ElderCare Law

Michigan Elder Law Attorneys

A Holistic Approach to Elder Law Issues

At Mall Malisow & Cooney, P.C., our commitment to seniors and their families involves more than simple legal services and financial planning. We call our approach ElderCare legal planning. This unique holistic approach to elder law issues recognizes the importance of involving a network of professionals in assuring the highest quality of life and care, and promoting dignity, self-determination, individuality and independence of individuals who are elderly. If you would like to know more, please contact our Farmington Hills office and ask for a consultation.

Are you concerned that your loved ones are not getting the help they need?
Often relatives and friends of the aging person are first to recognize the person’s need for care. Our ElderCare law attorneys understand how frustrating this can be for all concerned. For those who are elderly, accepting help with health care, daily living or financial management means having to accept the loss of control and independence. Our ElderCare legal team can help identify additional resources and support for your loved ones, including trusted friends, relatives or professionals, to get the needed help. Our firm can also help mediate and resolve family differences regarding the need for planning or care for their loved ones while respecting the individual’s wishes as much as possible.

Planning for Quality of Life and Quality of Care – More than Documents
ElderCare Legal Planning is designed to maximize your quality of life and quality of care while protecting and preserving your assets. Our lawyers will work with you and your family to develop a flexible plan so that your instructions concerning your health care and management of your assets are followed under all circumstances. Your loved ones will appreciate the peace of mind and direction provided by:

• a current Will and possibly a Trust
• a Durable Power of Attorney
• a Medical Power of Attorney
• a Living Will / Advance Directive

Assuring Quality of Care: Care Advocacy
Family and professional advocacy often makes a critical difference in the quality of care received by an elderly person, whether he or she lives at home, is a nursing home resident, or lives in an assisted living facility. This advocacy, sometimes with the assistance of a professional care advocate, involves more than choosing an appropriate care setting:

• Effective advocacy starts with a comprehensive geriatric care assessment to determine the person’s care needs and the ability of the family to care for the person.
• An ElderCare Law attorney can help with identifying strategies to obtain the highest quality of care.
• An ElderCare attorney should review admission contracts and other documents for nursing homes or other residential settings even if it has already been signed. These confusing documents frequently contain problems, usually related to payment for care, such as payment guarantees, discrimination based on payment or insurance sources, and “responsible party” arrangements.
• An individual residing in a facility, or their family, should always be involved with the development of a resident’s care plan, be able obtain a copy of a written care plan, and ensure that regular care planning meetings occur. A care plan meeting should review the needs of the resident and make sure that the individual’s needs are met. This meeting should include an interdisciplinary team of health care professionals treating your loved one, such as therapists, nurses and social workers.

The ElderCare team at Mall Malisow & Cooney, P.C. help their clients with appropriate care planning by attending care plan meetings, overseeing the development of a care plan that promotes quality of life and care, and ensuring that the care plan is properly followed.

Guardianship and Conservatorship
When a person becomes incapacitated and does not have any powers of attorney in place, the probate court will appoint individuals to make financial, medical and/or mental health decisions on behalf of that person. However, sometimes a person may not actually need a Guardian or Conservator, or only needs limited assistance. Our firm provides representation during these critical proceedings to ensure that an individual obtains the appropriate amount and type of assistance through the appointment of a Guardian or Conservator when necessary.

Our attorneys can also help family members and other individuals who have been appointed Guardian and Conservator to act in the best interests of the individual and to meet their duties and responsibilities as Guardian or Conservator.

Mall Malisow & Cooney, P.C. offers families in the metro Detroit area the extensive experience and skill of lawyers who are regionally and nationally recognized in ElderCare planning and advocacy.

ElderCare Law

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