Planning—and paying—for long-term Alzheimer’s care
If a loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, or you’re noticing memory loss in yourself or a family member, you’re undoubtedly wondering about long-term care options.
How will you find the time and strength to care for someone with a debilitating disease that can last for 20 years or more—or ensure that you won’t be a burden to your family? You’ll also be faced with many financial issues. As your loved one’s condition deteriorates, you may not be able to provide adequate care yourself, and will have to seek help. This could involve in-home care, assisted living, or a nursing home. The cost of long-term care is already extremely high and continues to rise rapidly. Providing your loved one with adequate care could cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Elder Law at Ahrens DeAngeli Law Group has helped hundreds of families cope with the financial and legal burdens associated with Alzheimer’s disease. While planning for the future is extremely important in all aspects of elder law, it is even more so when Alzheimer’s is involved. You and your loved one must take the proper steps now, while there is still time to plan. We can show you options for getting the financial assistance you need now, and plan for what you will need in the future. We help you put the essential elder-focused estate planning documents in place so that you can avoid time and expense down the road.
We invite you to contact our office at your earliest convenience for additional information.
Long-Term Care News
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Alzheimer’s Resources
Hospice
Benefits of Hospice Care when Alzheimer’s is Present
Consumer’s Guide to Hospice Care
Caregiving
9 Steps to Peace of Mind for the Alzheimer’s Family
Helpful Hints for Caregivers in the Home
Real-world Caregiving Strategies that Work
Zen and the Art of Coping With Alzheimer’s (New York Times)
Legal
Legal Steps You Should Take when Faced with Alzheimer’s or Dementia
Research
Alzheimer’s: Quest for Understanding (New York Times video)
Alzheimer’s: The Rarest Gene (New York Times video)
Safety
Some Early Warning Signs Of Alzheimer’s Disease
Memory loss. Forgetting recently learned information is one of the most common early signs of Alzheimer’s disease. A person begins to forget more often and is unable to recall the information later.
Difficulty performing familiar tasks. People with Alzheimer’s often find it hard to plan or complete everyday tasks. Individuals may lose track of the steps involved in preparing a meal, placing a telephone call, or playing a game.
Problems with language. People with Alzheimer’s disease often forget simple words or substitute unusual words, making their speech or writing hard to understand. They may be unable to find the toothbrush, for example, and instead ask for “that thing for my mouth.”
Disorientation to time and place. People with Alzheimer’s disease can become lost in their own neighborhood, forget where they are and how they got there, and not know how to get back home.
Poor or decreased judgment. Those with Alzheimer’s may dress inappropriately, wearing several layers on a warm day or little clothing in the cold. They may show poor judgment, like giving away large sums of money to telemarketers.