Research on Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias is taking place all over the United States. There are two broad categories of research: pharmacological (drug) and non-pharmacological (non-drug). The goal of research is to discover a cure for the disease and to improve treatment options. There is also a focus on research that will help people with Alzheimer’s disease or other dementias experience a better quality of life. Research that examines the impact of being a caregiver to a person with dementia, and how to reduce the stress of caregiving is also being conducted.

By Steven Rubin, CELA

When I was in law school, my mom was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS). I spent hours doing the research needed to make sure she got the best care. This involved learning about estate planning, care-related issues, care management, and health insurance. The insurance issues were especially tricky because most ALS treatments were experimental in those days, as they are today. Medicare didn’t cover them, so I was always doing battle with insurance companies.

By Franklin Drazen, CELA

Many of the elder law attorneys I know took care of elderly relatives before becoming a lawyer. I was already an attorney when my elder care story started.

I had an estate planning and business tax practice. I also led seminars. Some of the people who attended my seminars would come up to me afterwards and ask if I could help them with elder law issues. After enough people asked, I said yes. I was helping my clients with their elder care stories when mine started.

By Kevin Pillon, CELA

I’m an elder law attorney in a Life Care Planning Law Firm. I have the best job in the world.

The first time I heard another elder law attorney make this claim was in 2012. I was brand new to Life Care Planning and was attending a seminar on the topic in Cleveland, Ohio. Tim Takacs, the elder law attorney who had created this philosophical approach to elder law, stood up in front of the group. “I have the best job in the world,” he announced. “I help people take care of their mom.”

By Franklin Drazen, CELA

Many of the elder law attorneys I know came to this field because they have taken care of older relatives. That’s not how it happened for me.

By Kevin Pillon, CELA

Certified Elder Law Attorney Lisa Hostetler Brown knows that many people assume that estate planning is a once-and-done proposition. As the founder of LawyerLisa, a Life Care Planning Law Firm based in Lexington, South Carolina, Lisa sees people every day who are resting on their estate planning laurels. “These people find out the hard way that the documents they created at age 40 don’t necessarily work when you’re 70,” she said.

If you’re caring for an elderly loved one with dementia, you already know that it takes a special person and a unique set of skills to make life comfortable for a person living with the disease. When it comes to caring for your loved one without sacrificing your own well-being in the process, having the right systems and support in place can make all the difference. Many dementia caregivers create a “toolkit” of resources to make the journey easier.