San Diego Elder Law Attorney

San Diego Elder Law Attorney

Elder Law Attorney in San Diego, CA

As you grow old and start to set your own path, your parents also age and may not be able to take care of themselves like they used to. They sometimes require special care, which leads you to ask important questions:

  • How will they get the special care they need without compromising their freedom and independence?
  • Who will shoulder all their healthcare expenses?

Casiano Law Firm has the answer to your questions. A San Diego elder law attorney can help you get the best care for your loved ones the same way they have provided and cared for you all these years. Schedule a consultation today, and let a San Diego elder law attorney develop the best plan for your loved ones.

Providing You With Compassionate Care and Services

It is never too late to start preparing for the future. The best timing is to start now. Casiano Law Firm provides you with compassionate and personalized legal services that ensure your family’s best interests are protected.

With 20 years of experience in Estate Planning and Elder Law, Vincent Casiano offers reliable and compassionate legal advice. 

If you’re arranging Medi-Cal/Medicaid and Long-Term Care, you need an experienced San Diego estate planning lawyer who can help you through the process.

There are many aspects to elder law, and you may find yourself overwhelmed with everything you need to understand. Whether you’re making arrangements for long-term care, special needs, or public benefits, a San Diego elder law lawyer can provide the legal counsel you need.

Vincent Casiano will ensure that all your legal paperwork is handled correctly and your estate plan addresses precisely what you need.

Caring for Elderly Parents: How Do I Start?

How Do I Care for an Elderly Parent?

The elderly require continuous long-term care. You may be thinking about this if you already have a growing family or a busy career that occupies most of your time. This gives you a lot of pressure physically, emotionally, and financially, especially if you don’t know where to begin.

There are many legal matters and financial aspects you must consider if you’re going to take care of an elderly parent or relative. Depending on their specific needs, you may have to deal with insurance companies, nursing care facilities, powers of attorney, long-term planning. and more. 

Fortunately, you’re not alone in this journey. Casiano Law Firm is here to help.

How Do I Arrange Long-Term Care Services for My Elderly Parents?

Each individual has specific needs. Ask yourself the following questions to assess your situation: 

  • What kind of care does my parent need now, and is that bound to change in the future?
  • Can my parent be taken care of at home with the help of a nurse or caregiver?
  • Will assisted living be ideal for my parent?
  • Will they need to be placed in a Long-Term Care Facility?

Would Assisted Living Be Ideal for My Parents?

Assisted living, also known as catered living, provides a homelike atmosphere for your parents so they can still have a sense of independence while receiving the personal care of a nursing facility. This includes personal assistance, hands-on services, and 24/7 monitoring.

Compared to home care assistance, assisted living facilities provide a more affordable and accessible option for children of elderly parents. It also maintains some privacy and independence that the elderly cannot usually get in more expensive nursing facilities.

Assisted living is great for elders who can’t entirely make it independently but don’t need nursing care.

Medi-Cal/Medicaid Program in California

Nursing home costs can be expensive, especially if you’re the only one shouldering all the expenses. Fortunately, many programs in California help lighten the financial burden on families with elderly relatives who need special care.

Medi-Cal is California’s Medicaid program that the government finances. It’s a public health insurance that provides health care services for children and adults with low or limited sources of income. It also offers long-term care benefits for the elderly, including home care, assisted living, and nursing care. 

Talk to a San Diego elder law attorney today to determine how your parent can qualify for Medi-Cal benefits. With proper planning and preparation, we can develop the best solution for your needs.

How Can I Help My Parents Manage Their Health Care and Finances?

The time may come when you need to make essential health and financial decisions for your elderly parent or relative. The most effective way of helping them is by finding out if they already have a living will, an advance healthcare directive, or a power of attorney. If not, you can help them arrange the necessary documents.

Powers of Attorney

A power of attorney brings peace of mind not just to the elders but also to their caretakers. It allows an elder to grant someone the ability to make decisions about their health care and finances in their behalf. Having a power of attorney protects your loved ones, especially if they become stubborn or in denial of the help they need.

