New York Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog
Many New Yorkers will one day be called to help care for their elderly parents. The majority of those caregivers report that the complexities and challenges of the process cannot be fully grasped until one experiences them firsthand. There is often no easy way to handle the emotional and financial toll incurred while helping an elderly loved one when they need it most. Our New York elder law lawyers know well the challenges so that many local families face as they work through this experience.
A new book released last week by New York Times reporter Jane Gross offers a first-hand look at how her own New York family struggled through the process of helping their elderly mother. In “A Bittersweet Season” the writer shares the tumultuous way in which she tried to navigate the eldercare system. She reports on her family’s confusion with Medicare and Medicaid programs and other problematic parts of the American health-care system as it relates to the elderly. The book also shares the impact that the time had on her mother’s finances. An itemized ledger is revealed which imparts the true monetary cost incurred by her loved one throughout this time in her life.
In the new volume the author explains how her family was unprepared for the experience. In some aspects the main take-away from book is summarized by Ms. Gross when she writes that “being clueless–utterly clueless–is the central and unavoidable part of this experience.” As difficult as the process is on many families, there are resources available to ease that uncertainty. In fact, a main lesson from the book is the need for families to do what they can to prepare for the process ahead of time.
Our New York elder law attorneys work specifically to help with this process. From advising on ways to apply for Medicaid to crafting legal material to minimize the effect of medical expenses on an estate, our professionals can help families in these complex matters. The benefits of proper planning and forethought about the aging process can go a long way in easing the burden on both an elder loved one and their caregivers.
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