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Showing 16 posts in Did you Know?.

Resources for Seniors and Caregivers

Elderly Support GroupThere are different types of care services available for elders and their caregivers, both in-person and online. Below, we will explore educational, financial, recreational, and supportive service options that can help develop a community for the senior in your life and for yourself in the caregiver role. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Elder Law, Long-Term Care

Parents: The Three Essential Legal Documents Your Child Should Have Before Leaving For College

Upset Parent at HospitalIn Michigan, the age of majority is 18 years. This means that when a person turns age 18, they are no longer a minor and are considered to be a legal adult. Consequently when your child turns 18, you no longer have the legal authority to make decisions for him or her, including financial and health care decisions. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Estate Planning, HIPAA, Powers of Attorney

Executing Estate Planning Documents Outside of Attorney's Office

Mailing in Estate DocumentsOccasionally clients will request, for one reason or another, that I mail them the originals of the estate planning documents I prepared for them so that they can have them executed outside of my office at a bank or some other financial institution.  Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Estate Planning

Should Your Family Business Keep a Corporate Minute Book?

Father and Son at WorkMany corporate clients ask why they should spend the time and money to maintain a corporate minute book. This is especially common in small or family-run operations. Other corporate clients don't even bother asking the question, they simply don't do it. Read More ›

Categories: Audits, Compliance, Did you Know?, Liability

How FEPA Protects Michigan’s Elderly Against Financial Exploitation

Elderly Man at ATMIn 2021, Michigan passed the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act (FEPA or Act) which took effect last September. FEPA sets forth new requirements on financial institutions to report financial exploitation of vulnerable adults to adult protective services and law enforcement in Michigan, and was a result of work led by the Department of Attorney General’s Elder Abuse Task Force. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Financing, Senior Exploitation & Abuse

Time to Give Up the Keys? A Guide to Seniors and Driving

Frustrated Senior DriverAccording to Michigan.gov, Michigan has over 1.2 million drivers that are age 65 and older. By 2025, it is expected that one in five drivers will be 65 and older. This is a trend that is sweeping across the country with more older drivers on the road than ever before. A person's ability to drive can mean everything to them; it serves not just as a means of getting from Point A to Point B, but it also represents their independence and personal freedom.

However data shows that driving gets riskier with age and while old age alone is not a reason to stop driving, a number of physical and mental conditions, such as dementia and vision/hearing impairment, can lead to an unsafe driver getting behind the wheel and possibly hurting themselves or others. So at one point does it become obvious that a senior driver must be told to give up the keys? Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Elder Law

Spending Time with Loved Ones During the COVID Holiday Season

Elder in front of Christmas treeA year filled with many challenges, the end of 2020 draws near. We are, however, still far from being out of the woods. It would be a massive understatement to say that the last nine months of adapting to the "new normal" have been exhausting. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?

Recent Legislative and Regulatory Developments Designed to Protect Seniors in Michigan

Hand Holding GavelVarious programs have recently been enacted in Michigan for the purpose of preventing and/or minimizing some of the challenges facing seniors in an effort to help them maintain a high quality of life. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Elder Law, Retirement, Senior Exploitation & Abuse

Can I be paid for taking care of my elderly parents?

Elder Mother and SonAs parents age and require more assistance, the adult children who care for them may find themselves in a complicated predicament. Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Elder Law

Three Common Myths about Medicaid

Hand on a ChalkboardIn the state of Michigan, nearly 2.5 million people are provided health care under Medicaid. This includes low-income adults, children, senior citizens and people with disabilities that depend on the federal and state program for access to health care as well as long-term services which include basic life functions such as meal prep, bathing/dressing and administering medication. For those not familiar with the eligibility aspects of Medicaid, click here to view the video “An Introduction to Medicaid.” Read More ›

Categories: Did you Know?, Elder Law, Long-Term Care, Medicaid Planning

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Survivor's Checklist

Due to the shock of the death of a spouse or a loved one, the steps of what needs to be done first can be an overwhelming process for the survivor(s). To aid in the breakdown and to act as a tool amidst the emotional days ahead, estate planning Jonathan "Jay" David has assembled a "Survivor's Checklist" of some of the important things that need to be addressed when a spouse or loved one dies.

Resources and Support for Older Adults Living Alone: A Comprehensive Guide (2024)

Below is a comprehensive guide of resources for older adults living alone, empowering them to thrive independently and access essential services. This guide was created and provided with permission by the National Council on Aging (NCOA).

Resources and Support for Older Adults Living Alone: A Comprehensive Guide (2024) (ncoa.org)

COVID-19 Checklist & Elder Organizer Tool

For adult children responsible for their elderly parents and other senior caretakers concerned about protecting loved ones as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, below is a free downloadable checklist of steps to follow to prepare for any possible COVID-19-related illnesses among the most-vulnerable.

Download Button: Checklist

Foster Swift has created a free ‘Elder Organizer’ digital notebook to provide seniors and their caretakers with a toolkit that helps organize doctors’ appointments, medications, and more that can be shared online. The tools below are also available on the Elder Law Resources page.

*For those trying to access these links by smartphone, it is best practice to copy/open the link in a separate tab and download the free Google Sheets app from Google Play or the Apple Store.

Using the Elder Law OrganizerMedication & Appointments ButtonVisitor Log & Photos/Media ButtonPrivate Care Schedule ButtonElder Law Resources Button

E-book Covers Estate Planning Essentials

Estate Planning Cover

Engaging in estate planning, while essential, is often emotional and generates many questions. How do I protect my spouse and my children if something happens to me? What happens if I become disabled before I pass on? Who will take care of my pet after I'm gone? How do I pass my business on to my children? These questions and more are addressed in Jonathan David’s recently updated e-book, “Estate Planning: You Have to Start in Order to Finish.”

Need Help Planning?

Helping Hands

For more tools, visit our Elder Law Resource page for additional content. Click here to view/download the Foster Swift estate planning brochure to see what our experienced team of attorneys can do for you.