Katie, Elder Law Attorney

Healthy, happy, independent home living is best protected with thoughtful planning and expert support. To that end, Truehold is hosting an interview series to better connect you with local St. Louis professionals and resources on aging and living in place.

In this installment of our interview series, we chat with Katie Miles, an Elder Law Attorney with Quinn Estate & Elder Law in Manchester, Missouri. We talk about the services an elder law attorney can help you with, why it’s important to have a Power of Attorney in place, and more. 

Tell us about yourself and what inspired you to serve local seniors. 

I have personal and professional experience that led me to elder law. My first career was as an occupational therapist, where I worked primarily with older adults. I also volunteered with hospice patients prior to becoming an attorney. 

As an elder law attorney, I wanted to advocate for older adults and people with disabilities and help them navigate situations that may be new or challenging. I am most proud of the ongoing positive interactions I have with my clients.

For someone who has never heard of an elder law attorney, can you explain what you do and why it's important?

My area of expertise is elder law, long term care planning, and special needs planning.

I help people get proper legal documents in place, such as Powers of Attorney, Wills, and Trusts. These documents are important in determining who makes decisions on your behalf if you get sick, and how your estate is eventually passed on. I also assist older adults with accessing public benefits, such as VA benefits, which may help pay for home care. In addition, I also assist families with special needs planning, which is particularly important when families have an adult child with a disability.

What are your top tips for older adults to keep in mind — especially if they plan on living at home for as long as possible?

My top tip is to make sure older adults have proper Powers of Attorney in place, as these documents allow the older adult to determine who would make financial transactions, and who would make medical decisions, if they are not able to.

Powers of Attorney also ensure that there IS someone with legal authority to make these decisions on behalf of an older adult in the event they get sick - without these documents, family members may need to seek a guardianship or conservatorship to make decisions on their behalf.

What are your top tips for family members or caregivers who want to support the older adults in their lives?

I would recommend family members have conversations and open communication with the older adults in their lives to determine if estate planning is in place and, if not, all adults should be encouraged to get these documents in place.

When should people contact you for your services? What life events, needs, etc. are your services best for?

People should get in touch with me if they do not have estate planning documents in place or if there has been a change in life situation that necessitates updating the decision makers on their documents. In addition, if someone is a veteran or a surviving spouse of a veteran, they might want to contact me to learn more about the potential of VA benefits which can help with costs of home care.

Readers can email me at kmiles@quinnestatelaw.com or call Quinn Estate and Elder Law at 636-394-7242.

Are there any other resources you would recommend to help with living at home or general life as one gets older?

There are several resources in the St. Louis area to assist older adults with remaining in their home, or to assist them with changing life situations. Aging Ahead is one such phenomenal resource. Care managers and home care companies can also provide assistance to individuals with health care or assistance needs.

How do you see Truehold being of help to you or your clients?

I think Truehold offers an innovative solution to help older adults remain in their home as they age!