By Barry Zimmer on April 29th, 2021 in Elder Law
As elder law attorneys, we focus on matters that are of interest to senior citizens. This area of the law is quite relevant right now, because the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age. There are 10,000 to 15,000 applications for Social Security being submitted every day, so the oldest segment of the population is growing rapidly.
Long-Term Care
The most pressing issue that elder law attorneys address is the matter of long-term care and the costs that go along with it. You may be surprised to hear that seven out of every 10 senior citizens will need help with their activities of daily living at some point in time.
In many instances, individuals can receive the assistance that they need in their own homes from family members and friends. Others are not so lucky, and even if people are willing, professional help may be needed eventually.
Assisted Living and Medicare
Most people qualify for Medicare as a source of health insurance when they reach the age of 65. This program will cover convalescent care after an injury or illness, but it does not pay for the care that you would receive in an assisted living facility or nursing home.
It’s tough to pay out-of-pocket, because long-term care is extremely expensive. This is one challenge, and most people simply do not want to leave their own homes unless it is absolutely necessary.
In-Home Health Aides
Genworth Financial keeps track of the ongoing state of long-term care costs around the country, and they drill down to individual cities. We practice in Cincinnati, and according to their research, the median cost for a home health aide was $37,752 in 2019.
That’s a considerable chunk of change, but fortunately, there is a government program that can provide assistance. The Ohio Home Care Medicaid Waiver will provide financial assistance to pay for in-home care if you can gain eligibility.
This program is intended for people of financial need just like the Medicaid program, so there are income and asset limits. We can help you understand how to create a financial profile that will lead to eligibility for the Ohio Home Care Waiver.
Download Our Free Worksheet
We have developed a number of very useful resources that you can access on this website free of charge. One of them is our carefully prepared worksheet, and if you take a little bit of time to go through it, you can walk away with a far greater understanding of some very important matters.
To get your copy, visit our worksheet access page and follow the simple instructions.
Attend a Webinar
Our firm has traditionally conducted seminars on an ongoing basis to provide in-person educational opportunities for our neighbors. As a response to the novel coronavirus situation, we are now offering webinars instead. You can get the same great information delivered to the comfort of your very own home.
The sessions are free to attend, but we ask that you register in advance. To do just that, visit our webinar schedule page and click on the date that works for you.
Schedule a Remote Consultation!
You should certainly gain all the knowledge that you can when you are thinking about your legacy, but at some point, action is required. If you are ready to put an estate plan in place, we are here to help.
To request a remote consultation appointment, send us a message or give us a call at 513-721-1513.