Blog: Elder Law

In today’s world, legal ‘forms’ are available online. Companies such as Legal Zoom make it look easy to a consumer – you download the form, fill it in, and get it witnessed and notarized. What you don’t know is: An internet form will not engage in a conversation with you to learn important details about…

Scams and fraud have been on the rise since COVID began in March 2020.  Homes have been one of the biggest targets of scams.  Victims include older adults, young adults with disabilities, and people of any age with compromised cognitive state.  Thankfully, the Broward County Property Appraiser has a program called ‘Owner Alert’ to help…

Think twice before you sign an admission agreement to a residential community (i.e. nursing home, assisted living facility) on behalf of your parent, spouse, or friend. There can be language in the agreement that may not be in the resident’s best interests or might result in waiving certain legal rights.  It is recommended to have…

As a Board Certified Elder Law Attorney I understand that when a loved one falls their life may forever change and it can be extremely frightening.  Falls can lead to fractures and result in the need for rehabilitation and long-term care services.  A person’s mobility can be reduced and there can be a loss of…

Do you have an aging relative who needs long-term medical care for a  chronic illness? Is your loved one living at home, in an assisted living facility or a skilled nursing home? Are you concerned about how to pay for their medical expenses? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions you need to…

There’s no better time than summertime – rest, relaxation and seeing the world. You’ve waited all year for your vacation. You’ve got your passport, the pet sitter is confirmed but wait- do you have your estate & incapacity plan in place? If you do is it so old it needs to be updated to meet…

What happened at * nursing home never should have happened. It is a tragedy that could have and should have been avoided.  Placing a loved one outside of their private home for care can be unsettling for both the elder and their family.  In order to make the best informed decision on placement there are…

Do it right from the beginning. Powers of attorney need to be tailored to your needs to address all of your assets and income sources. If you believe a durable power of attorney is just a “form”, you may find this to be an incorrect and expensive assumption. An improperly drafted durable power of attorney…

People diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, at any age, are affected by the disease on many different levels: physically, possibly cognitively in the later stage of the disease, in their close relationships and potentially their employment ability. The earlier that people create a legal plan the greater likelihood they can remain independent and autonomous in their decision-making. Individuals…

I was disheartened to learn that a Florida elder law attorney was arrested and disbarred in December 2015 for financially exploiting vulnerable clients, and for not fulfilling his responsibilities to clients who hired him to preserve their government benefits and protect their lawsuit proceeds. One bad apple (or in Florida we’ll say bad orange) does…