We Help People and Families Develop Life Care Plans in Hershey, PA
At Keystone Elder Law P.C., our Hershey life care planning lawyers have the skills, compassion, and commitment to solutions that you and your family can rely on. We are proud to provide a comprehensive range of life care planning services. Do you have any specific questions or concerns about life care planning? We are here as a resource. Contact us today for a fully confidential consultation with an experienced Hershey, PA life care planning lawyer.
What is Life Care Planning?
Broadly described, life care planning is a process that involves assessing, organizing, and managing long-term care needs for individuals. Life care planning can be proactive, it can be especially important for older people, those with chronic illnesses, and people with disabilities. Life care planning involves a comprehensive evaluation of the individual’s current and future financial, legal, and medical requirements. The goal is to develop a strategy to best protect a person and family.
We Provide Comprehensive Life Care Planning Support in Hershey, PA
Keystone Elder Law P.C. is a boutique law firm devoted to protecting the rights and interests of people and families throughout Pennsylvania, including right here in Hershey. With a specialty in serving middle-class families, we invest the time, resources, and attention to the small details needed to truly understand your needs and your goals. There is no one right approach to life care planning. The specific needs and objectives of a person always matter. Along with other things, our Hershey life care planning attorneys help clients with:
- Preserve Quality of Life: Our top priority is to help you maintain and enhance your quality of life. We understand that each individual’s needs and preferences are unique. That’s why we work closely with you to develop personalized plans that address your health, housing, financial, and legal needs. Whether it’s finding the right healthcare services, securing comfortable living arrangements, or managing day-to-day expenses, our team is dedicated to ensuring you live your best life, every day.
- Set Up an Estate Plan: Estate planning is a crucial step in securing your legacy and ensuring that your wishes are honored. We guide you through the process of creating a comprehensive estate plan that includes wills, trusts, power of attorney, and healthcare directives. Our expertise ensures that your assets are protected and distributed according to your wishes, minimizing the burden on your loved ones during difficult times. We make estate planning straightforward and stress-free, giving you peace of mind knowing that your affairs are in order.
- Prepare for Long-Term Care Costs: The cost of long-term care can be significant, and planning for these expenses is essential to protect your assets and ensure your care needs are met. We provide expert advice on long-term care insurance, government benefits, and other financing options. Our goal is to help you navigate the complexities of long-term care planning, so you and your family can feel secure about the future. With our support, you can make informed decisions that align with your financial goals and care preferences.
- Leave a Legacy: Leaving a lasting legacy is about more than just asset distribution. It is about making a meaningful impact that reflects your values and contributions. We assist clients in Hershey, PA in defining their legacy goals—whether it is through charitable giving, establishing scholarships, or passing on a family business. Our Hershey Life Care Planning attorney helps our clients implement strategies to develop their legacy.
How Our Hershey Life Care Planning Lawyers Can Help
Life care planning is complicated. At Keystone Elder Law P.C., we take a proactive, personalized approach to life care planning. The testimonials from our former clients tell the story best. You do not have to navigate everything alone. When you reach out to our firm, you will have an opportunity to connect with a Hershey life care planning lawyer who can:
- Listen to your story and answer questions about life care planning;
- Advise you on all of your available life care planning options; and
- Develop a personalized strategy to best achieve your goals.
Contact Our Hershey Life Care Planning Attorney for Immediate Help
At Keystone Elder Law P.C., our Hershey life care planning lawyers are skilled, compassionate advocates for people and families. Do you have questions about life care planning? We can help. Contact us today to set up your completely private, no-obligation case review. Our firm provides life care planning services in Hershey, Dauphin County, and throughout Pennsylvania.
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REGISTER HERE for LONG-TERM CARE PLANNINGPower of Attorney
A Power of Attorney can be used to give another person the right to sell a car, home, or other property in the place of the maker of the Power of Attorney. A Power of Attorney might be used to allow another person to sign a contract for the maker of the Power of Attorney (the person who makes a power of attorney is called the “principal”). It can be used to give another person the authority to make health care decisions, do financial transactions, or sign legal documents that the principal cannot do for one reason or another. With few exceptions, Powers of Attorney can give others the right to do any legal acts that the makers of the Powers of Attorney could do them themselves. A General Power of Attorney gives the “power of attorney Agent” or simply “Agent” (the legal name of the person who is authorized to act for the principal) very broad powers to do almost every legal act that the principal can do. When Elder Law Attorneys draft general Powers of Attorney, they still list the types of things the Agent can do but these powers are very broad. People often do general Powers of Attorney to plan ahead for the day when they may not be able to take care of things themselves. By doing the General Power of Attorney, they designate someone who can do these things for them.
Normal Powers of Attorney terminate if and when the principal becomes incompetent. Yet many people do Powers of Attorney for the sole purpose of designating someone else to act for them if they cannot act for themselves. It is precisely when persons can no longer do for themselves that a Power of Attorney is most valuable. To remedy this inconsistency, the law created a Durable Power of Attorney that remains effective even if a person becomes incompetent. The only thing that distinguishes a Durable Power of Attorney from a regular Power of Attorney is special wording that states that the power survives the principal’s incapacity. Even a Durable Power of Attorney, however, may be terminated under certain circumstances if court proceedings are filed. Most Powers of Attorney done today are durable.
Yes. At the time the Power of Attorney is signed, the principal must be capable of understanding the document. Although a Power of Attorney is still valid if and when a person becomes incompetent, the principal must understand what he or she is signing at the moment of execution. That means a person can be suffering from dementia or Alzheimer’s Disease or be otherwise incompetent sometimes but as long as they have a lucid moment and are competent at the moment they sign the Power of Attorney, it is valid even if they do not remember signing it at a later date. At the time it is signed, the principal must know what the Power of Attorney does, whom they are giving the Power of Attorney to, and what property may be affected by the Power of Attorney.
Any competent person eighteen years of age and older can serve as an agent. Certain financial institutions can also serve. There is no course of education that agent must complete or any test that Agent must pass. Because a Power of Attorney is such a potentially powerful document, agents should be chosen for reliability and trustworthiness. In the wrong hands, a Power of Attorney can be a license to steal. It can be a big responsibility to serve as an agent.
For Medicaid
Medicare is health insurance and covers medical services such as physician appointments, therapy, blood tests, x rays, medical procedures and hospitalization. Medicare will sometime pay for rehabilitation in a long-term care facility for a period of 20 to 100 days, but not longer. In long-term care, Medicaid covers the cost of ongoing support services for daily functioning, such as room and board in a nursing home.
Medicaid is a federal program that is overseen by the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). In Pennsylvania, Medicaid is called Medical Assistance and is administered by the Department of Human Services (DHS).
In Pennsylvania, Medicaid funds are not available to pay for assisted living or personal care.
For Medicaid to pay for care in a nursing home, an individual recipient must be determined to need a nursing home level of care by a physician and the local Office of Aging. An individual whose income is not greater than three times the poverty level may keep up to $8,000 of total resources, but may otherwise keep only $2,400. The cash value of life insurance counts as a resource, but one car and a residential home does not count as a resource.
What an amazing team you have!!! Taking charge and getting things done, but also being so understanding and compassionate