Living Well 60+ September-October 2017 Cover Story

A RESOURCE GUIDE FOR YOUR GENERATION SEPT / OCT 2017 VOL. 13 ISSUE 4

ENTERTAINMENT • HEALTH • BARGAINS • LIFESTYLE

BLUEGRASS ELDERLAW Addressing the Needs of Seniors & Their Families

ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW

Call Today: 859-281-0048 www.bgelderlaw.com 120 N. Mill St., Ste. 201 Lexington, KY 40507

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Asset Preservation

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Estate Planning, Wills and Trusts

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Medicaid Planning and Crisis Planning

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Powers of Attorney

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Guardianship

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Medicaid Applications

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Special Needs Trusts and Planning THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT

Addressing the Needs of

and Their Families

by Carolyn Kenton, Managing Partner, Bluegrass Elderlaw

In a historic building adjacent to Cheapside in downtown Lexington, a group of women are making a difference in the lives of seniors and their families.

Bluegrass Elderlaw is comprised of two partner attorneys, two associate attorneys, and three support staff.

Carolyn L. Kenton founded Bluegrass Elderlaw in 2011. Before creating the firm, Carolyn had practiced by herself almost 20 years in an office sharing arrangement with her husband’s former law partners. Carolyn was married to William G. Kenton, Jr. who served as speaker of the Kentucky General Assembly. Speaker Kenton led an illustrious career as both a statesman and an attorney. After Speaker Kenton’s death, Carolyn ran for and won her husband’s former seat in the General Assembly. Her life changed dramatically and so, while raising two children on her own, she took her turn at being a stateswoman and attorney.

What we do in our elder law practice is help families learn the new rules they have to observe and help them plan to use those rules to their best advantage.

Carolyn formed Bluegrass Elderlaw, in part, because her practice was naturally evolving to handle the needs of seniors.

Carolyn stated that her practice was gearing more heavily in the direction of end of life and Medicaid planning issues. “I could ATTORNEYS-AT-LAW also see that the aging baby boomer demographics would favor a Call Today: 859-281-0048 practice more specifically directed towards an aging population’s 120 North Mill St., Suite 201 www.bgelderlaw.com needs,” said Kenton.

120 N. Mill St., KY Ste. 201 Lexington, 40507 While Carolyn took a leap of faith in staring the new firm, she Lexington, KY 281-0048 40507 (859) realized that she must “practice what she preached” in regards www.bgelderlaw.com  Asset Preservation Carolynbegan L. Kenton - Mary Ellis Pattonattorneys - Amy E. Dougherty to future planning. Carolyn to look for younger  Estate Planning, Wills and to work with her in order to provide continuous uninterrupted Take Control of Your Future!

Trusts OF PRACTICE AREAS service for clients and Our their families.  Medicaid Planning and Crisis dedicated, multi-generational, and experienced team of Estate Planning Planning families address the planning implementation Carolyn soon addedattorneys Amy E.helps Dougherty to the firm inand 2012.

Veterans’ Benefits  Powers of AttorneyPlanning issues of becoming elderly, dealing with disability, and handling Amy and Carolyn had death beentransfers. classmates in law school. Amy has  Guardianship Guardianship been a traditional student and Carolyn a no-traditional student.  Medicaid Applications When planning for your future and the future of your loved ones, you Probate and Estate Planning Amy had previously worked for the Kentucky Public Service deserve peace of mind throughout the process.

At the law office of  Special Needs Trusts and Planning Bluegrass Elderlaw PLLC we listen carefully to your objectives, clearly Commission and for Legal Aid of the Bluegrass. While at Legal ATTORNEYS and thoroughly explain the options to best achieve your goals, and equip you to approach your future with confidence.

MANAGING PARTNER

THIS IS AN ADVERTISEMENT

PARTNER

Carolyn L. Kenton

attorney. Katherine had recently received her L.L.M. (legal masters) in Estate Planning and Elder Law. Katherine brought with her a wealth of knowledge on a wide-range of topics.

