The first step in planning for your long term care is making sure you have all the proper legal documentation put together. Essential to your long term care is a durable power of attorney for health care and a financial power of attorney as well. A durable power of attorney for health care is a document that gives the right to make decisions about your health care to an individual of your choosing. A financial power of attorney is a document that gives the right to make decisions about your finances to an individual of your choosing. You will also want to have an advance directive or a living will drawn up by an attorney. This document is a legal way for you to express your wishes to doctors about your health care in the event that you cannot speak for yourself.
Elder law attorneys can help you get the proper legal documents drawn up. A few documents they can assist you with are:
- Trusts
- Wills
- Durable power of attorney for health care
- Financial power of attorney
- Medicaid and VA benefits
- Advance medical directives
- Guardianship
Elder law attorneys are a great source of information when making decisions for the above documents. They can help in the planning of your long term care and assist you in making sure everything is in order to allow you to be comfortable with your long term care plan.
