This month, residents of nursing homes and other long- term care facilities, along with family members, facility staff, and others are honoring the rights of long-term care residents by celebrating Long-Term Care (LTC) Residents’ Rights Month. The theme for LTC Residents’ Rights Month 2013 is, “Speak Out Against Elder Abuse,” with the goal of encouraging […]

Medicare Open Enrollment began yesterday and will last until December 7, 2013. During this six-week period, Medicare beneficiaries have the option to make any changes to their plan that will take effect on January 1st, 2014. View a CMS video about Medicare Open Enrollment. Below are a few things you should do to prepare and […]

Every 68 seconds there is another person diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in the United States.  Since there is no single definitive medical test for identifying Alzheimer’s disease, arriving at the correct diagnosis can take time and patience.  To diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, a doctor will look for symptoms, such as memory problems, difficulty identifying familiar items […]

Q. How can I update the Will that I established when I was in the military approximately 10 years ago? Asked on AVVO by a resident of Springfield, VA A. Just as a car needs regular maintenance, your estate planning documents need to be updated or redone, especially if it has been 10 years since […]

This month, we celebrate National Special Needs Law and Down Syndrome Awareness months. One in 691 children are born with Down Syndrome and there are more than 400,000 people currently living with the condition in the U.S.  Although the genetic disorder has been recognized for decades, scientists still know very little about the cause.  During […]

Planning for your family’s immediate and long term future is something most parents think about. Because your home is likely the largest purchase you will make during your lifetime, deciding what to do with it is among the most important decisions you can make.  In some situations, parents desire to leave their residence to their […]

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) has designated October as National Special Needs Law Month. This awareness month is a grassroots effort to educate people with disabilities and their families about their legal options in dealing with guardianship and conservatorship, Medicare, Medicaid, special education, and other important issues. Many people with disabilities need […]

Three years ago, Congress wrote the law known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), to maintain Americans’ current health coverage as much as possible, to boost consumer protections in the health insurance market for individuals, and to cover the uninsured. Today, October 1, the U.S. government launched the centerpiece of the ACA, opening new insurance […]

In the early fall, taxes are probably the last thing you want to think about. But this is one year in which it may pay for you to get both your income tax planning and estate planning done early. There are a couple of provisions in the tax code that resulted in higher rates on […]

Elder Law According the National Institute on Aging, there are estimated to be between 2.4 million and 4.5 million Americans who have Alzheimer’s. One third of all seniors in America die with Alzheimer’s or some other dementia, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Deaths from Alzheimer’s have risen by 68% from 2000 to 2010. Alzheimer’s is […]

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive neurologic disorder of the brain leading to the irreversible loss of intellectual abilities, including memory and reasoning.  Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia. Alzheimer’s was discovered by Dr. Aloysius Alzheimer, who was a German neuropathologist and psychiatrist. In 1901, while he worked at the city mental asylum […]

Q.  My 65-year old brother, Sam, recently transferred his residence to a Living Trust PlusTM.  Last week, he received a “Deed Processing Notice” in the mail that looks a lot like a bill from the U.S. government.  There was a date on it for a couple of weeks from now by which they are requiring […]

Guardianship and Conservatorship court proceedings are typically used for those who have a mental illness caused by age, injury, or disability. The law does not make it easy for people to obtain guardianship or conservatorship, unless the person they are trying to help really needs it, because doing so takes away so many legal rights […]

I read that the Medicare Open Enrollment Period is October 15- December 7, 2013. I am new to this and want to make sure I don’t miss anything. What do I need to know? Please see all my questions below in blue. Thanks! Q. What is the Medicare Open Enrollment Period? A. Medicare beneficiaries have […]