• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Unsworth LaPlante, PLLC

Vermont Estate Planning Attorneys

Vermont: (802) 879-7133

Attend A Free Workshop
  • Home
  • Our Firm
    • About Our Firm
    • Meet Our Team
    • What to Expect When Working with Us
  • Services
    • Estate Planning
    • Incapacity Planning
    • IRA & Retirement Planning
    • Legacy Planning
    • LGBTQ Estate Planning
    • Medicaid Planning & Elder Law
    • Pet Planning
    • Special Needs Planning
    • Trust Administration
    • Young Families Planning
  • Resources
    • Articles
    • Elder Law Reports
    • Elder Law Resources
      • Burlington
      • Montpelier
      • Rutland
      • St. Johnsbury
      • White River Junction
    • Estate And Gift Tax Figures
    • Free Estate Planning Worksheet
    • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Elder Law
      • Estate and Gift Tax
      • Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Blended Families
      • Estate Planning for Parents
      • FAQs for Families Without an Estate Plan
      • Incapacity Planning
      • In-Home Elder Care FAQs
      • IRA & Retirement Planning
      • Gift, Estate, and Inheritance Taxes
      • Legacy Wealth Planning
      • LGBTQ Estate Planning
      • Medicaid
      • Philanthropy and Estate Planning
      • Planning for Long-Term Care
      • Pet Planning
      • Revocable Living Trust FAQs
      • Special Needs Planning
      • Trust Administration
      • Trusts
      • Wills
    • Is Your Estate Plan Outdated?
    • Medicaid Resources
      • Medicaid Analysis Worksheet
      • Medicaid Guide
      • Vermont Medicaid
    • Newsletters
    • Presentations
    • Reports
      • Advanced Estate Planning
      • Basic Estate Planning
      • Estate Planning for Niches
    • SECURE Act
    • Top Estate Planning Techniques
  • Webinars/Seminars
  • Reviews
    • Our Reviews
    • Review Us
  • BLOG
  • Contact
Home » Connect With the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association

Connect With the Vermont Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association

January 20, 2020 by Ellen LaPlante

alzheimer'sOur law firm is devoted to estate planning and elder law matters, and we have an office in Essex Junction, Vermont. It is truly a fantastic place to call home, and the area provides residents with the best of all possible worlds.

Perhaps the best thing about the city is the fact that it is a close-knit community, and locals genuinely care about one another. There are resources that people can tap into when they need assistance with all different types of challenges, and one of them applies to our work as elder law attorneys. Before we explain it, we should set the stage with some very relevant information.

Nursing Home Costs

The most pressing elder law issue of our time is the matter of long-term care costs. Studies have shown that the majority of senior citizens will someday need help with their activities of daily living.

Some people can get the assistance that they need in their own homes. Others will ultimately move into assisted living communities, and those that need a more significant level of care will reside in nursing homes during their twilight years.

If you have paid into the program sufficiently throughout your working life, you will become eligible for Medicare coverage when you reach the age of 65. We should point out the fact that this is the age threshold at the time of this writing late in 2019, but it is subject to change.

This health insurance program for senior citizens provides a foundation, but there are out-of-pocket costs to contend with, and there is one huge gap in the coverage.

The Medicare program will provide assistance for people that are recovering from illnesses or injuries for a limited period of time. However, it will not pay for an extended stay in a nursing home or assisted living facility. This type of care is considered to be custodial care, which is not covered under the Medicare umbrella.

Though Medicare will not pay for long-term care, Medicaid is another government health insurance program that will provide financial assistance if you can qualify. It takes careful planning to obtain eligibility, because there are strict asset and income limits.

The limit on countable assets is just $2000, and that’s the bad news. The good news is that there are a number of different assets that are not considered to be countable for Medicaid purposes.

You can maintain possession of your home, but there is a $585,000 equity limit in 2019. One motor vehicle is not countable, and you can keep your personal belongings, your wedding and engagement rings, and up to $1500 in whole life insurance.

