Randall Kaiden’s vision for Kaiden Elder Law Group, PC, is to help seniors from the Santa Clarita Valley and beyond live their lives in the manner they want — at home or elsewhere — and not be forced into an expensive long-term care setting that they never wanted.

“Our mantra is that we want seniors to live the life that they want to live, and not a life that somebody is telling them that they need to, or must, live,” Mr. Kaiden explained. “We want you to live your life your way, not the system’s way.”

Nearly 94 percent of Americans would remain at home during their retirement years if they could, and one way Mr. Kaiden helps seniors live their way is by searching for resources and benefits to make this choice possible.

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“What we’re really doing most of the time is we’re creating asset protection trusts so that we can qualify seniors who are in need of long-term care for government benefits, such as Veterans Aid & Attendance Pension Benefits and Medi-Cal,” Mr. Kaiden said, “so that seniors do not need to go bankrupt, they can age with dignity and they probably don’t have to rely on their loved ones to take care of them as they age.”

One readily available benefit most veterans don’t realize even exists is called the VA Aid & Attendance Pension Benefit, which Mr. Kaiden noted is designed to help those veterans who served during a time of war and their spouses get government funding to help pay caregivers when they need help with activities of daily living.

In 2016, the Aid & Attendance Pension benefit could provide a married veteran with $2,120 per month, while a widow of a veteran can receive $1,149, and a single veteran gets up to $1,788, said Mr. Kaiden.

“That is an amazing thing that most people don’t realize,” he pointed out. “And it helps to really stretch out one’s resources so that seniors can age (with) dignity for a very long period of time.”

While most seniors have likely done some kind of estate planning, Mr. Kaiden emphasized that meeting with an elder care law attorney, which is totally different than estate planning, is just as — if not more — important.

That’s because, “Estate planning really only addresses the question of, ‘What happens when I die?’” Mr. Kaiden said. “That’s a very important question to ask and answer. However, what is sort of overshadowing that question for elder law practitioners is the question which most seniors should be asking, which is: ‘What happens if I live?’”

Randall Kaiden, J.D., LL.M.T., of Kaiden Elder Law Group is a Santa Clarita elder law attorney whose services cover estate planning, elder care law and the post-death administration of estates. The practice narrowed its focus to these three areas long ago in order to provide clients with exceptional services. A few things that set Kaiden apart from other Santa Clarita elder lawyers include his world-class legal services and compassion for helping seniors and their families. Kaiden is also a Santa Clarita VA aid and attendance attorney, as well as a Santa Clarita Medicaid attorney (medi-cal).

Randall Kaiden, J.D., LL.M.T.

Kaiden Elder Law Group, PC

27240 Turnberry Lane, Suite 200

Valencia, CA 91355

(661) 247-8433