what type of attorney helps with care giving

by Ms. Lucinda Cole Jr. 6 min read

elder law attorneys

What is an elder law attorney called?

A Power of Attorney is a legal document that identifies and empowers a person to speak for someone who wants assistance with financial or healthcare matters or can no longer speak for themselves. While there are various laws governing Powers of Attorney, types of Powers of Attorney and the terms they use are common across the documents.

What do lawyer specialize in?

Jul 17, 2019 · If you’re a caregiver for your parent, a spouse, or a loved one, an attorney can help you and your family navigate the legal landscape of aging. For example, an Elder Law Attorney works primarily with individuals over the age of 65, taking a holistic approach to legal issues that people commonly face as they age, especially with health, housing, financial well-being, and …

What does an aging lawyer do?

Nov 01, 2021 · An elder law attorney can help family caregivers explore options for their loved one’s current situation and explain how to plan for what could happen down the road, especially if a debilitating illness necessitates long-term care.

Why should I hire a lawyer?

Nov 07, 2019 · While elder law attorneys are known for overseeing legal issues that seniors face (i.e. healthcare, living arrangements, estate and other financial matters), there are many more ways an elder law attorney helps family caregivers. Keep in mind, no two situations are alike.

image

How does caregiving affect business?

Caregiving also has a substantial impact on business. Lost productivity due to informal caregiving costs businesses $17.1 billion annually. 26 Absenteeism, replacing employees who quit in order to provide care and other caregiving-related activities also have serious financial consequences to employers. For instance

What is a caregiver?

Caregivers are daughters, wives, husbands, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, partners and friends. While some people receive care from paid caregivers, most rely on unpaid assistance from families, friends and neighbors. Caregivers manage a wide range of responsibilities.

How many hours of care do Americans provide?

About 44 million Americans provide 37 billion hours of unpaid, “informal” care each year for adult family members and friends with chronic illnesses or conditions that prevent them from handling daily activities such as bathing, managing medications or preparing meals on their own.

How long does a caregiver last?

Caregiving can last from less than a year to more than 40 years. In a 2003 study, caregivers were found to spend an average of 4.3 years providing care. Older caregivers (50+) are more likely to have been caregiving for more than 10 years (17%). 18. Most caregivers live near the people they care for.

What are the risks of being a caregiver?

They are at risk for high levels of stress, frustration, anxiety, exhaustion and anger, depression, increased use of alcohol or other substances, reduced immune response, poor physical health and more chronic conditions, neglecting their own care and have higher mortality rates compared to noncaregivers. 21.

What is family care?

Family caregiving is the backbone of the United States’ long term care system as well as the core of what sustains frail elders and adults with disabilities, yet caregivers often make major sacrifices to help loved ones remain in their homes. A federal investment in family caregiver support is needed now more than ever.

What is the Family Caregiver Alliance?

Family Caregiver Alliance (FCA) seeks to improve the quality of life for caregivers through education, services, research, and advocacy. Through its National Center on Caregiving, FCA offers information on current social, public policy, and caregiving issues and provides assistance in the development of public and private programs for caregivers. For residents of the greater San Francisco Bay Area, FCA provides direct support services for caregivers of those with Alzheimerʼs disease, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinsonʼs, and other debilitating disorders that strike adults.

What is an elder law attorney?

From planning for the future, like making sure an estate plan is in place and establishing a durable power of attorney, to dealing with money matters in the here and now, such as tax guidance and coordinating with financial planners, an elder law attorney is typically well-versed in looking at clients’ larger financial picture.

What is elder law?

An elder law attorney, sometimes referred to as an elder care attorney, can help older adults and their families navigate the complicated financial and legal decisions they face. It’s a growing specialization, with nearly 500 certified elder law attorneys across all 50 states.

How many people are over 65?

There are now more than 40 million Americans over the age of 65, and that number is steadily increasing. In lockstep with greater longevity, the availability — and complexity — of federal programs created to assist the aging population is also growing. That’s where an elder law attorney can help.

What is elder law?

Elder law is the body of rules created to protect the elderly. It covers areas such as legal guardianship and protection against elderly abuse and neglect.

How long does it take to get Medicare if you have ALS?

If the person under your care is 65 or older, is diagnosed with ALS or ESRD, or receives SSDI for at least 25 months , he or she will qualify for Medicare. You’ll need to have legal authority in order to help enroll your loved one in a Medicare plan.

How long can you take FMLA?

The Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for immediate family members who have serious illnesses. FMLA requires that you return to the same or equivalent position upon your return, and your employer must continue to provide the same group health insurance during your leave. You don’t have to take the leave all at once.

