother age in place during National Elder Law Month.
1. Locate Community Resources. Your mother may find, as is often the case, that her neighborhood is changing with old friends moving away and new families coming in. Encourage your mother to not become isolated and to start looking into organizations for seniors in her community. These organizations can provide a social outlet for her if she decides to age in place in her own home rather than moving to a senior or retirement community. Many towns and cities have community centers with special programming for older residents to lessen the impact of all the changes in a senior’s life and to bring seniors together.
2. Help With Setting Up Your Mother’s Home. Aginginplace.org is an organization dedicated to helping families whose loved ones want to age in place. The Aging in Place website provides many resources for families who need assistance in figuring out how to adapt Mother’s home to fit her changing needs, which may mean installing ramps, changing up the bathroom, and moving your mother’s bedroom downstairs if it is not already on the main floor. This website, as well as others that may have a focus for your local area, also has information on finding a caregiver who is credentialed and able to provide services in your mother’s home.
3. Most Importantly Meet With An Elder Law Attorney. If your mother decides to age in place, it would be wise to meet with an attorney who can guide her through how best to plan ahead on a number of legal matters. Your elder law attorney can address with your mother any questions she may have about her estate, whether she should have a trust, long-term care and who will take care of her if she became incapacitated, to name a few legal issues.
For assistance during National Elder Law Month, and beyond, our office is here to help. At Britton G. Swank, P.A., our mission is to guide you in the right direction to help you provide for yourself and your loved ones no matter what the future holds. We want to help you control the assets you have, leave them to people and causes you care about, when you want, in the way you want. We can help you take care of yourself and those you love in the event of disability due to illness, injury or old age. No matter what risks unfold, we can help give you the comfort of knowing you are prepared. We want you to feel good about your future and the future of your loved ones. We encourage you to contact us and schedule a meeting.