What is Life Care Planning?

The needs of the elderly and disabled are not just financial.  Each day, our seniors are confronted with new needs and new challenges.  These involve declining health, declining memory and cognitive function, as well as finding and paying for proper care.
Elder Law has traditionally focused on protecting assets from the high cost of skilled nursing care.  However, a few Law Firms now provide Life Care Planning, which focuses on all of the needs of the elder, not just asset protection. The goal of Life Care Planning is to promote and maintain good health, safety, wellbeing, and quality of life for the elderly and disabled, and to help guide the families who care for them.  Our Elder Law attorneys, Elder Care Coordinators, and team of legal professionals work with our clients to establish quality care, help with important decisions, apply for benefits (Medi-Cal and VA Benefits), and provide guidance and advocacy.  As a result, the Senior receives better care, is able to pay for that care with the assistance of benefits, preserve their assets, and stay out of a nursing home.
At the McNamara Law Firm, our team strives to:
• Assure that your loved one gets the appropriate level of care, whether at home or in a facility, and to maintain the best quality of life possible;
• Identify, and then qualify and apply for benefits to help pay for expensive care (assisted living, board and care, in-home caregivers, skilled nursing facilities);
• Preserve and protect assets, minimize taxes, and eliminate State recovery against the home;
• Assure that the legal documents are in order, and guide the family in managing the Senior’s health, finances, and other important issues.
Unfortunately, the health care industry often falls short of providing quality services to our Seniors, or providing appropriate options regarding long term care.  Families need advocacy and guidance when trying to help their elderly loved one, and this advocacy and guidance is the centerpiece of Life Care Planning.  Our team works very hard to help each client navigate the complex areas involving senior health care, monetary benefits that help pay for care, asset protection, and other difficult issues associated with aging.
For more information, or for an appointment, please call the McNamara Law Firm, PC at 661-287-3260, or visit www.themcnamaralawfirm.com.