Southern Illinois Elder Law Articles | Illinois Life Care Planning, Medicaid, and Memory Loss Information

As you or your loved one ages, questions begin to arise about the future. This section of our Elder Law and Life Care Planning Attorney website helps our readers learn more about the issues that concern them most regarding Southern Illinois elder care, life care planning, Alzheimer's disease, memory loss, Medicaid planning, nursing home placement, assisted living options, caretaking, and elder care crisis.

Library Categories:

• Memory Loss / Alzheimer's Disease / Dementia / Stroke
• Medicaid Planning / Asset Protection
• Veterans' Benefits
• Life Care Planning
• Special Needs & Disability Planning
• Internships & Career Opportunities
• General

---

Memory Loss / Alzheimer's Disease / Dementia / Stroke:

• Older Brains vs. Younger Brains   
  Description: Dementia is not inevitable. In fact, older brains are wiser than younger brains. The middle-aged brain does not decline; brains actually improve as time passes. Older brains see connections, the full picture. Older brains can size up a situation much faster, get to the gist of arguments faster, and with greater wisdom.
• When the Diagnosis is Alzheimer's, Dementia, Stroke, or Memory Loss Don't Hesitate   
  Description: Don't hesitate. Pick up the phone and call. Your loved one may qualify for financial assistance to help pay for care at-home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home.

View All

Medicaid Planning / Asset Protection:

• New Medicaid rules threaten Life Estates. Don't delay. Call now! Beat the date the new Illinois rules become effective.   
  Description: New Illinois Medicaid rules, implementing the federal Deficit Reduction Act of 2005 (DRA), threaten transfers of homes where a Life Estate has been retained. Also, the rules will be applied retroactively against transfers of homes and other assets made since February 8, 2006. The use of a care contract or other strategy may salvage ill-advised prior transfers.
• Protect Your Home & Assets. Call NOW before New Medicaid Rules Devaste Your Finances.   
  Description: New Illinois Medicaid rules will implement a 5 year "look-back" period and a new devastating way of calculating "penalty periods" for gifts and other transfers of homes, bank accounts, and other assets for less than fair market value. Act NOW before the effective date of the new rules to be "grand-fathered" under the old rules.
• Avoid Going Broke in a Nursing Home . . . . . Act NOW before Illinois adopts the federal Deficit Reduction Act (DRA).   
  Description: Illinois is about to adopt the draconian federal law called the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA). If you own a home or farm, or have savings or investments, and, within the next 5 years you may need care or assistance to continue living in your home, or may need to transition to assisted or supportive living, or may need care in a nursing home you need to take immediate action to protect yourself, your assets, and your loved ones.
• 2010 changes in the Estate Tax and tax basis rules on life estates have created problems for Medicaid and VA benefits planning.   
  Description: Estate tax changes for 2010 are creating problems for Medicaid planning to help pay for nursing home costs and VA benefits planning to help pay for at-home, assisted living, and other long-term care costs.
• Call for free consultation before signing a nursing home admission agreement.   
  Description: Guardians, power of attorney agents, and others may be liable for a nursing home resident's debt to the nursing home if they fail to act promptly or sign papers making themselves personally liable.

View All

Veterans' Benefits:

• VA Benefits for War-Time Veterans & Widows Are Not Tied To Service-Connected Disability   
  Description: The VA provides a variety of benefits for veterans. Elderly veterans can get as much as $1,949 a month income if they qualify for a little-known and underused benefit called “Aid and Attendance”. Learn the secrets to obtain this benefit.
• Military Veterans Entitled to Care Options, and $23,396 to Qualifying Veteran Household   
  Description: Qualifying veterans or their surviving spouse are entitled to care options and as much as $23,396 additional yearly income.
• Veterans Administration Gives Money to Veterans and Their Widow(er)s to Pay for Care At-Home or in Assisted Living   
  Description: VA gives money to veterans and their widow(er)s to pay for care at home or in assisted living.
• Veterans Benefits and Medicaid Secret # 2   
  Description: War-time veterans can receive up to $1,644 per month for care at home or, if married, $1,949. A surviving spouse can receive $1,056 or more.

View All

Life Care Planning:

• Protect yourself, your spouse, your home and your life-time savings. Don't become a financial victim of the Elder Care Journey.   
  Description: As a person ages, they begin the Elder Care Journey. At first, the person may be in good health. But over time, chronic health problems develop and the person may need help to remain at home. VA benefits and Medicare can help to pay some costs, but eventually other governmental programs or private sources must be used.
• Life Care Planning - A Revolutionary Approach to the Challenges Created by Long Life   
  Description: HAELO is a Life Care Planning Law Firm. We use a holistic, elder-centered approach to respond to the challenges created by chronic illnesses. Our goal is to promote and maintain the good health, safety, well-being, and quality of life of elders and their families, while legally preserving their home and life-time savings.
• As a person grows older, they move along the Elder Care Journey . . . what professionals call the Elder Care Continuum.   
  Description: As a person ages, they pass down what professionals call the Elder Care Continuum ... also called the Elder Care Journey. At the start of the Journey, the person may have no functional limts and live at home. But over time, chronic health problems develop and the person may need help to remain at home. With memory or mobility issues, the person may need to transition to assisted living or a nursing home. Government benefit programs such as VA and Medicare may cover some of the costs . . . but ultimately, most persons must ultimately apply for Medicaid. Before you spend-down your life-time savings call for a free telephone consultation.
• Keeping Mom & Dad Safe at Home   
  Description: There are many home-care resources. Yet, your Mom's and Dad's medical conditions may make care at home questionable. Moreover, their financial resources may be limited. We can help. Call today.
• Insuring Your Retirement Funds [PDF]   
  Description: In today’s economic environment, it might not sound strange to be told to insure your retirement funds. After all, you have worked hard and diligently saved your money for your golden years. Like most of us, wouldn't you want to make sure that the funds will be there for you when you need them?

