Elder E-Letter 2017: 4th Quarter

Saturday, October 21, 2017
Registration at 7am, Ceremony at 8:30am, Walk at 9am
Palo Alto College
1400 W. Villaret Blvd
San Antonio, Texas 78224

Take the first step to a world without Alzheimer’s. Check out our Walkpage for more details.

Click here to register.

By, Jody Hudspeth, Paralegal for The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC

One of the many hats I wear as a paralegal is answering phone calls and emails from concerned loved ones and caregivers. This column, “The Elder Law Askit Basket”, features some of the scenarios we hear on a frequent basis. If you have a question you’d like to see answered here, please email me at: jhudspeth@assistingseniors.com.

My mom was just diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. What should we do to plan ahead? What can I do to help her?

First, let me tell you that I’m sorry to hear about your mom’s diagnosis. You are wise to start seeking help now.

If your mom still has mental capacity, she should get a Will and Powers of Attorney in place immediately. You may also want to talk to your mom about putting her bills on auto-pay and about having someone she trusts become a convenience signer on her accounts to help keep her finances running smoothly.

One thing we know about Alzheimer’s is that it progresses. Now is a good time to start thinking about Medicaid if you think your mom may need a nursing home at some point. I recommend you come in for a long-term care consultation with Carol so she can look at your mom’s assets and strategize the best way to protect them. Sometimes gifting or transfers can be done in a Medicaid-compliant way, but you should consult an elder law attorney on how to do this.

Is your mom married? I ask this because a long-term care consultation can be especially beneficial when one spouse is going to a nursing home and the other isn’t. Carol can explain how to spend or invest on Medicaid-acceptable expenditures that benefit the spouse who’s staying home.

Izabela Chabinska joined our team in the summer of 2017. After years of experience in Corporate Securities and Oil and Gas, she was inspired to try something new. She gets a lot of satisfaction from helping the elderly and says it’s good for the soul.

Izabela has been practicing law since 2002 and is licensed in both Texas and Louisiana. However, she’s not just an ordinary lawyer. When Izabela’s not working in our office, she teaches yoga asana, pranayama, and meditation. Izabela is also from Poland and speaks five languages. We’re really glad to have this well-rounded and interesting lawyer as part of our staff.

Toni spent more than 20 years in the title insurance industry until she moved to Texas in 2008—that’s when she decided she wanted something different. Using the Associates degree in Paralegal Studies she received from the University of Alaska Southeast in her next career made sense to her. Since her arrival in Texas, she’s worked for two estate planning attorneys, one of whom was specialized in working with the special needs population. Toni is honored to join The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC and is looking forward to working with seniors.

The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC is happy to announce the arrival of Tori Hudspeth. Paralegal Jody Hudspeth, and her husband, Greg Hudspeth, hopped on a plane to go meet their daughter and bring her home earlier this summer. They are excited to be first-time parents to their adorable baby girl.

Oct 10 Carol presents Wills & Trusts, Texas Style to OASIS.

Oct 21 The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC walks the 2017 Walk to End Alzheimer’s.

Oct 27 The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC attends the Jefferson Outreach Fashion Show and Luncheon fundraiser at the Omni San Antonio Hotel .

Nov 1 Carol talks presents The Taboos of Alzheimer’s and Dementia to the Rotary Club of San Antonio.

Nov 3 Carol gives talks about Advance Directives to the Alamo Area Resource Center (AARC).

Nov 7 Carol presents How to Deal with Aging Parents to the Southwest Workers’ Union (SWU).

Nov 10 The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC observes Veteran’s Day.

Nov 23 & 24 The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC observes Thanksgiving.

Dec 11 Carol talks Wills and Estate Planning at OASIS.

Dec 22–26 The Law Offices of Carol Bertsch, PC observes Christmas.