Long Island Elder Law & Estate Planning

assisted living in smithtown new yorkThe matter of assisted living in Smithtown New York is something to take very seriously if you are planning ahead for your senior years. It is not easy to simply pay for full-time residence in an assisted living community out-of-pocket, and Medicare won’t pick up these costs.

The MetLife Mature Market Institute compiles statistics on an annual basis that shed a great deal of light on the state of long-term care costs year-by-year. In 2012 the average charge for a month in a New York assisted-living community was $4011.

If you consider the possibility of spending years in such a facility you are looking at some very significant expenses that can erode everything that you have saved for retirement.

This is a matter that is quite relevant to everyone because it is statistically likely that you will need assistance with your day-to-day needs eventually.

Staying at Home

Without question, many seniors who need help with their activities of daily living would prefer to stay at home. When you have lived in a particular residence for years it contains memories that mean something to you. You know your neighbors, you love your neighborhood, and you don’t want to be uprooted.

And of course, there are clearly financial benefits that go along with the emotional gains.

The first order of business if you decide to stay at home will be to assemble a team of family members, friends, and neighbors who are willing and able to assist you. It may be difficult for some people to ask for help, and perhaps family members will step up and volunteer even before you ask.

However, people probably won’t offer to assist if they don’t know that you actually need the assistance, so communication is important.

If you don’t have anyone to provide this assistance, or if only limited assistance is available, you could retain the services of an in-home aide. Depending on your level of need professionals with varying degrees of expertise can be engaged.

The actual physical space within which you reside is another thing to consider. Assisted living communities are useful in part because they are designed with the physical limitations of seniors in mind.

You could take the same types of steps as you modify your home to suit your own unique personal needs. If you have stairs and have a hard time negotiating them you could have a step chair installed. If you have difficulty getting in and out of the shower you could put in a walk-in shower with the appropriate flooring and handrails.

These are just a couple of the many different types of modifications that you can make to ensure that your living environment is suitable given any physical limitations that you may have.

This is a bit of food for thought. If you have questions about long-term care or any other elder law matter feel free to contact our office to schedule a free consultation.

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About Mark S. Eghrari, Estate Planning Attorney

Mark S. Eghrari is an attorney in private practice in Smithtown, New York. He has been in practice since 1988. Mark S. Eghrari provides extensive estate and tax planning services to individuals and businesses. Mr. Eghrari’s primary focus is helping clients avoid probate, minimize or eliminate Federal and State Estate taxes and protect their assets from the high cost of nursing care, if they become ill.