In-Home Care Lawyer in Needham, MA

Helping Clients Age in Place with Confidence

For many seniors in the Greater Boston area, Cape Cod, Needham, and Mashpee, there is simply no place like home. The thought of moving to a facility can be daunting, and the desire to age in place, remaining in your familiar environment, surrounded by your community and memories, is a powerful and understandable goal.

However, realizing this goal requires more than hope; it demands proactive and careful legal and financial planning. Staying at home often means needing assistance with daily living, such as bathing, dressing, managing medication, or preparing meals. In-home care can be costly, frequently exceeding $30 per hour in the Needham area, and this expense can quickly deplete savings.

The key challenge is how to secure high-quality care without running out of money, which would force a change in your living arrangements. Lannik Law is here to help you solve this critical puzzle. 

Schedule a confidential consultation with our Needham & Mashpee in-home care attorney by contacting us online or at (781) 303-9594. Your meeting can be held virtually for convenience. 

What Does Planning for In-Home Care Involve?

Planning to age in place means setting up a legal and financial framework that can withstand the high and often unpredictable costs of long-term care. It involves assessing your current assets and income and strategically positioning them to cover care costs while preserving your security and legacy.

The Two Core Components of Your Plan

• Protecting your assets: We must plan for a prolonged need for care that doesn't completely drain your estate, leaving nothing for your spouse or heirs.
• Securing funding: We must find a sustainable way to pay for continuous care, which often means legally qualifying for public benefit programs designed for home-based support.

How Lannik Law Assists You in Aging in Place

As a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA) with over four decades of experience, Attorney Lannik understands how to navigate the complex state and federal laws governing long-term care funding. 

We take the following specific steps to build your comprehensive in-home care plan:

Step 1: Comprehensive Financial & Care Assessment

Financial review: We analyze your income, investments, real estate, and insurance policies (including long-term care insurance, if applicable) to understand the resources available to you.

Evaluation of your needs: We discuss your current health, mobility, and future needs to determine the realistic level of care you might require, from light companionship to skilled nursing services.

Legal document review: We can assist in establishing essential documents, such as a Durable Power of Attorney and a Health Care Proxy, so that trusted individuals can manage your finances and medical decisions if you become unable to do so yourself.

Step 2: Strategic Asset Protection

Trust planning: We may establish an Irrevocable Trust or other asset protection vehicles to shield a portion of your wealth from being counted toward long-term care eligibility. This must be done carefully and with an understanding of the state’s “look-back” period for gifting.

Formal caregiver agreements: If a family member is providing care, we can draft a legal caregiver agreement. This contract formalizes the arrangement, which can be a crucial component of a Medicaid (MassHealth) eligibility strategy.