Why do caregivers file wage claims?

Some caregivers file wage claims with the State Labor Commissioner in an attempt to recover unpaid wages, overtime, and sleep time pay. Unfortunately, often after several critical months of delay from the Labor Commissioner, their wage claims are turned down due to defendant asset protection techniques, or worse, receive a judgment a year later only to find that the defendant has shut down, transferred assets to an entity or distributed trust assets, making the delayed judgment nearly worthless. In short, defendant asset protection techniques common in caregiver wage claims result in cases that are too “complex” for the overburdened State Labor Commissioner and weigh in favor of retaining a caregiver attorney to file a lawsuit.

How many hours do you have to work to be considered an assisted living caregiver in California?

California overtime law protects assisted living caregivers who work more than 8 hours a day and private in-home caregivers who work more than 9 hours a day. Furthermore, California labor laws pertaining to sleep time deductions often entitle caregivers to compensation for sleep time spent on the employer’s premises or client’s home.

What is wage order 15?

If you work as a caregiver in a private home, Wage Order 15 or the California Domestic Workers Bill of Rights protects your right to overtime pay, regardless of whether you have been paid minimum wage or any wages.

Do Filipino caregivers get paid for 8 hours?

Attorney Jin Kim understands that Filipino caregivers are often victims of wage theft. In many 6-bed facilities and live-in assignments, Filipino caregivers are required to work 24-hour shifts while only being paid for 8 hours. Sometimes assisted living employers falsify time cards, while in others the employer claims the caregiver is ‘off duty’ even though they’re not allowed to leave the premises. Sadly, in many instances, the employer is also Filipino who utilizes the concept of utang na loob to rationalize unpaid overtime.

Why is it important to have a family lawyer?

It is important in divorce cases for an individual to have a family lawyer representing them to ensure their rights are protected.

What can a lawyer advise on?

A lawyer can advise an individual what they may be entitled to in their state, as laws vary by state. Issues may include alimony and child support. Without a lawyer, an individual runs the risk of inadvertently waiving their rights to alimony, visitation with their children, or even custody of their children.

What is a lawyer?

A lawyer is an individual who is licensed to practice law in a state. Lawyers are also known as attorneys or an attorney at law. Some lawyers are licensed in multiple states. Some lawyers are admitted to practice at the Federal level as well.

What is criminal law?

Criminal law is the body of laws that pertain to crimes. Crimes are actions or behaviors prohibited by state or federal laws. Crimes are punishable by fines, probation, and/or imprisonment. Usually, crimes are categorized as misdemeanors or felonies.

Can a guilty plea affect immigration status?

Some guilty pleas, even to misdemeanor charges, can have long-term consequences. A guilty plea can also affect immigration status or lead to deportation of a non-citizen. It is important to remember that, in most cases, when an individual cannot afford a criminal lawyer, the court will appoint one to represent them.

What is civil matter?

Civil matters include contract disputes between businesses, real estate, and personal transactions. Unlike criminal cases, there is no determination of guilt or innocence. Usually, the parties may only recover monetary damages, including punitive damages in some cases.

Do I need a lawyer for a prenup?

In most cases, marriages do not require a lawyer but a prenuptial agreement should be reviewed by a lawyer. In some states, it is required, unless expressly waived, that an individual is represented before signing a prenuptial agreement. Many family law matters begin after a couple has been married.

What is a good caregiver agency?

A good, reliable caregiver agency will do background checks, conduct drug screenings, and provide ongoing training for staff. If your caregiver quits or isn’t able to make their shift, the agency will find a replacement. They will investigate any complaints and have liability insurance to cover any legal costs. 3.

What is an agency caregiver?

An agency caregiver is a Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) or a personal care aide. A personal care aide is not required to have certification, but once they have been hired, they can begin work. A personal care aide may help with light housekeeping, transportation, cooking, and other non-medical duties. Personal Care Agencies or Private Duty Agencies tend to hire both CNAs and personal care aides to serve clients.

What is a caregiver?

Simply put, caregivers are people who have the capacity to provide care for someone else. Routine tasks like housekeeping and medication reminders are just some of the responsibilities a caregiver might have. Depending on the state and a client’s need, caregivers can also provide more complex medical tasks.

How many unpaid caregivers are there in the US?

1. Family caregiver. According to the Pew Research Center, there are over 40.4 million unpaid caregivers caring for an adult over the age of 65. This includes not only children and grandchildren taking care of a relative but friends and neighbors taking care of non-relatives.

