Thank you for taking the time to read about our connection to the Kansas City, Kansas area. Kansas City is the third-largest city in the state of Kansas. Kansas City, KS is situated in the Midwest where the Kansas River and the Missouri River (of the longest river in the country) meet. Despite being situated on the edge of “Tornado Alley,” Kansas City, KS is a beautiful and historic city providing a wealth of senior services to its residents.
The Agricultural Hall of Fame, Huron Indian Cemetery, Strawberry Hill Museum, Children’s Museum and Grinter Place State Historic Site are only a few of the historic sites located in the greater Kansas City metropolitan area. In addition to its rich historical value, the city is quite generous to its senior population.
Kansas City and the Elderly
You may not know, but public transportation is often the only way many elderly and disabled individuals can get to the doctor, the grocery store, the drug store, or to visit a friend. The UG Transit system in Kansas City, KS provides innovative transportation alternatives that help senior residents maintain their independence. The transit services include Demand Response and Grocery Shopping services.
The Landon Center on Aging offers numerous programs meant to improve of the quality of life for seniors and their caregivers. The Center sponsors a Brown Bag Lunch series every Wednesday at Noon, open to anyone with an interest in seniors and senior issues. The Center also sponsors support and information through the Family Caregiver’s Support Group. On the entertainment side of things, there is the Forever Young Choir, a senior rock ensemble and the Images of Aging Photo Contest, an annual photo contest.
Kansas City’s ADA Curb Ramp Program
In an effort to provide safe and accessible streets and sidewalks in the Kansas City Area for residents and visitors of varying abilities, the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas works 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Every year, the Public Works Department builds new curb ramps and upgrades existing ones in an effort to make sidewalks and streets more accessible, as well as to keep them in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The program also accepts requests from disabled individuals for construction or upgrades of curb ramps at specific locations. Priority is typically given to locations which would complete an accessible route for a specific individual in need or that would improve access to government offices, transportation, places of public accommodation, and employers. Final implementation of requests depends on project funding and feasibility. When all factors are equal, requests are evaluated on a first-come, first-served basis. Construction and upgrades are often scheduled in conjunction with other street or sidewalk improvement projects.
Legal issues facing seniors in Kansas City, Kansas
Elder law attorneys are great at maintaining a working knowledge of the legal issues facing seniors these days. In fact, it is very important for an elder law attorney to recognize the myths regarding aging and competency for what they are. They need to be sufficiently experienced in order to identify the real mental and physical challenges of seniors. They must also be able to recognize how critical freedom and autonomy are to the senior population. Staying up with the frequent changes in the laws affecting elders is part of an elder attorney’s job. Making connections with the various professionals who routinely provide services to seniors is another important part of an elder law attorney’s job. As you can see, the advocacy an elder law attorney provides is often more than simply drafting legal documents.
Common legal issues addressed by elder law attorneys
Some of the most common legal issues handled by elder law attorneys in Kansas City, Kansas include:
- Medicaid and Medicare coverage for long-term care
- Estate planning and administration
- Guardianships and conservatorships
- Establishing and administering various types of trusts
The training and experience elder law attorney’s should have
Elder law attorneys obtain special preparation and experience in the potential legal issues affecting seniors, making them better equipped to comprehend and satisfy the needs of clients and their families. Elder law attorneys are also skilled at anticipating likely problems facing seniors. Usually, the practice of elder law requires legal advocacy, instruction, counseling and future planning.
If you have questions regarding seniors, elder law issues, or any other estate planning matters, contact Gaughan & Connealy for a consultation either online or by calling us at (913) 262-2000.
