June is Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month and is a good time for people to show their support for their loved ones and others who have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to showing support for people with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, the month should also be a reminder to create estate plans and engage in Medicaid planning in case you later end up developing one of these conditions. People who already have been diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease might not have the mental capacity to plan their estates or make decisions for themselves. At the Law Offices of Rhonda D. Zimmerman, Esq., Fort Lauderdale elder lawyer Rhonda D. Zimmerman can help people to create comprehensive estate plans and to conduct Medicaid planning in case they might later need memory care.
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month
During Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month, the Alzheimer’s Association is encouraging people to help to raise awareness of age-related dementia and Alzheimer’s disease by participating in different activities and wearing purple. Raising awareness about these conditions might help to secure more funding for research to end these diseases.
Some of the activities the Alzheimer’s Association recommends include the following:
- Educating others about dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- Hosting an event focused on Alzheimer’s disease awareness
- Decorating your office purple
- Wearing purple clothing
- Spreading the word on social media
Estate and Medicaid Planning
Estate planning should be completed long before someone is diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease while they are still competent to write wills and estate plans. As people grow older, Medicaid planning might also be a good idea. Medicaid planning might allow older adults to have Medicaid pay for any long-term care, including memory care by restructuring their assets in such a way that they will qualify when the time comes. Planning for incapacity might also allow people to designate the people they trust to manage their affairs to assume that role instead of having to go through a conservatorship process in the probate court.
Talk to a Fort Lauderdale Elder Lawyer
Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month helps to raise the public’s awareness of the devastation these conditions can cause on people’s lives. Medicaid and incapacity planning might also help people and their family members to ensure that they will be properly taken care of if and when they are incapacitated and no longer able to make decisions for themselves. Contact Fort Lauderdale elder law attorney Rhonda D. Zimmerman, Esq., today to schedule a consultation by calling (954) 822-7566.