There are steps that you can take to position your assets in an effort to be able to obtain Medicaid eligibility. This is where our firm can enter the picture to provide valuable assistance.

Alzheimer’s Disease Local Resource

Now that you understand a bit about nursing home costs and the Medicaid solution, we can address the subject of this post. Many elders that reside full-time in nursing homes have contracted Alzheimer’s disease. You may be surprised to hear that one out of every ten people that are at least 65 years of age are Alzheimer’s sufferers. This figure balloons up to 40 percent for folks that are 85 and older.

Clearly, many people that have Alzheimer’s disease need the type of care that only a nursing home that handles memory care can provide. We work with many families that are faced with this type of situation. It is a good idea to educate yourself in advance so that you can recognize warning signs and do everything possible to mitigate the impact.

The Alzheimer’s Association is a treasure trove of information on the subject. If you were to explore their site thoroughly, you would find that there is a Vermont chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association that serves our area. There are local resources, education classes, and special events that you may want to explore. To see everything that they have to offer, click this link: Alzheimer’s Association Vermont Chapter.

Attend an Upcoming Seminar!

We are holding a number of elder law and estate planning seminars over the coming weeks, and we are looking forward to these opportunities to spend some time with our neighbors. The sessions are highly informative, but we present the material in a manner that is very easy to understand.

You can walk away with a lot of very valuable information if you attend one of these seminars, and there are no risks involved, because they are offered on a complimentary basis. To see the schedule and obtain registration information, visit our seminar page.

 

  • Author
  • Recent Posts
Ellen LaPlante
Ellen LaPlante
Ellen LaPlante is an attorney whose mission is to provide clients with guidance in Estate Planning, Elder Law, and Medicaid Preparation. She is barred in Vermont and New York. Ellen helps clients put together unique estate plans, including assistance with Trusts, Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Advance Directives. She also works with clients on Medicaid Planning and qualifying for Medicaid assistance.
Ellen LaPlante
Latest posts by Ellen LaPlante (see all)
  • How to Apply for Senior Medicaid in Vermont - December 11, 2022
  • Planning for the “Silver Tsunami” - November 1, 2022
  • Discharge of Indebtedness Income and Student Loan Forgiveness - October 27, 2022

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: incapacity planning, Elder Law, Alzheimer's awareness

Other Articles You May Find Useful

Essex Junction elder law attorneys
What You Need to Know about Elder Abuse
Essex Junction Medicaid planning attorneys
How to Apply for Senior Medicaid in Vermont
Planning for the “Silver Tsunami”
Discharge of Indebtedness Income and Student Loan Forgiveness
More than Just Salad Dressing: The Ongoing Saga of Newman’s Own Foundation
Essex Junction Medicaid planning attorneys
Does My 401(k) Account Count for Medicaid Eligibility?

Primary Sidebar

Elder Law and Medicaid Planning Attorneys

Unsworth LaPlante, PLC

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHEET

There's a lot that goes into setting up a comprehensive estate plan, but with our FREE worksheet, you'll be one step closer to getting yourself and your family on the path to a secure and happy future.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Blog Subscription

Sign up to Unsworth LaPlante's estate planning blog to receive all the latest news and updates.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Essex Junction, VT

26 Railroad Ave
Essex Junction, VT 05452
United States (US)
Phone: (802) 879-7133
Fax: (802) 879-0408

Map

unsworth_sidbr_map

Office Hours

Monday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Tuesday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Wednesday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Thursday8:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Footer

footer-logo
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

The information on this Vermont Attorneys & Lawyers / Law Firm website is for general information purposes only. Nothing on this or associated pages, documents, comments, answers, emails, or other communications should be taken as legal advice for any individual case or situation. This information on this website is not intended to create, and receipt or viewing of this information does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.

American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc. Privacy Policy | Contact Us | Disclaimer | Site Map | Powered by American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys

© 2023 American Academy of Estate Planning Attorneys, Inc.