View All

Special Needs & Disability Planning:

• What Personal Injury Attorneys Need To Know   
  Description: Its not just automobile drivers, doctors, and hospitals that end up on the hook when they make mistakes. Personal injury attorneys can also. Although PI attorneys are reputed as knowing how to pay attention to details, as they were taught in law school, sometimes they make mistakes. And when they do, they may suffer the consequences . . . big time! Consider two cases.

View All

Internships & Career Opportunities:

• Internship. Are You the One? [PDF]   
  Description: Marketing Intern. Community Education and Outreach Intern. Graphics Intern. Informations Systems Management Intern. Learn about marketing, community education and outreach, with hands-on taining and experience.
• Career Opportunity for Associate Attorney in Elder Law [PDF]   
  Description: Background in estate planning, financial planning, or social work would be helpful. Send resume and cover letter to explore this unique opportunity to have a rewarding career working with seniors.

View All

General:

• Why LegalZoom is Not the Answer   
  Description: There are good alternatives to LegalZoom. Documents are simple. Wisdom is harder to come by. Consult with a knowledgeable and experieinced estate planning or elder law attorney. Or consult with either the Elderly Clinic or Self-Help Center at the Southern Illinois University School of Law.
• Financial Health and The Elder Care Journey   
• Consult with Experienced & Knowledgeable Estate Planning Counsel regarding latest developments on Estate and Gift Taxes   
  Description: 2010 may not be a "good year" for you to die due to the consequences your death may have on your esate and your surviving spouse.
• Let Us Help You with Your Elderly Loved One. Call for a Free Telephone Consultation.   
  Description: The dependence of older persons make them more vulnerable. Family members may need to take action to protect parents and other older loved ones from their own bad decisions or financial abuse by others.
• Let Us Help You Help Your Elderly Loved One. Free Telephone Consultation.   
  Description: Recent court decisions help protect seniors from: (1) inappropriate changes in estate planning documents; and (2) the failure of banks and other financial institutions to honor durable powers of attorney.

View All

Habiger & Associates Elder Law Office (HAELO) provides legal services to elderly or disabled persons in Southern Illinois. The founder of the firm, Richard Habiger, is an elder law attorney with more than 30 years experience. We are an Elder Law and Life Care Planning Law Firm that provides legal and care coordination assistance, including: Medicaid planning; asset protection; estate protection; Medicaid applications; Medicaid appeals; VA pension benefits planning and applications for veterans and their surviving spouses; planning for those with Alzheimer's, dementia, or other forms of memory loss, and those who have suffered a stoke; Hospice planning; and special needs planning, including special needs trusts and supplemental needs trusts.

HAELO is located in Carbondale Illinois, and serves clients in twenty-seven Southern Illinois counties south of Interstate 70 highway. Southern Illinois Counties: Jackson County, Williamson County, Union County, Franklin County, Perry County, Saline County, Jefferson County, Hamilton County, Johnson County,  Randolph County, Wayne County, White County, Washington County, Edwards County, Monroe County, Wabash County, Richland County, Clay County, Marion County, Clinton County, Bond County, Fayette County, Effingham County, Jasper County, Crawford County, Massac County, Pulaski County, Alexander County, Pope County, Hardin County, Gallatin County, and Lawrence County.
Southern Illinois Cities & Towns: Carbondale, Murphysboro, Carterville, Herrin, Marion, Anna, Vienna, Metropolis, Harrisburg, West Frankfort, DuQuoin, Benton, Chester, Pinckneyville, Mt. Vernon, McLeansboro, Carmi, Fairfield, Nashville, Waterloo, Centralia, Salem, Albion, Mt. Carmel, Flora, Olney, Lawrenceville, Newton, Robinson, Jonesboro, Eldorado, Shawneetown, Ridgway, Sparta, Golconda, Johnston City, Marissa, Coulterville, Carlyle, Ullin, Tamms, Elizabethtown, Galatia, Wayne City, Cobden, Lake of Egypt, Goreville, Brookport, Olive Branch, Cave-in-Rock, Carrier Mills, Energy, Cambria, Zeigler, Royalton, Christopher, Rosiclare, Sesser, Okawville, Woodlawn, Thompsonville, Steeleville, Raleigh, Olmsted, Baldwin, Villa Ridge, Mounds, Tunnel Hill, Red Bud, Trenton, New Baden, Ewing, Dix, Norris City, Creal Spring, Bridge Port, Sumner, Waltonville, Breese, Aviston, Germantown, Whittington, Vandalia, and Ina.