By Erin L. Nunes, Managing Partner, Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes, P.C.
Every week, our office meets families who wish they had started planning sooner—or had a clearer understanding of the changes unfolding around them. Legal rules are shifting. Healthcare systems are under strain. Longterm care costs are rising. And adult children are increasingly finding themselves in the middle—helping parents make decisions while juggling their own lives, careers, and families.
That is exactly why we created this program: to help adult children and their parents understand the big picture and make more informed decisions—together.
Why This Program Came to Be
In January, our firm shared an earlier version of this content with community partners—professionals from businesses and organizations that serve older adults and their families across our region. These included healthcare providers, financial advisors, aging services organizations, and care professionals who see firsthand how changes in the law, benefits programs, and care systems are affecting families locally.
The goal at that time was awareness:
- To highlight new and evolving laws
- To explain rising costs and benefit shifts
- To discuss staffing shortages and access challenges in care settings
- And to connect these changes to what families are already experiencing every day
The response was immediate. Community partners told us they were seeing the same pressures—and more importantly, they urged us to bring this information directly to consumers.
As a result, we revised and expanded the program specifically for families planning for aging, caregiving, and life transitions.
Planning Today Is Not What It Was Ten Years Ago
Many parents believe they have “done planning” because they have a will, maybe a power of attorney, and a vague sense that Medicare or Medicaid will help if care is needed. Adult children often assume they will figure things out when the time comes.
Unfortunately, that approach no longer works.
Today, families must navigate:
- New and complex legal rules, including changes affecting MassHealth eligibility and planning timelines
- Rising long-term care costs that can quickly deplete retirement savings
- Healthcare system constraints, including limited homecare availability and staffing shortages in facilities
- Tax cliffs and financial consequences that are often overlooked until it is too late
This program helps families understand how these pieces fit together—before decisions are made in a crisis.
Why Adult Children Should Attend
Adult children are often the ones:
- Fielding calls from hospitals or care facilities
- Managing paperwork and applications
- Coordinating between siblings
- Making financial decisions under stress
Yet many adult children tell us they feel unprepared—and unsure where to turn for reliable guidance.
By attending this program, adult children gain:
- A clearer understanding of what support systems actually exist—and what gaps remain
- Insight into legal and financial pitfalls that commonly arise during caregiving
- Better tools for starting productive, respectful conversations with parents
- Knowledge of local resources that can help—not just nationally, but right here in our community
Most importantly, adult children leave feeling more confident and less reactive.
Why Parents Should Attend
Parents often attend estate planning workshops, expecting to talk only about documents. What they quickly discover is that true planning today requires a broader lens.
This program helps parents:
- Understand how care decisions impact independence, finances, and family dynamics
- Learn how current laws affect asset protection and benefits eligibility
- Recognize how early planning can preserve choice, control, and dignity
- See how involving adult children early can reduce stress later
Planning is not about giving up control—it is about keeping it.
The Power of Attending Together
When parents and adult children attend together, something powerful happens. Everyone hears the same information at the same time. Assumptions are replaced with facts. Conversations that are often avoided become easier to start.
Instead of:
- “I didn’t know it worked that way.”
- “I thought Medicare covered that.”
- “I had no idea you wanted that.”
Families leave with:
- Shared language
- Shared understanding
- And a clearer roadmap for what comes next
Connecting You to the Right Resources
This program is not just about educating—it is about connection.
Families will learn about:
- Legal planning options
- Financial considerations and tax impacts
- Healthcare and long-term care pathways
- Local service providers who support aging adults and caregivers
You do not have to figure this out alone. One of the greatest benefits of attending is learning where to turn before a crisis hits.
An Invitation to Plan Proactively
Life transitions will happen—whether we are ready or not. This program is an opportunity to step out of reaction mode and into informed, proactive planning.
If you are an adult child supporting a parent, a parent thinking about the future, or a family navigating both roles at once, this program was designed for you.
Planning today is about understanding the full picture—legal, financial, healthcare, and longterm care—so your family can move forward with clarity and confidence.
I hope you will join us.
To register, click here!
