Fort Myers Elder Law Attorney

Helping People Direct the Course of Their Senior Care

While it’s true that an estate plan helps you protect your family’s interests in your estate after you pass on, that’s only half of what a comprehensive plan can do. Your estate plan is very much about you and how you’ll plan to be treated once you reach an advanced age. At Dorcey Law Firm, we can help you account for all of the details concerning your care as a senior citizen.

Important aspects of elder care that can be covered in an estate plan include:

• Senior housing
• In-home care
• Long-term care (including nursing homes)
• Guardianships
• Health care documents
• Medicare and Medicaid

Are You Legally Responsible for Your Elderly Parents in Florida?

As of 2018, Florida does not have a filial responsibility law. This law means a child is not legally responsible for paying for their parent's long-term care costs. This law also includes care at a hospital, home health care, assisted living, or nursing home.

Estate planning isn’t just something you do to make sure your loved ones are financially secure upon your passing; it’s very much about how you can predetermine your life’s course when making important decisions for yourself can be more difficult. If you think it’s time to look after your advanced age care, reach out to our elder law attorneys in Fort Myers.

Medicare vs. Medicaid: Navigating Florida's Health Programs

Although Medicare and Medcaid sound alike, they are very different programs. Medicare is a federal health insurance entitlement program for people who are 65 years old or older and available to all such people regardless of their financial position. Split into Part A and Part B, it’s Medicare Part A that should most concern people who may need a hospital stay or care in a facility such as a nursing home and hospice center.

Medicaid, on the other hand, is a collaborative program between Florida and the federal government that provides access to healthcare options for people who aren’t able to afford other types of healthcare. Eligibility is based on one’s income the value of their assets, but it provides access to basic medical coverage that can include nursing home programs.

Whether you are in need of planning your options in Medicare or Medicaid, our elder law attorneys in Fort Myers are prepared to help you evaluate your options and establish a course of action suited just for you.