What are the responsibilities of a caregiver?

Here are some of the responsibilities of caregivers, regardless of type: Help with bathing and dressing, personal hygiene. Monitoring people with mobility problems. Light housekeeping. Medication reminders.

How long does it take to work in a nursing home?

Nursing home care is a 24-hour job, and most people in nursing homes need significant care. Caregivers work very hard to do all of the things a resident needs that is not nursing related. Since most residents need help with transferring, toileting, bathing, and dressing, much of their time is spent on these tasks.

Do family caregivers get paid?

Family caregivers are rarely paid, except through state-specific programs. In the short term, cost savings to the economy are enormous. However, the cost to the family caregiver is very high, through lost income and difficulty getting back into the workforce.

image

Introduction

  • Caregiving takes many forms. Many of us help older, sick, or disabled family members and friends every day. We know we are helping, but we don’t think of ourselves as caregivers. We are glad to do this and feel rewarded by it, but if the demands are heavy, over time we can also become exhausted and stressed. We think we should be able to handle caregiving roles on top of busy w…
See more on caregiver.org

Caregiving: A Universal Occupation

  • Who Are Caregivers?
    The short answer is most of us, at some point in our lives. Caregivers are daughters, wives, husbands, sons, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, partners and friends. While some people receive care from paid caregivers, most rely on unpaid assistance from families, friends and neighbors. …
See more on caregiver.org

First Steps: Help For New Caregivers

  • It is easy to become overwhelmed as a new caregiver. Five steps that can help are: 1. Start with a diagnosis.Learning about a family member’s diagnosis helps caregivers understand the disease process and plan ahead realistically. 2. Talk about finances and healthcare wishes.Having these conversations can be difficult, but completing Durable Powers ...
See more on caregiver.org

Caregiving in The U.S.

  • Data from many studies and reports reveal the following information about caregivers: 1. The “typical” U.S. caregiver is a 46-year-old woman who works outside the home and spends more than 20 hours per week providing unpaid care to her mother.7 Most caregivers are married or living with a partner.8 2. While caregivers can be found across the age span, the majority of care…
See more on caregiver.org

Effects of Caregiving

  • Impact on Physical and Emotional Health
    Recent medical advances, shorter hospital stays, increasing life spans with better management of chronic illnesses, limited discharge planning, a shortage of homecare workers, and the expansion of home care technology have increased the caregiving responsibilities of families. Family careg…
  • Financial Issues
    Long term caregiving has significant financial consequences for caregivers, particularly for women. Informal caregivers personally lose about $659,139 over a lifetime: $25,494 in Social Security benefits; $67,202 in pension benefits; and $566,443 in forgone wages. Caregivers face t…
See more on caregiver.org

The Need For Support

  • Because of the multi-faceted role that family and informal caregivers play, they need a range of support services to remain healthy, improve their caregiving skills and remain in their caregiving role. Support services include information, assistance, counseling, respite, home modifications or assistive devices, caregiver and family counseling, and support groups. While many services ar…
See more on caregiver.org

Policy Implications

  • Family caregiving is the backbone of the United States’ long term care system as well as the core of what sustains frail elders and adults with disabilities, yet caregivers often make major sacrifices to help loved ones remain in their homes. A federal investment in family caregiver support is needed now more than ever. A national agenda is needed that: 1. Supports the Nation…
See more on caregiver.org

Conclusion

  • With the dramatic aging of the population, we will be relying even more on families to provide care for their aging parents, relatives and friends for months and years at a time. Yet, the enormous pressures and risks of family caregiving—burnout, compromised health, depression and depletion of financial resources—are a reality of daily life for millions of American families and pose great …
See more on caregiver.org

Credits

  • Family Caregiver Alliance, “2009 National Policy Statement.” Family Caregiver Alliance, Family Caregiving and Long-Term Care: A Crucial Issue for America’s Families,Policy Brief. San Francisco, CA, June 2004. Family Caregiver Alliance,Caregiver Assessment: Principles, Guidelines and Strategies for Change,Volume 1. San Francisco, CA, April 2006. Family Caregiver Alliance, C…
See more on caregiver.org

References

  • 1 National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP. Caregiving in the U.S. Bethesda: Washington, DC: AARP Public Policy Institute, Valuing the Invaluable: The Economic Value of Family Caregiving, 2008 Update. Washington, DC: 2008; Family Caregiver Alliance, Family Caregiving and Long-Term Care: A Crucial Issue for America’s Families, Policy Brief. San Francisco, CA: June 2004. 2 Famil…
See more on caregiver.org