If you’re in the market for an elder law attorney, you may have noticed that some have “CELA,” “LL.M,” or “VA accredited” after their names. What are these credentials? What do you gain by working with an attorney who has them?

Caring for an elderly loved one can be hard work. Did you know that focusing on what you’re grateful for can make things easier?

Long-term care insurance claims are just one of the many things that can overwhelm family caregivers. Policy documents are long, filled with exclusions, and written in difficult language. The claims process is complicated.

If you’re filing a claim for a VA pension for a loved one, is there anything you can do to speed up the process? We posed this question to Steven Rubin, a Certified Elder Law Attorney and a VA accredited attorney at Drazen Rubin Law, LLC, a Life Care Planning Law Firm in Milford, Connecticut. Steven has been advising clients on VA-related issues for more than eight years.

By Linda Strohschein, CELA

If you’re a certain age, you may remember Sonny Bono. He was one half of the popular duo Sonny and Cher who were riding high in the 1960s and 1970s. After Sonny left the music business, he went into politics. He served as mayor of Palm Springs, California, and then ran for the U.S. House of Representatives and won.

You might also recall that Sonny died on a ski slope in 1998 after an unfortunate encounter with a tree. When he died, he was married to wife number four, and had two adult children and two minor children.

By Linda Strohschein, CELA

Do you think that celebrities have it better?

When it comes to estate planning, the answer may be no. You would think that anyone with so much money would automatically have access to the best legal advice. What we find is that celebrities are just like the rest of us. They make estate planning mistakes. Unfortunately, their mistakes make headlines.

When an aging parent needs help, it’s the family who steps in to provide the needed care. What happens when family members disagree about what should be done? What happens when there are disputes about what type of care is needed and who will provide that care?

This scenario is more common than you might think. There’s nothing like an elder care crisis to resurrect simmering sibling rivalries and ancient power struggles. If you’re in this situation (or think you might be someday), what can you do?

Do you love Halloween? If the answer is yes, you’re not alone. Halloween is the nation’s second most popular holiday (Christmas holds the top spot).

Though Halloween is a beloved tradition, it creates unique challenges for people living with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. For those who suffer from confusion, disorientation and other symptoms, Halloween can be a truly frightening holiday.

If you’re looking after an older adult who suffers from one of these cognitive conditions, here are a few things to keep in mind.

When Older Adults Live Alone