The term “spend-down” involves someone who resides in a nursing home and does not qualify for Medicaid because they exceed the allowed assets. The excess assets are spent down to the amount allowed by Medicaid. Unfortunately, a full spend-down results in depleting...
Elder Law
Plan ahead for long-term elder law issues
As one ages, it is not unusual for health issues to arise, and this often brings thoughts of the potential need for long-term care. Long-term nursing care in Louisiana can be expensive, potentially more than $80,000 a year. Planning for this significant expense is an...
Spotting the signs of elder abuse
The idea that someone might mistreat an aging parent or loved one is troubling. Unfortunately, elder abuse is not necessarily uncommon in Louisiana. But it is often harder to spot than one may realize. Here are common signs of physical, psychological and financial...
Millions lost in elder scams every year
Scammers usually try to target vulnerable populations, including the elderly. Men and women who are over the age of 60 lose hundreds of millions of dollars every year on internet scams alone. This does not even include phone or mail scams, which also lead to...
Elder law: Why a letter of competency is so crucial
Some documents are absolutely necessary for seniors to have in their portfolios or estate plans. Louisiana elder law paves the way for seniors who are still able to make their own decisions. One of the most important documents to have is a letter of competency. It...
Concerning elder law issues in Louisiana and beyond
There are many nursing homes and assisted living centers in Louisiana, as well as in most other states across the country. While an adult child of an elderly patient would no doubt hope he or she would never have need of an elder law attorney, it pays to know where to...
Banks beef up training to allay financial abuse of seniors
Increased incidents of people taking advantage of seniors has prompted financial institutions to beef up employee training to thwart these incidents. Louisiana seniors and their families might take comfort knowing that more frontline staff in banks across the state...
Laws to keep Louisiana elderly safe from abuse
Seniors are among the most vulnerable segment of society. Many Louisiana seniors have fallen victim to elder abuse in a number of ways, including financially, physically and emotionally. In fact, the National Council on Aging indicates at least 10% of adults 60 years...
The importance of a power of attorney in an estate plan
There are a number of documents that can be extremely useful when it comes to planning an estate. A power of attorney is one of these and there are a number of reasons they're an important part of a well-rounded estate plan for Louisiana residents. There are two types...
Nursing home negligence: Louisiana gets an F for seniors’ care
Seeing that senior citizens are taken care of is the responsibility of everyone. Louisiana nursing homes have been notorious for nursing home negligence. One nonprofit group which dedicates itself to improving seniors' quality of life in nursing homes says Louisiana...