An initial consultation is when an older adult and family caregivers sit down with us for the first time to share their fears, their hopes, their concerns about caring for their elderly loved one. This meeting is where we get to hear about the day-to-day experiences of family caregivers who are trying their best to do the right thing for their loved one. Often, there has been a crisis. Maybe the elder can’t live at home anymore. Maybe he or she needs nursing home care. Maybe the primary caregiver is has fallen ill.
There are a million possible scenarios, and each family comes in with its own unique set of circumstances. Everything comes out in the initial meeting. Emotions run high. Fear is especially common. There is often deep sadness and a sense of loss.
It’s no surprise. Things are changing, and these are changes nobody wants.
When does the mood shift? It starts when we explain how we will help. The relief is palpable as we explain to the family how we will deal with the problems that aging can create—problems like finding the right care and the right place at the right time, problems like paying for care in a way that leaves money to ensure the older adult’s quality of life.
The plans we devise and share in those initial meetings are life-changing for the families. Getting legal and financial affairs in order is just the beginning. Tasks like preparing wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, qualifying a loved one for government benefits like Medicaid and VA Aid and Attendance, and managing the crisis are usually just the starting point in a much longer journey, one that can last years or even decades.
It’s what our team does for the family after they leave the conference room that is most powerful. We help family caregivers deal with the things estate plans don’t address. This is the help that families typically value the most, and it can be any number of things. It can be performing in-home assessments to help an elderly loved one age safely at home. It can be helping the family find the right residential arrangement for an elder if living at home is no longer possible. It can be attending care planning meetings with the family at the loved one’s long-term care facility in order to address issues about his or her care. It can be showing the family what quality care looks like and teaching the family how to advocate for their loved one.
Why is this kind of support so important? It’s simple. Things change. Your loved one’s elder care journey will have many twists and turns. There will be dozens—maybe hundreds—of decision points. How will you know what your next move should be the next time things change?
A Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law, we give you that support. When you leave our conference room after your initial consultation, you will leave with the confidence that comes from knowing you have a team of experts walking along side you during every step of your loved one’s long-term care journey. You will have compassionate and knowledgeable guides to help you with every decision, answer every question, and teach you what you need to know.
If you want that kind of support as you care for your elderly loved ones—or as your family cares for you as you age, we are here to help. Just give us a call.