PHOENIX AND FLAGSTAFF ELDER LAW ATTORNEYS

At Frazer Ryan, our elder law services go far beyond preparing powers of attorney and other advance directives, such as healthcare powers of attorney and living wills.

As discussed below, our elderly clients and their families depend on us for experience and insight in:

• life care planning
• long-term care planning
• estate planning
• disability planning
• adult protection
• prevention of elder abuse and financial exploitation.

Life Care Planning

Also known as "pre-disability" planning, life care planning is a unique method of elder law where attorneys work together with other professionals, perhaps a nurse or a social worker, to help our elderly clients and their families achieve needed care.

Experience has taught us that pre-disability planning is usually the best way for a family to begin addressing anticipated needs. We offer clients an opportunity to effect complete life care plans or a more specific plan designed to fit the unique special needs of a disabled beneficiary. Through the use of carefully drawn trust documents, powers of attorney, and other life planning documents, one's wishes, thoughts, and concerns can be manifested in such a way as to assure successful management of the needs of a presently or potentially disabled beneficiary.

Long-Term Care Planning

We also help people if they have purchased long-term care insurance. We help them obtain those benefits, we advocate on their behalf with Medicare and private health insurance carriers, and we can help people with special needs planning, to become eligible for Medicaid benefits that can help cover the cost of their care.

Estate Planning

Our senior population needs the added protection of having appropriate estate planning, including wills, trusts, financial powers of attorney, health care financial powers of attorney including mental health authority, and living wills.

Adult Abuse

Elderly Americans are highly susceptible to abuse. Our seniors are often subject to both physical abuse and neglect, often by caretakers and family members. Maricopa County alone reports close to 70,000 reported and unreported cases each year. In 2010, the National Center on Elder Abuse, Bureau of Justice Statistics, reported nearly six million elderly abuse cases nationally. Detecting elder abuse is often difficult, and many cases of abuse and neglect go unreported.

Financial Exploitation

Additionally, our seniors are frequently being targeted by scams involving home repair, living trust scams and bogus charities, to name just a few. Financial exploitation is an unfortunate reality for many of our seniors. Proper legal planning can help to minimize the risk of being the subject of financial exploitation.

Disability Planning

In cases of physical or mental disability, our experienced team will assist with planning for incapacity and, when necessary, guide you through the process of guardianships and conservatorships. We are also experienced with special trusts that can help you take advantage of government benefits.

Assistance to Other Professionals

In addition to working with individuals and families, our experienced disability lawyers also provide counsel and advocacy to private fiduciaries and institutional providers of human services to help them meet their legal and ethical responsibilities toward clients with disabilities.