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Section 5: Eldercare Attorneys – Who They Are and How They Can Help

Elder law attorneys have specific expertise in two areas that may be helpful to you:

  1. Financial planning for senior living communities. If the care of your loved one will require an application to Medicaid, these attorneys can help you develop a strategy to protect your loved one’s assets.
  1. Creating powers of attorney, health care agents, and conservatorships. We provide a brief overview about these different ways of establishing who will be making decisions on behalf of your loved one in Section 6.

When looking for an elder law attorney, here are some questions you can ask to ensure you are going to get the best possible advice:

  • How many years of experience does the attorney have?
  • Is the attorney a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) or the National Elder Law Foundation?
    • You can go to the NAELA or NELF websites to help you look for an attorney. The attorneys listed on the NELF website are all “Certified Elder Law Attorneys,” meaning that they have practiced for at least 5 years with a focus on elder law and passed a certification examination.

Be aware that the fees charged by attorneys can vary widely, so you should specifically ask about this.