liFe cAre plAnninG: A neW ApprOAcH tO An Old prOblem

life care Planning is a relatively new holistic approach in elder law which addresses all of the challenges presented by long life, illness and disability. a Life care Plan connects your concerns about long term care as you travel through the later stages of your life with the knowledge and expertise of a team of certified elder law attorneys, a care coordinator, and a public benefits specialist who will be with you and your loved ones every step of the way to assist you in making the right choices and answer your questions. the Life care Planning Law Firms association (LcPLFa – www.lcplfa. org) is a national network of law practices that offer legal services, care coordination and advocacy support to help clients and their families respond to the challenges of aging, long-term illness and disability. the Law offices of Kreisher marshall & associates, LLc in bloomsburg are members of LcPLFa and the only law firm in our area to offer this service. We work with you to create a Life care Plan that is customized to fit your needs and desires.

We provide you with a roadmap to follow to achieve your goals. and, when changes occur, we are there to explain the options.

StorY:mariannE KrEisHEr, Esq., cELa KreiSher MarShall & aSSociateS, llc

certified elder law attorneys (celas) have frequently been referred to as the “gold standard” for elder law and special needs planning. the cELa certification is approved by the Pennsylvania supreme court and its rigorous requirements ensure that the cELa has the specialized expertise to handle these complicated issues. currently there are only 58 cELas in Pennsylvania and Kreisher marshall& associates, LLc has two – marianne E. Kreisher and marissa b. marshall.

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120 Hardwood Drive (behind Giant) Lewisburg, PA 570-556-4191

their families navigate the complicated health care continuum. our Ecc, Elaine m. spicher, bsW, is a social worker with over 20 years of experience helping seniors and their families in a variety of settings.

Public Benefits Specialist & Staff work tirelessly to compile the myriad of documentation needed to comply with the state’s requirements. our staff is friendly and helpful and here to set your mind at ease and get answers to your questions. there are three principal goals of the Life care Plan that we will help you develop and implement: • care coordination. Your Life care Plan is focused first and foremost on your good health, safety, and wellbeing. We help you and your family obtain good care, whether your care is provided at home, a personal care home or if necessary, a nursing home. this is the most important of all goals, for it goes to the very heart of your quality of life in your later years. We help you make decisions relating to your health care, long-term care, and special needs. our care coordinator has extensive knowledge about the costs, quality and availability of resources in the community. she focuses as a point of contact for the family and assists in coordinating services to help you take care of your loved one. • legal assistance. We develop an estate plan that strives to meet your goals -- wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advanced directives, and guardianships, if needed. our team helps you find resources to pay for good care and helps you spend your money wisely and prudently on your care needs. the Life care Plan protects and preserves the assets you have accumulated during a lifetime of hard work, thrifty behavior, and astute investment decision making. We work with you through the maze of choices and options to find the best, or often, the most comfortable solution to the asset protection problem created by the need to pay for quality long-term care. Patient advocacy.

• our goal is to protect the elder’s right to safe and effective care in the least restrictive environment. our care coordinator locates and coordinates needed care and community services, offers family education and serves as the senior’s advocate. this lightens the load for family caregivers, improves the senior’s quality of life and can even postpone the need for nursing care. if problems occur with a long-term care facility, our certified elder law attorneys get involved to resolve the issues as quickly as possible. in addition, our life care planning clients are given access to a medicare advocate to assist with the maze of medicare – denials, open enrollment, etc.

Life care Planning is ideal for loved ones in declining health who are having difficulty with self-care activities, unable to live at home without assistance, have an increased reliance on family caregivers and searching for ways to pay for longterm care. to learn more about Life care Planning and connect with our knowledgeable staff, call the Law offices of Kreisher marshall & associates, LLc at (570) 784-5211 ext. 2 or e-mail at info@columbiacountylaw.com.

If I am diagnosed with a chronic illness, how can I keep from losing my home and assets?

How will I manage the care of my elderly parents? What will I do if there are problems?

How can I be sure that my care will be managed according to my wishes?

How can I age with dignity and live as independently as possible for as long as possible?

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