Elder & Healthcare Law
Aging brings questions that mix law, medicine, and money. With decades in healthcare before law school, I help Northeast Kansas families navigate them.
Law, medicine, and money — in one place
Questions about aging tend to sit right where law, medicine, and money meet. Before law school I spent more than thirty years in health information management, so I'm comfortable on the medical and privacy side of these issues as well as the legal one. For Northeast Kansas families navigating care for an older loved one, that background helps.
Long-term care and Medicaid planning
The cost of nursing-home or long-term care can be daunting, and the rules around Medicaid eligibility are genuinely complicated. Thoughtful, lawful planning — ideally well before a crisis — can help protect a family's resources while making sure a loved one gets the care they need. I help families understand their options and the trade-offs involved.
Guardianship and conservatorship
When an adult can no longer manage their own affairs and hasn't signed powers of attorney, the court may need to appoint a guardian (for personal and medical decisions) or a conservator (for financial ones). I guide families through these proceedings with the care the situation calls for.
Healthcare directives and powers of attorney
Advance directives, a healthcare power of attorney, and a financial power of attorney let the people you trust step in when needed — and let your wishes be known. These overlap with estate planning, and I often handle them together so your whole plan fits.
Let's talk it through
Elder law decisions are rarely urgent until suddenly they are. If you're starting to think about care for yourself or a parent, call 785-284-8717 and we'll find a time.