Elder Law is more than just Estate Planning for people who are over a certain age.
Elder Law is a relatively new area of law that involves dealing with seniors in a holistic manner to provide the best quality of life possible.
The Elder Law attorney considers traditional Estate Planning activities such as drafting Wills, Powers of Attorney, Medical Directives etc.
The big difference between a traditional Estate Planning attorney and an Elder Law attorney is that the Elder Law attorney goes a step beyond the traditional to assist the client in having the quality of life that he or she wants.
This may involve assisting the client in taking advantage of available public benefits such as medicaid and Veteran's Aid and Attendance benefits.
This may also involve making arrangements for long term care that might be necessary because of physical disabilities or possible cognitive problems such as dementia.
The Elder Law attorney will generally spend some time with the client to find out what that client really wants and needs. There is no one plan that will fit everyone.
The biggest asset that an Elder Law attorney can bring to the client is compassion.