Unsupported Elders and Fiduciary Services

Assistance with fiduciary services for seniors is increasingly important. Most older adults have family and friends to help them. In fact, according to the Institute on Aging, “sixty-five percent of older adults with long-term care needs rely exclusively on family and friends to provide assistance.”  However, the demographics of the United States are changing.

Nearly one-third of Americans age 45 – 63 are single (either divorced or never married); almost the same number live alone.  There are also more and more Americans aging alone, with either no children or children living far away.  This creates a “support vacuum.”  These older adults simply cannot identify a caregiver or surrogate decision-maker beyond friends or extended family, making the need for fiduciary services for seniors more critical than ever before.

An older adult may benefit from our assistance if he or she is:

  1.     Unmarried or widowed with no children
  2.     Aging without the support of family members
  3.     Not residing near adult children or those children are not readily available
  4.     Estranged from family
  5.     Prefers a trusted professional advisor to maintain family harmony
  6.     Concerned that adult children are irresponsible
  7.     Caring for a spouse in poor health
  8.     Concerned potential heirs have their needs in mind over the older adult’s
  9.     Simply overwhelmed and wants to “pass it off” to enjoy retirement

This support vacuum leaves older adults responsible for bill paying, managing healthcare and medications, choosing health insurance, and daily tasks alone.  This also creates an opportunity for exploitation, abuse, loneliness, isolation, and lower-quality care.

Those who age alone or without a high level of support are at higher risk for medical problems, cognitive decline, and premature death. One study showed that isolation and loneliness are as detrimental to one’s physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes daily.

Rothkoff Law Group provides these older adults with the much-needed safety net.  With our fiduciary services for seniors, we fill the support vacuum by serving as Healthcare Agent, Financial Agent, Trustee, and/or Executor.  Our team of professionals will become your surrogate to protect your finances as well as your social and physical well-being.