Elder Law

Elder law is a wide field of law that encompasses many aspects of the care and legal affairs of senior citizens. Elder law frequently focuses on adjusting the assets and holdings of senior clients so that they qualify for MediCal in the event they need long-term care in a skilled nursing facility. In some cases a gifting program can allow a client to qualify for MediCal, and at the same time still preserve some of the gifted assets for the client’s beneficiaries.

Other important aspects of elder law include counseling families with a family member suffering from dementia, and obtaining a conservatorship if necessary. The conservatorship process can be long and daunting, and conservators often need help and guidance through the process. There are occasions where family members fight over control of the assets of an incompetent parent. All of these problems of the elderly require thoughtful counseling and dispute resolution.

At Kopper, Morgan & Dietrich, we have helped seniors in the cities of Davis and Woodland with all types of problems.

Attorney’s Tip

One issue that frequently arises in elder law is the isolation of a senior that is suffering from dementia. Often, one child or a sibling of the senior will attempt to cut off the senior from all contact with family, friends, and relatives. There are many reasons that a person may try to isolate the senior, but one common reason is to control the senior’s estate plan. Recently the California State Legislature acknowledged this problem and passed legislation effective January 1, 2015 that requires care facilities to allow all individuals who want to visit a resident of the care facility to be able to do so. Before contact with a senior in a care facility may be limited, a court must issue an order limiting contact.

Learn more about the legal services we offer by contacting us online or by calling 530-758-0757.