As elder law attorneys, we often meet with clients that are concerned about the high cost of nursing home care. In Boston, Massachusetts, the cost of nursing home care can be $12,000, per month or higher. We hope that clients will contact us in advance to plan ahead to remove fear and uncertainty about the future. Please consider why planning in advance can be a gift to you and your family:
1. Planning in advance gives our clients the greatest opportunity to protect their assets, since Medicaid/MassHealth looks back at all transfers of assets within five years of applying for assistance. We will recommend steps for you to take while you are healthy to protect your assets in the event that you need nursing home care. We can still assist you if you are in a crisis situation. However, the greatest opportunites to protect assets are available to those planning in advance.
2. Our clients are in charge of the decisions when planning in advance. One of the most compelling reasons for pre-planning for nursing home care, is the fact that the client can be thoroughly involved in the process. Far too often, we work with families where the person in need of care has experienced physical or mental impairments that keep them from being able to make their own decisions. Whether they are incapacitated and unable to communicate or their cognitive functions have deteriorated due to dementia or other problems, the result is that they cannot make important choices or have their true wishes known.
3. When a crisis hits, planning in advance will provide peace of mind. An additional problem that pre-planning solves is that nursing home care is often needed on very short notice, as the result of an unexpected illness or injury. In the midst of a medical crisis, most families would prefer to already have arrangements in place so they can simply focus on treatment, recovery, or long-term care.
At Senior Solutions our focus is on meeting the needs of seniors and their families. From pre-planning for nursing home care, to qualifying for Medicaid/ MassHealth, to setting up a smart estate plan, we are here to advise you on the issues that affect you. We seek to provide solutions to problems that haven’t even arisen yet! We are ready to assist you in planning for your future to provide you and your family with peace of mind.
Senior Solutions is an Elder Law and Estate Planning Law Firm serving the Boston, Massachusetts area. We meet with clients in either our Belmont or Hingham offices.
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