Elder Law

Watching a parent or other family member deal with the challenges of aging can be difficult. This is especially true when that person is used to living independently. Helping an older adult transition to a more care-dependent lifestyle or setting up long-term care for a person with a disability presents many legal issues you will want to consider. At Barley Snyder, our Elder Law team of attorneys can help you navigate the tough decisions you need to make in order to protect your loved one’s medical and financial well-being.

Elder law attorneys represent and advocate for older adults and people with disabilities and counsel their families in a wide range of legal matters. Some of these matters involve long-term care planning, guardianship, asset protection planning, retirement benefits, Social Security, and Medicaid and veterans’ benefits eligibility. Our attorneys work with a laser-like focus on the needs of older adults. Not only can Barley Snyder Elder Law attorneys handle important financial and estate planning matters, but they also take care of the day-to-day issues affecting the care of seniors including family caregiving, holding care facilities accountable and maintaining benefit eligibility. 

Our Elder law team also features a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA). Bill Blumer is one of only approximately 65 attorneys in Pennsylvania certified in elder law by the National Elder Law Foundation (NELF). The NELF’s CELA certification is considered the gold standard among elder law and special needs practitioners. CELAs demonstrate expertise in elder law and special needs, pass a rigorous examination, maintain continuing education and professional involvement standards, and are recognized by their peers as leaders in the field of elder law and special needs planning.

How can Barley Snyder’s Elder Law attorneys help you?

• Discuss the unique issues involving wills and estate planning that bear on long-term care planning.
• Help prepare and file successful Medicaid applications.
• Create effective powers of attorney that allow trusted family members to deploy the full array of available planning strategies.
• Help provide long-term care and Medicaid planning advice and guide clients through income, estate, inheritance and gift tax matters, as well as government benefit eligibility issues, that impact older adults.
• Create guardianships and advise guardians about their legal duties.
• Help clients understand the differences among long-term care facilities and structure workable in-home care agreements with friends and family members.
• Explain nursing home residents’ rights.
• Draft and explain advance health care directives.

You can feel comfortable that our Elder Law attorneys will represent you or your loved ones in a sensitive and understanding manner.