Moschella & Winston, LLP Your Legal Advisor for Life

Attorney Michael Couture will be participating in the Arlington Council on Aging (COA) “Families Caring for Mom and Dad” Health Care Fair. The Health Care Fair will be held on Saturday, June 18th, at the Arlington Town Hall, located at 730 Massachusetts Avenue, from 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm.

The goal of the Health Care Fair is to educate seniors and their families on the many resources available to seniors. Experienced professionals will be at the Health Care Fair to answers questions such as:

• “Something seems wrong with Mom, but we don’t know what it is?”
• “How do we tell Dad we think he should stop driving?”
• “How will Mom and Dad get to the doctor’s appointment if they can’t drive?”
• “How do we know this home care service is reputable?” “Is this service covered by health insurance?”
• “How should I make a financial plan?”
• “Are there alternatives to taking all these expensive drugs?”
• “Do I need a will?”
• “How do I apply for Veterans’ Benefits?”

More than 30 exhibitors will provide information and answer questions about senior programs and services, including diabetes counseling, healthy eating advice, home health and rehabilitation programs, and physical therapy services. Additionally, there will be blood pressure and vision screenings, an exercise demonstration (participants can join in), discussions on Memory Loss and Alzheimer’s Disease as well as Round Table Discussions.

Come join us and take a few moments to speak with Attorney Couture.

Michael R. Couture is an associate at the law firm of Moschella & Winston, LLP, where he specializes in Veterans’ benefits, Veterans’ healthcare, Medicaid, Social Security, special needs law, and estate planning. He is an accredited attorney with the Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and the Massachusetts Bar Association.

As a Veteran of our uniformed services, you deserve our thanks and respect for your service to our country. The Federal government has established a number of benefit programs for veterans, their spouses and their widows. But are you aware of all the benefits to which you are entitled?

• Aid and Attendance Program – The Aid and Attendance program provides benefits for veterans and surviving spouses who meet certain criteria in regards to their status as veterans and their income and assets. Aid and Attendance is a federal program and is available in all states.

• Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) – DIC is a monthly benefit paid to eligible survivors of a U.S. military service member. There are certain qualifications that must be met to qualify as a survivor.

• Other Related Veterans’ Benefits – There are other benefits that a veteran, a surviving spouse or a dependent may be eligible to receive. These include health care coverage, special home loans, educational assistance, and federal employment preference.

• State & Federal Veterans’ Cemeteries – Massachusetts has two state Veterans’ Memorial Cemeteries and one federal Cemetery. There is no fee for a veteran’s burial in a state or federal Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery. (A nominal fee will be charged for the burial of spouses, widows/widowers, and qualified dependents.)

A qualified elder law attorney can advise you and your family in regards to the various benefits available and how each may specifically apply to your situation. In some cases such benefits may affect other public benefits so it is important to consult with an attorney before pursuing benefits you may not fully understand. However, in many cases these benefits can provide additional, much needed, support for aging Veterans and their families.

###

Moschella & Winston has specialized in legal planning and protection for individuals and families for over 30 years, and our attorneys are experts in elder, disability and special needs law.   Please contact us at info@moschellawinston.com or (617) 776-3300.