Arranging powers of attorneys are ideally done early, but it is never too late to make one as long as the elderly are still of sound mind or can understand what it means to have a power of attorney. 

There are two kinds of power of attorney that can help you oversee your parents’ medical care and financial matters

  • Medical power of attorney
  • Financial power of attorney

 

Advance Health Care Directives

An advance health care directive names an individual (called an agent or attorney-in-fact) to make health care decisions for someone who can’t make those decisions for themselves.

The agent works with the health care providers to ensure that the person who made the power of attorney gets the proper medical treatment they need. When making health care decisions, the agent is legally required to follow the document maker’s wishes or preferred treatments.

An advance health care directive lets your physician, family, and friends know your health care preferences, including the types of special treatment you want or don’t want at the end of life, your desire for diagnostic testing, surgical procedures, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and organ donation.

For more information about preparing an advance health care directive in California, don’t hesitate to consult with a San Diego living wills and power of attorney lawyer for your estate planning needs.

Financial Power of Attorney

A financial power of attorney lets your parents or an elderly relative give you, or someone trusted, full authority in handling financial matters. The agent or attorney-in-fact will handle tasks such as sorting through mail, depositing Social Security checks, monitoring retirement accounts, and filing tax returns.

What If My Parents Are Being Abused?

Dealing with elder abuse can be complicated and emotionally charged. Unfortunately, elderly residents living in nursing homes or assisted living facilities are susceptible to injuries, exploitation, and sometimes even neglect. 

As such, professionals tasked with caring for the elderly in these facilities are held to a higher standard of care. When they fail to meet these standards or the residents are injured, the facility may be liable for a lawsuit.

Every situation is different, but a few things to look out for are:

  • Physical abuse
  • Verbal and emotional abuse
  • Sexual abuse
  • Negligence
  • Abandonment
  • Financial abuse

Abuse in Nursing Homes

When abuse or neglect occurs in a nursing home facility, the facility can be held liable if any of the following contributed to the harm experienced by the patient:

  • Negligent hiring
  • Inadequate training
  • Understaffing
  • Medical errors

Elder Financial Abuse

Unfortunately, financial scams that target seniors are common, and these scams usually involve family members or trusted friends who take advantage of the elderly and steal their money. 

Signs to watch out for that could indicate financial abuse include:

  • Frequent withdrawals from bank accounts
  • New loans or mortgage contracts
  • Revisions to wills or trusts
  • The recent sale of personal property

If you are a victim of elder abuse, or you suspect that someone you know is a victim, don’t hesitate to seek help from the authorities and consult a San Diego, CA elder abuse lawyer right away. 

At Casiano Law Firm, you can rest assured that Vincent Casiano can identify the appropriate response to legal issues and protect your loved ones’ well-being.

Why Choose Casiano Law Firm as Your Estate Planning Partner?

Everyone deserves to have the peace of mind that comes with knowing that there’s a plan for their retirement and long term care. Vincent Casiano will provide personalized legal services to address all your needs such as trust administration, guardianship, and probate. He will help you set up your estate plan, and he will stay with you to ensure that things go smoothly.

By creating a well-developed estate plan, your parents can have better control over your finances and spare your loved ones from the expense and hassle of managing their affairs when they pass away or become incapacitated. 

A San Diego, California estate planning law firm can provide the legal assistance you need to care for your family. Schedule a consultation today to find out the best asset protection and estate plan administration for your family.

or Call Us Today! (619) 800-6820

Need a Comprehensive Estate Plan & Strategic Estate Litigation Attorney?

With years of experience in Elder Law and Estate Planning, San Diego estate litigation attorney Vinny Casiano helps his clients understand the pros and cons of each strategy to make the best decision for themselves and their families. Finally, he assists his clients in carrying out whatever strategy they have decided is best for them.

Got Probate or Trust Concerns? Get Help NOW!

Whether your concern is about will or trust contests, fiduciaries, or complicated estate plans, San Diego probate and trust litigation attorney Vincent Casiano is here to help. Get high-quality and personalized legal solutions that will address your needs today!

Pop up form

Dealing with trust and estate disputes?
Fill out this form to get the help you need!