An elder law attorney can provide assistance with planning for the issues that arise during the aging process. Aging often results in a loss of independence as you develop infirmities or illnesses that make doing the things that you once enjoyed difficult or impossible. Fortunately, there are programs that can help you to stay connected with the community and benefits and services you can become eligible for that will help you to maintain the highest possible quality of life even after you get older. 
Frank & Kraft can help you to understand what benefits are available to you and can assist with qualifying for benefits such as Medicaid if you need long-term care at home or other intensive support services. In addition to government benefits that you may need to meet qualification requirements for, you should also look into other programs and services that could help you to maintain as much independence as possible or that could help you to better enjoy your golden years. For example, one thing you may wish to consider which is become increasingly popular for seniors: ride sharing.
Ride Sharing Becoming a Popular Option for Seniors
The Indy Channel wrote about the rise of ride sharing among the senior set. Ride sharing services are a more inexpensive solution than a taxi cab for getting transportation directly where you want to go. You can use an app or program to summon a ride sharing vehicle, which is driven by a driver who has undergone background checks and who will get you to where you’re going in a timely manner. Drivers are paid directly through the app so no money need be exchanged directly, making the process even easier.
These services can be great for seniors because many older people lose the ability to drive safely as they age, which can be a big problem because not being able to drive can lead to a loss of independence. A ride share vehicle could be used to go to the doctor, to go shopping, to see friends or to do activities. But, many older people aren’t familiar with actually using apps so may not be comfortable enough to take advantage of the services — even though they could be helpful.
Indy Channel reported that there is an option specifically targeting senior riders called Go Go Grandparent which aims to make these ride sharing services easier for older people. Go Go Grandparent can be a good solution for seniors who don’t know how to use Smartphones or who don’t want to use apps to get a ride. For seniors who ride with Go Go Grandparent, they can call a 1-800 number instead and operators will organize an Uber or Lyft driver for the senior. The driver will be specially screened to ensure that the vehicle is wheelchair and walker accessible so even seniors with mobility issues can benefit.
Getting Help from Elder Law Attorneys
While community-based programs and other services like ride-sharing service can enhance your quality of life as a senior, there are situations where you will need more help than is available through these more generalized programs. If you need intensive assistance and require long-term care at home or must move into a nursing care facility, you’ll need to make sure the benefits you require are covered.
Frank & Kraft will work with you to understand eligibility rules for receiving benefits and to make sure you can meet eligibility requirements. This can be especially important for means-tested benefits like Medicaid, which can pay for nursing home care even when most other insurance policies won’t but which could require you to impoverish yourself before getting covered if you haven’t made an advanced asset protection plan.
To find out more about how our elder law attorneys can help you to get the benefits you need, join us for a free seminar. You can also give us a call at 317-684-1100 or contact us online to get personalized one-on-one help with the Medicaid planning process and more. Call today to find out how our firm can help you throughout your senior years.
Paul A. Kraft, Estate Planning Attorney
Mr. Kraft assists clients primarily in the areas of estate planning and administration, Medicaid planning, federal and state taxation, real estate and corporate law, bringing the added perspective of an accounting background to his work.
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