Legal Assistance for Seniors
With the process of aging comes many physical and mental challenges. At CareLink, our goal is to help educate, equip, and assist elderly members of the Little Rock community, as well as their caregivers and family members on topics ranging from Social Security and Medicare enrollment to personal finance and legal assistance. That’s why we connect you with legal consultation services to help you make the most of legal resources at your disposal.
5 Legal Documents Every Senior Needs
Living Will or Medical Directive
What is a living will?
A medical directive allows you to clearly establish your wishes in the event that you or your elderly loved one are unable to communicate your desires for care and treatment during a medical emergency. Living wills are also used any situation where a person may be incapacitated.
What do living wills do?
A living will typically indicates one’s preference for withholding or continuing treatment in the event of an emergency. If a living will is not present, medical personnel will do everything they can to save a person’s life. A living will can also accept or reject certain medical treatments, including CPR, resuscitation, tube feeding, and organ donation.
Financial Power of Attorney
What is a financial power of attorney?
A financial power of attorney document establishes who, or what, will maintain control over finances in the event that you or a loved one is incapable of making or communicating financial decisions. Often, the power of attorney is a family member or a bank or financial institution.
What does a financial power of attorney do?
The financial power of attorney retains control of assets if one becomes incapacitated or ill, giving them the ability to make important financial decisions related to healthcare.
Medical Power of Attorney
What is a medical power of attorney?
A medical power of attorney document allows you to make important healthcare decisions for your loved one in the event that a living will is not present.
What does a medical power of attorney do?
A medical power of attorney document is increasingly important in a world where family members are not automatically entitled to medical records and other documents due to HIPPA laws and regulations. A medical power of attorney not only allows family members to handle important financial and treatment matters related to healthcare, it also saves them time and energy during the process.
Living Trust
What is a living trust?
A living trust, sometimes referred to as a revocable trust, is a document that allows one to retain control of their assets until their death while also allowing them to transfer ownership of assets and finances to a loved one.
What does a living trust do?
The most important benefit of a living trust is that is avoids probate at the time of death, which can speed up the process of dividing or transferring the estate. A living trust can be used to:
- Indicate your wishes as to how your property should be managed before and after your death
- Prevent financial records from being added to the public record
It’s important to note, however, that living trusts only cover assets specifically placed into the estate, such as a property, so if one dies before an asset is included in the living trust, it is not considered part of the trust. Many people utilize living trusts for property management and wills for the distribution of their estate.
Last Will
What is a last will?
A will outlines which possessions will be given to whom upon one’s death. This often includes items such as homes, vehicles, jewelry, antique furniture, family heirlooms, etc. Unlike a living trust, a will can also name guardians and executors for your children in the event of your death.
What does a last will do?
Many people choose to create a will in order to divide possessions equally or fairly among beneficiaries. Wills are useful for families with multiple children, grandchildren, or other beneficiaries, since the estate will be divided according to the wishes of the deceased, which can prevent family feuds over the deceased’s possessions and save time and money for loved ones.
Legal Assistance in Little Rock
If you or a loved one needs assistance drafting or completing legal documents, or if you need legal advice on other matters, contact CareLink today. We are happy to help assist you in any way possible.
To learn more about other services offered by CareLink, including Meals on Wheels, Medicare prescription drug counseling, family caregiver counseling, and more, click the link below or call 501.372.5300.
