In recent decades, the number of older Americans has steadily increased as a result of advances in science, medicine, and an overall increase in the standard of living coupled with the fact that the Baby Boomer generation is now moving into their retirement years. As a result, issues that impact seniors, and those who care for them, have taken on a heightened importance. Although seniors have many of the same legal and social concerns that their younger counterparts have, they also experience unique issues and problems. As of the 2010 Census, the City of Chesterfield, Missouri had an overall population of 47,484 year around residents. One in five (20.1 percent) of the residents of Chesterfield are age 65 or older and 11.6 percent of all households consist of someone over age 65 living alone.
Whether you are a senior yourself, a caregiver, or a loved one, finding resources to help with many of these issues can be challenging. To help you locate those resources when you need them, the elder law attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC have compiled some commonly used elder law resources for the Chesterfield, Missouri area.
Local Government and Law Enforcement
Because you never know when an emergency may arise, it is always wise to have contact information for some of the more frequently used local government resource handy. Many of those can be found on the City of Chesterfield website. The website offers a wealth of helpful information including links to contact information for city government offices. Best of all, there is a “Information for Older Adults” section of the city’s website devoted to services and resources seniors may find helpful. It is equally important to be able to quickly and easily navigate to the relevant law enforcement agency online, should you need them. The Chesterfield Police Department and the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office service residents who live in the Chesterfield, Missouri area.
Nursing Homes, Assisted Living, and Home Health Care
Although we all prefer not to spend too much time thinking about it, the reality is that as we get older we begin to deteriorate physically and often mentally. For many seniors, conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease speed along that natural deterioration. The good news is that because of advances in medicine and science coupled with a better standard of living, your odds are very good that you will live long enough to really enjoy your senior years. If you are like most people, you will want to remain in your own home for as many of those years as possible. The booming home health care industry makes that wish a reality for many seniors. Fortunately, there are numerous home health care agencies, assisted living facilities and long-term care facilities in, and around, the City of Chesterfield that can help make you as comfortable as possible during your last several decades. Finding the right facility for your needs, or the needs of a loved one, can be challenging though. The following resources may be of assistance in locating the right agency or facility for yourself or for a loved one:
- The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services offers a “Show Me Long Term Care in Missouri” which allows you to search for and compare facilities as well as offers a wide range of other helpful information and resources for seniors in need of long-term care.
- com offers a list of skilled nursing facilities, assisted living facilities and home care in and near Chesterfield, Missouri.
- Nursing Home Compare which is found on the Medicare.gov. website is the official U.S. government’s website for Medicare, offering you the ability to search for and compare licenses nursing homes anywhere in the country.
- Missouri Care Planning Council where you can search facilities and find a variety of helpful information for seniors and caregivers.
The cost of long-term care (LTC) in the United States has increased right along with the older population, and is expected to continue to increase in the years to come. In 2017, the average yearly cost of LTC throughout the United States was $80,000. In the State of Missouri, residents are fortunate to pay, on average, less than the national average with an annual average cost of $65,000 per year in 2017. For most people, however, that cost still represents a bill they cannot easily pay out of pocket. Because neither Medicare nor most basic health insurance plans cover the expenses associated with LTC, it is critical that you plan ahead to ensure you can cover your LTC expenses if necessary. While Medicaid does cover LTC expenses, the Medicaid eligibility guidelines can be problematic for many seniors in the absence of advanced planning. The Medicaid planning attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC can help you incorporate strategies and tools into your overall estate plan that will prepare you for the potential need for long-term care and related expenses as a senior.
Leisure Time
As long as they are able to do so, most seniors continue to enjoy socializing with their peers. Experts tell us, in fact, that getting out and spending time with friends and neighbors is vital to both the physical and mental health of seniors. Fortunately, there are several excellent places in Chesterfield for seniors to meet and mingle.
For seniors living in and around Chesterfield, a wide variety of places can be found to mix and mingle. A listing of programs designed specifically for residents age 55 and older can be found on the city’s website. For veterans, there are several American Legion and VFW posts in the Chesterfield area.
Local, State and Federal Assistance
Many local, state and federal resources and assistance programs are geared specifically at seniors. A great resources for seniors is the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services. Many seniors also qualify for assistance from the Social Security disability or Social Security retirement program. For information, including application instructions, visit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) disability website. To sign up for your Social Security retirement benefits, navigate to the sign up website of the SSA. If you are a veteran, or the surviving spouse or dependent of a veteran, you may also be entitled to a number of benefits through the Veteran’s Administration. Along with well-known benefits such as pension and disability benefits, you might qualify for additional benefits you may not be familiar with, such as Veteran’s Aid and Attendance benefits. Once you reach retirement age, you will likely be automatically enrolled in the Medicare program. Although basic Medicare is free to all seniors, Medicare actually has four parts and the other three parts may come with a premium. If you have questions about a covered service or need to find a provider, the official Medicare website can help. In addition, if you need help covering the high cost of long-term care at some point you might qualify for Missouri Healthnet for Seniors.
Navigating the rules and procedures relating to the state and federal benefits that may be available to you can be challenging. The elder law attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC are available to help you understand what benefits are available to you and make sure you are in a position to get approved for all the assistance available. Whether you are applying for the first time or you are appealing a denial, we can help. Whether you are a senior yourself or a caregiver, we are here if you need us.
Getting Help from a Chesterfield Elder Law Attorney
The experienced elder law attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC can help you create a plan that covers the issues you may encounter when faced with the need for long-term care. Not only can we assist you in finding the appropriate type of care but also with the financial aspect of the need for LTC. We would also be pleased to help you with some of the other legal issues you may face as you get older, such as the need to coordinate retirement planning with your existing estate plan, asset protection, Medicaid planning, and incapacity planning. Please feel free to contact the experienced Chesterfield, Missouri elder law attorneys at Amen, Gantner & Capriano, Your Estate Matters, LLC by calling (314) 966-8077 to schedule an appointment.
