Elder Law Advocate

How long can an Alzheimer’s patient survive? A review of expert sources tells us that a person with Alzheimer’s disease can survive from three to 20 years after the first symptoms begin, with the average length being about eight years. Individuals with Alzheimer’s progress at a different rates, and not every victim experiences every symptom or every stage. In addition, some people will plateau at a stage for a long time, while others might speed right through to the next level. Alzheimer’s itself does not cause death, but it can be a contributing factor. The disease typically progresses to the …

t’s important to know the distinctions between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The number of individuals diagnosed with dementia and Alzheimer’s is rising, but understand that the terms are not synonymous. In brief, dementia is a syndrome, or group of symptoms, that causes loss of intellectual function, and usually progresses over time. Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of dementia and the one we hear about the most. In other words, not all people who are diagnosed with dementia have Alzheimer’s disease. To explore it a bit further, consider that, according to the American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, dementia is …

If you’re thinking about buying into a Continuing Care Retirement Community, you need to weigh your options carefully. The new Illinois Medicaid law that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2012, dramatically changes the treatment of entrance fees. Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) are communities that provide a full continuum of care for its residents. They have flexible accommodations designed to meet their residents’ health and housing needs as those needs change over time. They offer independent living, assisted living and nursing home care, usually all in one location. As a requirement for admission to most CCRCs, residents are required …

As we are all painfully aware, life happens and life changes. The matters we discussed with our doctor at age 35 are quite different from the matters we discuss with our doctor at age 75. So too it is with your estate plan. Simply put, the estate plan that you created for yourself at age 35 should be substantially different than the estate plan you need at age 75. How so, you ask? There are three phases to planning for life and three types of planning to address those phases. TODAY (planning for the maturing years) — Estate planning, asset …

Illinois has adopted changes to the Power of Attorney Act, which raise the following questions: How does it fit into you senior estate planning and Elder Law needs? How does it fit into your asset protection plan for long-term care? Introduction In 2011, the Illinois legislature created major changes to the Power of Attorney Act. The changes took effect July 1, 2011. There are two types of powers of attorney, healthcare and property. Powers of attorney for healthcare and powers of attorney for property are written instructions that enable you to transfer decision-making authority from you (the principal) to a …

Like many Fra Noi readers, my parents came from Italy (Rende, Calabria). When I was growing up, I was surrounded by parents, grandparents, and many uncles and aunts. This is a privilege that few cultures cherish as much as the Italian Americans. Because respect for elders was something that was impressed upon us at such a young age, it was not very difficult to feel responsibility for the seniors in our family as we all grew older. I suspect that has a great deal to do with why I find myself in the practice of elder law today, or as …