It’s no surprise that issues involving aging parents and loved ones with disabilities offer limitless opportunities for family disagreements. Add complicated legal decisions that have consequences related to Medicaid and Medicare regulations, taxes and estate laws, and families often find themselves stuck.
To help families find common ground for the benefit of their loved one, experienced estate planning and elder law attorneys, CzepigaDalyPope, have added the services of Amy Sereday, Family Meeting Facilitator.
“Amy is a professional mediator, but most people only think of mediation in terms of divorce, so we thought Family Meeting Facilitator was a better description,” said Attorney Brendan Daly, Principal of CzepigaDalyPope. “This is not counseling, it’s true mediation – helping families who can’t agree come to a consensus.”
Sereday holds a Master’s degree in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution from Columbia University. She serves as a non-judgmental sounding board and supporter to help a family brainstorm solutions, then break down problems and decisions into more manageable pieces.
Common topics for facilitated meetings:
- Independence and safety – For example, taking away the car keys, staying active and social, setting boundaries, enrolling a child with disabilities in school.
- Living arrangements – Addressing the selling of a house, where a parent should live, furniture and belongings.
- Caregiving – Determining how care will provided and by whom.
- Financial concerns – What can the senior afford? How will finances be managed? Should a family member be compensated for serving as primary caregiver?
- Medical and end-of-life choices – How will joint Health Care proxies work together? How will they communicate and make decisions?
- Roles and responsibilities – How will the responsibilities be shared, and how will schedules be worked out?
- Communication – How to stay connected, and how to make sure someone doesn’t feel out of the loop.
“Unlike similar firms, our focus extends beyond the law, beyond just having the right documents in place,” noted Daly. “We have dedicated ourselves to preserving our clients’ well-being as well as their assets. We do this by helping to reduce the stress that accompanies the financial and medical care challenges that come with change.”
Daly noted that in addition to Sereday, the firm has other professionals on staff to truly offer a holistic approach. There is a Geriatric Care Manager, who is also a nurse. She conducts home visits for a comprehensive assessment of a client’s needs. Based on the assessment, the Manager recommends a customized plan of care. Additionally, there is a CPA who understands the tax consequences of estate planning moves.
Since 1998 CzepigaDalyPope and their experienced team of attorneys have specialized in Estate Planning, Elder Law, Probate, Disability Planning and Probate Litigation. Offices are conveniently located across Connecticut in Hartford, Berlin, Simsbury, South Windsor and New Milford. For more information call (860) 236-7673 or visit: www.ctseniorlaw.com.
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