Dear Commander Bun Bun, My dad broke the news to me that his brother has dementia. I have always been close with my uncle, so I was quite upset to hear about it. He told me that he will be driving to our house next weekend to visit. Driving? What … [Continue reading]
Muhammad Ali’s Vision Was Realized
For more than 20 years, Rachel’s father has had Parkinson’s Disease. When she first moved to the DC area in 1998, her father walked with a cane, and although his hands shook a little, he was still able to dance with her at her wedding. Rachel knew … [Continue reading]
Special Report: Long-Term Care Around the World
Part I: The Cost of Long-Term Care and How it’s Paid For Long-term care services, whether provided in institutions or in the community, are essential to the well-being of many elderly and non-elderly people with limitations in performing daily … [Continue reading]
Should I Get Long-Term Care Insurance?
Dear Baxter, My neighbor is an insurance agent who keeps bothering me about long-term care insurance. I try to avoid her, but lately it hasn’t been working. To help me make an educated decision, can you provide some reasons I can add to my pros … [Continue reading]
Home Health Aides Are Quitting Their Jobs
The in-home care industry has been anticipated to be the largest job creator between 2012 and 2022, with an estimated 1 million new caregivers required during that time. Now some are questioning whether there will be enough people willing to fill … [Continue reading]
Special Alert to Existing Clients and Potential Clients
YOUR LIVING TRUST MAY HAVE OUT OF DATE PROVISIONS AND NEED TO BE REVISED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. A once-popular estate planning tool, called a "Credit Shelter Trust” or – also called a "Bypass Trust" or a "Family Trust” — may now cost families more … [Continue reading]
Virtual Reality for Seniors: Traveling Through Time and Reducing Pain
Helen, 83, loved recounting “the good old days” with friends at her assisted living facility. She would talk about her old neighborhood in Roanoke, the neighbors across the street, riding her bicycle with her friends, and swinging high into the … [Continue reading]
When is a Person Too Incapacitated to Sign Legal Documents?
Q. My father, Roy, has severe arthritis and is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. He is widowed and currently lives in a stand-alone cottage house that my husband and I built for him in our backyard. Sometimes he seems completely “with it,” and … [Continue reading]
A Memory Forest Full of Hope and New Life
When Janis’ father, Barry, had cancer, he tried chemo, radiation, and ayahuasca, a plant native to Peru that is used in traditional healing ceremonies. He is an arborist by trade, and a hippie by nature. Prior to his cancer, he was strong and active, … [Continue reading]
Red Flags that You Need a Break from Caregiving
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I am a caregiver for my mother, Ellen, who had a stroke last year. She is very demanding at times, and I may be approaching burnout. I rarely take time for myself, and my emotions range between feeling fulfilled and … [Continue reading]
Can Caregivers Take Vacations?
Q. I am a full-time caregiver for my father, Frank, who has Alzheimer’s. I am able to work from home, but I often feel like I have two full-time jobs, since caregiving for dad is a full-time job in itself. At work, I am entitled to two weeks of … [Continue reading]
$14,000 – $16,000 Per Month for Nursing Home Care?
Q. I read in one of your recent newsletters that nursing homes in the metro DC area cost $12,000 - $14,500 a month. I think you made a typo, and I wanted to bring it to your attention. Those amounts are for a year, right? If nursing homes cost THAT … [Continue reading]
Do Dogs Hold the Key to Successful Aging in Humans?
Dear Baxter, My labrador retriever, Jessie, lived until she was 17 years old, making her a centenarian in human years. I heard of another lab that lived until 18, or 109 in human years. Have any studies ever been done on how our oldest canine … [Continue reading]
Being Her Brother’s Caregiver
A year ago, Helen Ries’s mother died unexpectedly, and she became the primary caregiver of her brother, Paul Knoll. Knoll has Down syndrome and had lived with his parents most of his life. Ries admits that her first year as a caregiver wasn’t easy, … [Continue reading]
Do Not Resuscitate Orders Being Placed Without Patient Consent?
All of us can be lulled into believing we’ve got plenty of time, until something unexpected happens. Whether it’s a car accident, a heart attack, a fire, or a stroke, those who procrastinated and didn’t plan in advance often kick themselves for not … [Continue reading]
Rest in Peace, Sweety
A year ago, Jeannie and I adopted a cat, Sweety, from one of our clients who passed away, and whose family was unable to care for her. This is just one of the many ways in which we sometimes are able to help our clients. Sadly, our beloved Sweety … [Continue reading]
If You Don’t Visit Your Parents, It Could Affect Your Credit Score
Imagine you were really busy with your job, your children, and your everyday life (which is the case for many of us!). Your parents are in their 80’s and, although you love them very much, you rarely get to visit them, let alone call them. Then, you … [Continue reading]
Laser Shoes, Magic Carpets, & More: Technology to Combat Falls
Q. My parents are snowbirds. Every spring, I pick them up at the Lorton Auto Train and drop them off at their home, and in November, they go back to Florida for the winter. My father has had Parkinson’s for almost 20 years now, and the debilitating … [Continue reading]
Home Modifications for Fall Prevention
Dear Angel, We just found out that my father will be moving in with us. He is in his 70’s, has Parkinson’s, arthritis, and is in a wheelchair a lot of the time. We don’t have much money to renovate, but we want to make sure our home is safe and … [Continue reading]
The Estate Planning of Prince, Harper Lee, and David Bowie
In 2016 so far, we have said farewell to some of the most legendary names in music, film, literature, and television, including Prince, Harper Lee, and David Bowie — all within the first four months of the year. While nothing can make the horrific … [Continue reading]
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