More than a year into the global COVID-19 pandemic, the virus continues to generate urgency for elder law planning for those most at risk. With hope on the horizon but still with a long way to go, staying informed and being prepared is of the utmost importance.
May is National Elder Law Month and attorneys across the country, including those at Foster Swift, continue to educate seniors in their communities about their legal options as well as placing an emphasis on the importance of making sure they have committed their plans in a legally binding format.
"The pandemic has and continues to add a layer of stress to issues involving seniors and their families," says elder law attorney Matt Fedor. "It is always heartbreaking when a family member's last wishes which may have been vocalized for years, but are either unable to be carried out because he or she never committed the instructions to the appropriate legal documents, or those wishes are contrary to any existing written plan. Reviewing your estate plan and having the right team in place along with the right resources is crucial in making sure you have an updated estate plan that reflects the correct financial, medical, and legal decisions for you."
To help seniors and family caregivers with the planning process, Foster Swift created an Elder Law Resources landing page. This page is frequently updated with links to videos, articles and podcasts on topics such as spotting red flags of elder abuse and how employers can support employees that are taking care of elderly family members (fosterswift.com/f-elder-law-month.html).
Also featured on the page is a link to the firm's elder law blog (mielderlawblog.com), free downloadable tools created by Foster Swift to assist caregivers, and a copy of "Estate Planning: You Have to Start in Order to Finish," a free e-book written by Foster Swift attorney Jonathan David. This recently updated book is presented in a Q&A format on estate planning topics such as "Setting up a trust for children" and "What estate planning documents do you need".
"Aging Americans and their families need to be both proactive and responsive to navigating issues that include Medicaid planning, long-term care arrangements, financial scams and fraud targeting seniors, and workplace issues for adult children who are caring for their parents," says Fedor. "Keeping friends and clients educated on their options is essential in preparing them for what lies ahead. You should reach out to an elder law attorney to help you develop a plan before an emergency eliminates some of your options."
