Caring for aging parents can be rewarding, but it often comes with complex challenges. The adult children | see often express a strong desire to care for their parent, and when they begin doing so, they quickly discover they’re navigating unfamiliar waters.
Common challenges adult children face in this role include:
- Dealing with a parent who values independence and may resist help at home.
- Balancing caregiving responsibilities with work and caring for their own children.
- Understanding available care options—both at home and in assisted settings—and finding
- trustworthy caregivers.
- Organizing financial accounts and implementing protections to prevent fraud or
- exploitation.
- Determining how to fund the care their parent needs and ensuring that support is
- sustainable over time.
An elder law attorney can provide guidance, tools, and legal solutions to help families navigate these challenges effectively.
- Maintaining a Parent’s Independence
Elder law attorneys understand that each situation is unique. There’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to maintaining a parent’s independence. After listening to the specific circumstances and situation, an elder law attorney can give you advise on the best options for you and your family, and they can help you put a plan and legal documents in place that allow parents to make their own choices, to the extent they are able, while still ensuring they receive the support they need.
- Balancing Caregiving Responsibilities
Adult children often juggle caregiving with work and caring for their own children. Elder law attorneys can advise on local options for in-home care, assisted living, respite, or other support services, helping families make informed decisions that reduce stress and prevent burnout.
- Finding Trusted Care Options
Identifying and evaluating care options—whether at home or in assisted or skilled care settings—can be overwhelming. An elder law attorney can provide resources, referrals, and guidance on vetting caregivers, ensuring parents receive quality and reliable care.
- Protecting Financial Accounts
Managing finances for an aging parent can be challenging, and unfortunately, seniors are often targeted by scams or financial abuse. Additionally, parents sometimes take steps, such as adding an adult child to an account, which is intended to help them but can significantly increase their risk. Elder law attorneys can help organize accounts, set up durable powers of attorney, and implement protections to safeguard assets, minimize risk, and prevent exploitation.
- Planning and Funding Long-Term Care
Adult children often struggle with determining how to pay for the care their parent needs and ensuring that support is sustainable over time. An elder law attorney can help assess financial resources, explore options like long-term care insurance or Medicaid planning, and create a strategy that ensures care is both accessible and affordable.
Additional Benefits of Working with an Elder Law Attorney
- Drafting clear legal documents that minimize family conflict.
- Guiding families through Medicaid and long-term care planning.
- Offering practical and legal strategies to plan for potential health crises or cognitive decline.
- Providing peace of mind that legal, financial, and healthcare decisions are handled correctly.