Q. My lifelong friend, Declan, has a family that has a history of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Declan is worried that he will get sick when he is still young and will not be able to pay his bills or make other decisions about his savings, his house, or … [Continue reading]
How Much Should an Agent Under a Power of Attorney Be Paid?
Dear Ernie and Jannette, Both my parents signed Power of Attorney documents naming my sister as their financial agent. They now both have dementia and live in an assisted living facility. My sister wants to pay herself to do things like take them … [Continue reading]
Dolphins and Dementia — Beware of Contaminated Waters
Jeannie and I love aquariums, so we visit them often. Because we have a vacation home near Clearwater Beach, home to the world-famous Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA), the real-life home of Winter and Hope from the movies Dolphin Tale and Dolphin … [Continue reading]
What Can Go Wrong if You Handwrite Your Own Will?
Dear Angel, My husband insists on us writing our own Wills. He said that handwritten Wills are legal in Virginia and that we don’t need help from an attorney. Is this correct, and if so, can you tell me some of the things that can go wrong if you … [Continue reading]
Is a Handwritten Will Ever Valid?
Q. My brother, Larry, doesn’t like to spend money on anything. His family never went on vacation, never bought a new car, or never remodeled their 1970’s kitchen (or any other part of their home, for that matter). His attitude is that if something is … [Continue reading]
Fairfax County, Virginia is Number One in Life Expectancy
Mark has lived in Fairfax County for 15 years now. He admits that his home is a bit older and smaller than he would like and that the traffic is sometimes horrendous on the main roads and highways during rush hour, yet he has no plans on moving until … [Continue reading]
Choosing a Guardian for Our Children
Dear Hayek, We have young children and are considering doing a Child Protection Plan for each of them. We know we need to name guardians for our children, should we die or become incapacitated. The problem is that I cannot think of anyone who … [Continue reading]
It’s Vacation Time — Are Your Children Protected?
Q. My husband and I are finally taking our dream vacation to visit Greece this summer. Our children, Mason (11) and Emilie (9), will be at sleepaway camp, and then at their grandmother’s house, so they will not be going with us. While we should be … [Continue reading]
Being Shamed for Your Nursing Home Decision
This past weekend, Kathryn hosted a graduation party for her daughter and was excited to spend time with the family and friends that came to celebrate. For the past few years, she hadn’t had much time to visit with friends or family with all of the … [Continue reading]
Five Steps to Plan for Digital Assets, such as Online Passwords
Q. My father, Daniel, is a techie and an environmentalist. In other words, any type of banking, including bill payments, he does online (no paper statements for him!) He also invests online and is an avid user of Facebook, where he records just about … [Continue reading]
How to Make a Smart Phone Easier to Read for a Senior
Dear Bebe, I recently bought my mother a smart phone for her birthday. I figured it would be a great way for her to communicate with the grandchildren, and to have in case of an emergency. There are also some great apps to challenge her … [Continue reading]
Doctors Discover a New Type of Dementia
Dementia is an umbrella term used to refer to many types of neurodegenerative diseases—one of which is Alzheimer’s. And while the majority of dementias are diagnosed as Alzheimer’s, a recent study showed that thousands of people diagnosed with … [Continue reading]
When Caregiving Turns into Self Neglect
Q. I am concerned about my mother, Sharon. She is a caregiver for my 92-year-old grandmother, who lives with her and my father, who is not in the best of health himself. I saw my mother the other day when I stopped by for a visit. She looks emaciated … [Continue reading]
Do Caregivers Have a Higher Life-Expectancy?
Dear Magic, I read somewhere that caregivers have a higher life-expectancy than non-caregivers. With all of the stress that goes into caregiving, how can this be true? Thanks for your help! Liv Longer --- Dear Liv, What you read is … [Continue reading]
How Could Something Used to Treat Autism Also Be Used to Treat Dementia?
Kevin’s mother, Lydia, takes him for Interactive Metronome therapy twice a week to improve his focus. She decided to give this therapy a try, with hopes that he could better sit still in class and attend to learning. Kevin has an Autism Spectrum … [Continue reading]
Why Medicaid Planning Is 100 Percent Ethical
Q. My close friend, Paula, invited me to lunch the other day. We got to talking, and I asked her about her father who she told me was in a nursing home. She asked about my parents, and I explained how my mother’s dementia is getting worse, and we are … [Continue reading]
Dispelling Myths About Medicaid
Dear Angel, I have heard several things about Medicaid, and I wanted to see if they are true. One thing that I've been told is that Medicare will cover my health care costs, including long-term care. Another is that you need to be broke to … [Continue reading]
10 Intriguing Things to Do with Your Cremains When You Die
Pictured: Forevurn Kaleidoscope Urn Steve Munt is a cat lover with a keen interest in outer space. While most grieving pet owners keep their furry friends' remains at home in an urn or buried in the yard, Munt wanted to do something special for his … [Continue reading]
Why Am I No Longer Getting My Social Security Benefits Statement?
Dear Hayek, I used to receive a document in the mail from the Social Security Administration every year that explained my benefits. I haven’t seen one in a long-time. Is this something that they eliminated, and if so, how can I access this … [Continue reading]
Does Medicare Cover Annual Physicals?
Q. My sister Amy, 66, recently called her primary care doctor’s office to schedule an annual checkup. She naturally assumed her Medicare coverage would pick up most, if not all, of the tab for the exam. After all, an annual visit is supposed to be … [Continue reading]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- …
- 42
- 43
- 44
- 45
- 46
- …
- 112
- Next Page »