Do you and your family have a loved one suffering from Parkinson’s disease? As the disease progresses are you seeing that your loved one’s ability to walk, bathe, and dress is becoming harder and harder? Has your loved one fallen? As the Parkinson’s disease progresses, are you, your loved one and family facing the difficult decision of placement in a nursing home? In addition, are you facing the difficult question of how to afford the exorbitant cost of the nursing home? How can you pay for a nursing home if your loved one has Parkinson’s?
First of all, find out if your loved one has any benefits or policies that may cover the cost of a nursing home. Benefits or policies may include a long-term care insurance policy, life insurance policies, which can be cashed out, or veteran’s benefits. In talking with your loved one if you find that such benefits do exist, be sure to gather copies of all supporting documents, which may include copies of insurance policies or proof of veteran’s benefits. It is important for you and your loved one to do this research now just in case your loved one’s mental capacity declines.
An important next step would be for you and your loved one to meet with a qualified Florida elder law attorney. By meeting with an elder law attorney you and your loved one can learn about the most reliable ways of determining how to afford a nursing home, when the time comes. Your elder law attorney, experienced in the area of long-term care planning, can assist you and your loved one in reviewing any benefits you believe may cover the cost of a nursing home. Your attorney will inform you that Medicare does not cover the cost of long-term nursing home stays, but state Medicaid does. Your attorney will advise that eligibility for Medicaid is based upon your loved one’s assets. Your qualified Florida elder law attorney will be able to assist you and your loved one in the drafting of planning documents, such as a trust, which may make him or her eligible for Medicaid. You will learn from your attorney that it is good that you and your loved one are planning early for nursing home care because there are time limits on the transfer of assets, which could possibly affect your loved one’s eligibility for Medicaid.
We know a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease for your loved one is traumatic and it often comes with many other issues. We encourage you and your loved one to work with an elder law attorney as soon as possible to find out the best strategy of helping to assure your loved one will be able to afford a nursing home when the time comes. Your loved one will now have the peace of mind that he or she will receive the care needed if and when the disease progresses. With this preparation, you, your loved one and your family can focus on sharing quality time in the present moment and in the future.
We believe in a collaborative approach to helping our clients. This means that our assistance does not end with just legal help. We work closely with other senior providers to make sure all our clients’ needs are taken care of from start to finish. Our mission is to make sure every family feels that they have been taken care of, have peace of mind and have someone to lean on during difficult times.
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