By Reilly Graupp, MSW
Most people come to an elder law firm to get a trust drafted, a Medicaid application filed, or a power of attorney prepared. We do all of that, but over the years, we realized that legal work is only part of the need. The other piece is having someone who can help the clients navigate day-to-day life for their loved one with compassion, dignity, and confidence.
To provide this extra support for our clients and their families, we have social workers on staff. It’s a resource you won’t find at many other Long Island elder law and estate planning practices. This approach grew out of years of sitting with families who were carrying far more than legal questions. Families needed someone to help them navigate the bigger picture: care options, community resources, and practical decisions. Our attorneys develop the legal strategy, while our social workers provide guidance and support for the personal challenges that come with aging, illness, and long-term care planning. Together, we help families address both the legal and the personal care sides of the journey.
What Families Are Really Dealing With
Accepting that an aging loved one can no longer live safely on their own can be a very difficult reality that many families face. Sometimes it starts with a fall at home. Other times, it’s a medical diagnosis that changes everything overnight. Many families across Long Island face difficult questions: Can Mom remain safely at home with support, or is it time to consider assisted living or nursing home? How will we pay for it?
Long Island is home to a large and growing senior population spread across Nassau and Suffolk counties with very different resources, costs, and care options. Having experience in all areas of Long Island, our team is knowledgeable in local programs and resources that are available throughout both counties. We can confidently connect families with services they can trust and referrals to ensure best quality of services.
What Our Social Workers Actually Do
Even when all the legal planning is in place including a Medicaid Asset Protection Trust, healthcare proxy, power of attorney, and living will. Obtaining Medicaid coverage for the cost of long-term care involves much more than completing legal documents. Families seeking Medicaid services must navigate a complex application process, satisfy state and county requirements, and coordinate next steps for care. Our social workers help families understand their care options, whether that is in-home support, transitioning to assisted living, or moving into a skilled nursing facility.
New York State offers a variety of programs and services to support older adults and their families. Understanding financial eligibility for such programs is only the first step. Our Medicaid paralegals and social workers guide families through each stage of this process. We prepare and submit the Medicaid applications and ensure all necessary requirements are completed efficiently.
For families applying for Community Medicaid to receive home care services, our social work support extends beyond the application. They help coordinate the next steps, including arranging, preparing, and participating in various in-home assessments. This is a hands-on level of guidance to ensure families are informed, supported, and maximize the amount of services accessible to them.
Our social workers organize homecare services through a Managed Long Term Care Plan and even represent families going through an appeal process. Our social workers work with families through this appeal process by requesting fair hearings and submitting external appeals to ensure families continue to get the level of care they need to keep their loved one safe.
What This Looks Like for Your Family
When you work with Futterman Lanza, you’re not only getting legal counsel. You’re getting a team that includes people whose job it is to think about the full picture of what you and your loved ones need. That might mean sitting down to talk through care options before any legal documents are drafted. It might mean having support available when a family is navigating a difficult conversation about next steps. It can mean connecting you with resources that you didn’t know existed. We have a team with a large scope of practices that can accommodate various situations and provide support long term.
We built our practice this way because we believe Long Island seniors deserve more. They deserve a team that sees them as people, not just clients with assets to protect. If your family is beginning to navigate a care transition, or if you want to plan before a crisis arrives, we encourage you to reach out. We’re here for the whole journey, not just the legal pieces of it.
