Show Guide_Life Begins 17/03/2014 17:16 Page 30
Advertisers editorial
Time to Care
With an increasing and aging
population, more and more of us are
finding ourselves in the position of
making difficult decisions about longterm care. Whether giving thought to
our own personal future, or making
decisions on behalf of a loved one,
finding the right solution can be very
challenging and often emotionally
draining.
The joys of being
50 (and over)
50 is a good age. It’s a landmark where you
can reflect on all you have accomplished,
whilst having many years ahead of you to
plan for and make the most of.
For a lot of people in their 50s, life feels great.
The children have usually left or near to
leaving home, any mortgages are much
nearer to being paid off and, for some,
grandchildren are on the way.
Professionally, people who own businesses
or climbed the corporate ladder can look back
on thirty years of hard work and achievement
with great satisfaction.
Thoughts inevitably turn to new adventures
after retirement and the advantages of a new
found freedom once liberated from working
life, but forward thinking and planning
shouldn’t stop there.
Just as you have looked after and cared for
others, there will come a time when you will
need similar support yourself. If you have
made a Will, now is the time to revisit it, not
only to review any changes in assets,
circumstances and relationships, but to make
sure you have put in place people and
instructions for your finances, care and wellbeing should you not be able to do so
yourself in the years to come.
Whether you have more people in your life
that need looking after or to be shown how
much you loved them after you have died, or
you want to put in place Lasting Powers of
Attorney for people you trust with your
welfare, Eric Robinson Solicitors is here to
help.
We understand, as we turn 50 ourselves this
year, just how important it is to celebrate the
past whilst preparing for the future.
Life Begins 2014 Show Guide
Individuals in this position, especially
those who have been legally appointed
through a ‘Lasting Power of Attorney’,
will find themselves in the position to
make crucial decisions on medical treatments, accommodation and care of the
individual they are responsible for and sometimes, it can be overwhelming.
The most important basis to any sound decision is to make sure you are fully
informed of the facts and a lot of people turn to a legal professional, such as
myself, to provide information, objective guidance and the answers to any
subsequent questions.
One of the most important initial objectives is to find out if any funding can be
identified to help towards the cost of an individual’s care. Admittedly, this can be a
complicated and confusing area for the uninitiated, but someone with experience
and knowledge can tell you whether any financial support is available through the
NHS, Local Authority or state.
When an individual is assessed for funding, in some cases the value of a property
will be taken into account, whilst in others it will be disregarded, so it is important to
understand which case applies to you or the person in your care’s circumstances.
At Eric Robinson Solicitors, we are seeing an increasing number of cases where
clients were not aware of state benefits they or their loved one were entitled to
because of their condition, and there is concern that, with all the recent talks of cuts
and reduction of benefits, people will be less likely to think about, or even enquire
to see, if they are entitled to any financial support.
Another source of confusion is the subject of ‘top up fees’. This is where a Local
Authority requests payments to bridge a shortfall between what they are prepared
to pay and the fees demanded by the care home.
There are rules about when someone may pay their own top up fees, when
someone is able to pay them on an individual’s behalf and, most importantly, when
they shouldn’t be payable at all. We have recently seen cases where families have
been charged extra money incorrectly, so, again, this can all be avoided by
ensuring you understand your particular situation.
Finally, one of the biggest and most widely recognised issues is the selling of an
individual’s home in order to fund long-term care. If necessary (and it may not be)
it is not always possible to execute quickly, so alternatives and short-term solutions
often need to be sought.
Even when such issues are not immediate, by taking professional advice you can
help plan for the future. Having an up to date Will and Lasting Powers of Attorney
can make all the difference to your loved ones if you find yourself in this position.
The issues covered in this article may sound daunting, but if you seek advice and
support from a qualified professional, they need not be. Never be afraid to ask for
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