While the firm is not all female by design, Carolyn and her team of women have created a collegial workplace where clients come first. The firm uses a holistic approach in working with clients. The attorneys utilize the expertise of the entire team to find the best method to facilitate clients’ needs. The attorneys do not compete with one another but provide one another with support and feedback.

Carolyn’s idea to focus on their seniors and family has evolved more than she had expected. (continued on next page)

Amy E. Dougherty SR. ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

attorney experienced and licensed in Kentucky and Ohio with a range of abilities in probate, will contests, guardianship, adoption, and trusts, joined the staff. The office grew again with a second assistant, Pamela Light, who had been in banking plus had personal experience with some of the issues in the practice. Pamela became the firm’s Medicaid application specialist. Soon thereafter, Lydia Sallade’ was brought in as a legal assistant; Lydia brought experience from her previous jobs working in law and geriatric healthcare.

Lydia has become a vital component in the firm’s probate and guardianship practices.

Finally, Katherine Finnell, a sole practice elder law attorney, joined the firm as an associate

Mary Ellis Patton ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Aid, Amy had handled elder law and nursing home issues.

Amy and Carolyn had a shared passion to assist the elderly navigate the legal system and helping them meet their estate planning goals. It was an ideal fit for both of them.

Carolyn and Amy filled their new office with a staff of highly qualified and talented individuals all having experience adding to the first rate quality of the firm. Carol Weleski, an experienced customer service specialist was the first addition to the office. If you call their office today, you are likely to speak with her on the phone. Carol is described by her officemates as friendly, kind, and thoughtful.

Soon, the office had a need for an additional attorney, Mary Ellis Patton, a younger

Katherine E. Finnell

Bluegrass Elderlaw was been a dream in the making and the women could not be more proud of the firm and the successes they have made for their clients.

Why should a family look to an elder law firm to assist them? The attorneys at Bluegrass Elderlaw say that most people do not know what “elder law” is.

In the past twenty-five years families have been faced with waves of changes that have effected their economic and healthcare well-being. Bluegrass Elderlaw helps families plan for the future by taking into consideration new and changing laws and regulations.

Client education is key. The attorneys stress that part of the planning process is educating the client about laws, rules, and agency regulations that could affect their planning strategies.

With longer life expectancy and the mental decline associated with that, the greatest risk to a family’s wealth in no longer taxes, but the cost of end of life care. Bluegrass Elderlaw helps families plan for the cost of care in conjunction with the many rules and regulations that will apply. Medicaid rules, estate planning rules and family law rules are not the same or even compatible in many cases.

Carolyn finds that it takes talent and grace to age well and advises clients that they need to be prepared. Carolyn advises seniors to (1) have in place the documents your family will need to assist you – powers of attorney, both medical and legal, and a will, and (2)be flexible and accept change as gracefully as possible.

We listen carefully to your estate planning goals, clearly and thoroughly explain your options to best achieve your goals and equip you to approach your future with confidence.

Carolyn says, “The best part of the practice is getting to know a wide range of people who have had interesting and sometimes fascinating life experiences.

Our reward is being able to assist these families through what is often a difficult transition.”

Both of us having a shared passion to assist the elderly navigate the legal system and helping them meet their estate planning goals. It was an ideal fit for both of us.

We filled our new office with a staff of highly qualified and talented individuals

all having experience adding to the first rate quality of our firm. Our first assistant was an experienced customer service specialist, Carol Weleski. Our first associate, Mary Ellis Patton, was experienced and licensed in Kentucky and Ohio with a range of abilities in probate, will contests, guardianship, adoption, and trusts.

Our second assistant and Medicaid application specialist, Pamela Light, had personal, family experience with some of the issues in our practice. Our third assistant, Lydia Sallade’ brought experience from her previous jobs working in law and geriatric healthcare. Our last associate, Katherine Finnell was a sole practice elder law attorney with an advanced degree in the subject, looking for a more structured environment.

While the firm is not all female by design, we find that we have created a collegial workplace where clients come first. The firm uses a holistic approach in working with our clients. Our attorneys utilize the expertise of the entire team to find the best method to facilitate our clients’ needs. Bluegrass Elderlaw has been a dream in the making and I could not be more proud of the firm and the successes we have made for our clients.