Why you can’t find a doctor who specializes in caring for older adults, and what to do if you need healthcare services for an elder. 

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Geriatricians, doctors that specialize in caring for older adults, are in short supply and the numbers are only going down.

The importance of geriatricians, why you need one: 

  • Geriatricians know how older adults respond to specific medications
  • They can tell the difference between age related aches and pains, and a more serious condition
  • They recognize age-related memory loss compared to early stage dementia
  • They know how to communicate with older adults and how to listen to them1
  • They know how to coordinate complex care and are familiar with the way Elder law attorneys help seniors get care in their homes or other settings. 

The Problem – Why you can’t find a geriatrician. 

There are currently 55 million Americans over the age of 65.  The fastest growing age group in the country is made up of people 85 and older.  There are only about 7,400 geriatricians in the US. That’s 1 geriatrician for every 7,500 seniors.2

With such a shortage of specialized doctors caring for older adults, and the numbers continuing to decline, how can you find the right care? 

The Solution – What you can do. 

As an Elder Law attorney, I am keenly aware of the gap between the legal and financial plan we create for our clients to access and pay for long-term care and the actual personal care that is available.  But, there is help.  Our firm routinely works with Aging Life Care Profesionals (formerly known as Geriatric Care Managers) to bridge this gap for our clients.  

The Aging Life Care Association is an organization that will help you find an Aging Life Care Professional in your area.  An Aging Life Care Professional “acts as a guide and advocate for families who are caring for older relatives or disabled adults.”

According to aginglifecare.org, when caregiving for an aging family member becomes overwhelming, it may be time to contact an Aging Life Care Professional.

You may need an Aging Life Care Professional if the person you are caring for: 

  • has multiple medical or psychological issues
  • is unable to live safely in their current environment 
  • is not pleased with the current care providers and requires advocacy
  • has limited or no family support

 Or if your family: 

  • has just become involved with helping the individual and needs direction about available services
  • is either “burned out” or confused about care solutions
  • has limited time and/or expertise in dealing with the individual’s chronic care needs
  • is at odds regarding care decisions
  • needs education and/or direction in dealing with behaviors associated with dementia

Contact us to connect with the Aging Life Care Professional we recommend to all of our clients who are experiencing any of the above problems or concerns. Call us at 866-227-3994 or Email us directly. 

Or, use this link to find an Aging Life Care Professional in your area.  Find an Aging Life Care Professional. 

  1. Gleckman, H. (2023, August 15). Why Do So Few Doctors Want To Specialize In Caring For Older Adults? Forbes.com. Retrieved September 7, 2023, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2023/08/15/why-do-so-few-doctors-want-to-specialize-in-caring-for-older-adults/?sh=55a8d71b71c2 ↩︎
  2. id. ↩︎

Making a will to appoint a Guardian for your children

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My wife and I had our first child 4 years ago. A few months before she was born, I think we spent about 3 hours in babies r us, and probably 10 or more hours online and in books studying up on the safest carseat for her. If you’re a parent, then I assume you probably had a similar experience.  We all want to protect our kids and make sure they are as safe as possible.

Here’s the part no one likes to think about. What if something happens to us? Who will be there for the kids? Or, maybe you already thought about it and went and got some life insurance. That’s a step in the right direction, but there’s more.

Under the unpleasant circumstances of both natural parents deaths, there are two answers to the question of who will take care of the kids:

(1) your kids will be cared for by the Guardian(s) you appoint in your will, or

(2) the court will appoint a Guardian if you have not named one.

Regardless of the size of your estate, parents of minor children (under the age of 18) should have wills naming a Guardian or Guardians for their children.

In Pennsylvania, there are two types of Guardians for minors: (1) Guardian of the Person, and (2) Guardian of the Estate. Those two can be the same person serving as Guardian of the Person and Estate of the minor child.

The Guardian of the Person is the person that will make general decisions related to the care of the child. The Guardian of the Estate handles the money forming the Guardianship Estate for the child. Some people appoint the same person for both positions.

In the event of the deaths of both of the natural parents, failure to have appointed a Guardian by will makes a court proceeding necessary to determine who the Guardian of your children will be.

Family harmony and the best interests of the minor children are best preserved by appointing a Guardian or Guardians in your will as opposed to subjecting them to court proceedings.

Additional planning can provide even greater guidance and control over the management of money you leave for minor children by including a trust for the benefit of a minor child or children in your will.

Such a trust is generally known as a testamentary trust because it is created by your will at the time of your death. In such a situation, the trust is only funded upon the death of the individual who created it.

For more information on trusts for minors, I’ll be writing a new post soon titled “trusts for minor children.”