14 Ridgedale Avenue, Suite 254
Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927

Morris County Alzheimer’s Planning Attorney

If your loved one has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, it is crucial to make legal and financial preparations as early as possible — before the disease progresses. At E.A. Goodman Law, LLC, our Alzheimer’s planning attorney works with families throughout New Jersey to ensure that loved ones with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia receive the medical care they need and the legal protection they deserve.

Our elder law and estate planning lawyers are highly experienced in designing comprehensive Alzheimer’s planning strategies. We understand how difficult it may be for your loved one to give up some of her/his independence. However, it is wise for legal and financial matters to be placed in the hands of a trusted person. When you consult with us, you will have peace of mind, knowing that your loved one’s assets and well-being will be protected.  

What is Alzheimer’s Planning?

Alzheimer’s Planning involves protecting a loved one’s assets, investments, and income, and ensuring that his or her preferences for living arrangements and care are met. By working with our experienced elder law attorneys, you can put in place essential estate planning documents to ensure your loved one’s medical and financial needs are met, such as:

Advanced Health Care Directives

Because a person with Alzheimer’s will reach a point where he or she cannot make informed healthcare decisions, it is necessary to establish advanced health care directives. The first is a  healthcare proxy, which designates a trusted person to make healthcare decisions in the event of incapacity. 

In addition, a Living Will declares the type of end-of-life treatment your loved one prefers to receive or have withheld. Both documents will ensure that informed decisions are made about your loved one’s healthcare when he or she cannot communicate those preferences. It is also necessary to complete the required HIPAA authorization to ensure healthcare providers and loved ones have access to medical records. 

Financial Power of Attorney

In the event that your loved one loses the ability to make sound financial decisions, a durable power of attorney authorizes a trusted person to manage personal and financial affairs such as bank accounts, investments, and property. A financial power of attorney can help to ensure that your loved one’s finances stay in good order.

Of course, the most basic estate planning document is a will, which declares how your loved one’s property will be managed and distributed after his or or death. For a will to be valid, however, the person making the will must have testamentary capacity. By not having a will in place before Alzheimer’s disease progresses, it will be necessary for you to ask the court’s permission to act as estate administrator if your loved one passes away.

Given these exigencies, it is crucial to engage in Alzheimer’s planning with an experienced elder law and estate planning attorney. At E.A. Goodman Law, LLC, you can trust us to provide you with informed representation and caring, efficient service when you need it most. 

Ensuring Your Loved One Receives Proper Treatment with Careful Alzheimer’s Planning

When you loved one reaches the point at which her/his Alzheimer’s disease or dementia requires a higher level of care in a memory center, it is critically important to work with the facility to obtain a written care plan. All long-term care facilities have an obligation to establish and implement care plans for memory-impaired residents as well as to regularly reevaluate care plans to ensure their needs are met.

Having a written care plan in place allows you to monitor your loved one’s treatment, revisit the plan to determine if your loved one’s needs have changed, recognize if/when he or she is not receiving adequate care, and take legal action to hold the facility accountable. 

The best way to protect your loved one’s interests and well-being is to enlist the services if E.A. Goodman Law, LLC. Our Alzeimer’s planning attorneys know that coping with such a devastating illness can be overwhelming. When you come to us, we will offer you a supportive environment in which you can make informed decisions about your loved one’s financial future and medical care.

What is Life Care Planning?

A more holistic approach to help individuals with Alzheimer’s disease and their families secure their finances and provide for their healthcare needs is life care planning. Our elder law and estate planning attorneys have the knowledge and skill to tailor a plan to your loved one’s needs. 

In any event, a well-designed life care plan combines asset protection, Medicaid planning, long-term care coordination, care advocacy, and crisis intervention. By working with a licensed care coordinator in conjunction with a network of medical and financial professionals, our legal team can design a life care plan that ensures your loved one will receive proper compassion and care. 

Our Alzheimer’s planning attorneys regularly prepare essential long-term care planning documents  — powers of attorney, advance healthcare directives, Living Will, HIPAA Authorization — as well as wills, trusts, and other estate planning tools. Above all, we will work closely with you to understand your loved one’s needs and to customize a life care plan.

Contact Our Alzheimer’s Planning Attorneys

At E.A. Goodman Law, LLC, we have a well-deserved reputation as empathic elder law attorneys who provide our clients with informed representation when they need it most. If you have questions about Alzheimer’s planning and how you can protect your loved one, please reach out to our office today for a free consultation.