Maureen’s husband is retiring within the next few years, and her family is now planning in advance for long-term care, in case the need should arise in the future. Recently, in doing some research on long-term care insurance, Maureen read that John Hancock is leaving the long-term care market early next year. She couldn’t believe […]
How to Convey Love to Someone with Alzheimer’s
Dear Commander Bun Bun, My mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s five years ago. A moment I have been dreading finally arrived. When we went to visit her, she forgot who we were. It hurt a lot to see this happening, and I know it’s just the beginning. What are some ways we can communicate love […]
Do I Have the Alzheimer’s Gene?
Q. My father and several of my aunts and uncles on his side and on my mother’s side have had Alzheimer’s disease, so I know that it is common in my family. I wish there was a way to know if I will get it too, so I could start on my bucket list now […]
What is the Difference Between Alzheimer’s and Dementia?
Recently, Gina’s mother told her the devastating news that her Uncle Jack had been diagnosed with dementia. When Gina’s husband got home from work, she quickly told him about her uncle’s “Alzheimer’s” diagnosis. Gina, her mother, and her husband began using the terms “dementia” and “Alzheimer’s” interchangeably, as if they meant the same thing, where […]
CMS Finalizes Commitment to Person-Centered Care for Nursing Home Residents
Q. My father has Alzheimer’s, and he is no longer able to live safely on his own. Since my mother died, I have been his caregiver, and although trusting his care to strangers isn’t going to be easy, I know a nursing home is the right place for him at this time. My husband and […]
New Apps for Dementia Patients
Many of us have grandchildren who are preteens. They play sports, enjoy video games and texting, and spend a lot of their time socializing with their friends. Academically, many preteens are discovering STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) in school, and schools are trying to hone those skills with extracurricular activities in computers, mathematics, […]
When Dementia Training Is Mandatory
Hiroyuki Yamamoto, 69, spends his mornings at a busy intersection in the city of Matsudo, near Tokyo, Japan, where he volunteers as a school crossing guard. One morning, he saw a disoriented woman crossing the street. He spoke to the woman, who was trying to get somewhere by foot that was four hours away by […]
The Bad News: CMS Delays Federal Implementation of NOTICE Act Until Fall 2016
The Good News: Virginia and Maryland already require notice! Observation care is a hospital classification used when patients are not well enough to go home but not sick enough to be admitted to the hospital. In many situations, if patients are being wheeled into a hospital bed and getting treatment, then they assume that they […]
What if Everyone in Your Town Had Dementia?
Grocery store in Hogeweyk, Amsterdam Imagine this . . . you have a friend named Sally who is in the advanced stages of dementia. She getsup in the morning, and wanders out to the supermarket in her nightgown. She passes others with dementia on the sidewalk, but doesn’t take much notice. She doesn’t know why […]
Huge Rate Hike for Federal Government Long-Term Care Insurance Policies
Q. My husband and I are both retired Federal employees and recently received letters in the mail from Long-Term Care Partners about our Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program. It referenced a rate increase, and asked that we make a decision by September 30 about whether to continue our policy. The problem is that the rate […]
The Lapsing of Long-Term Care Insurance Policies and Dementia
Dear Commander Bun Bun, My grandmother had a long-term care insurance policy, which I know she was paying a lot for. However, she has dementia, and let it lapse. I’m sure this happens all the time, and it’s scary because now is the time when someone like her would need the coverage most. Luckily, we […]
Caution: The Hidden Dangers of Heartburn Medicine
Jim Palmer, former player for the Baltimore Orioles and TV commentator, has something in common with millions of other individuals, including myself. He has GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), which occurs when stomach acid backs up into the esophagus. Similar to my personal situation, Palmer had suffered from frequent and persistent heartburn for many years that […]
Overcoming Emotions: Moving Mom to a Nursing Home
Q. My aging mother has lived in her home since I was a child. My family loved the neighborhood so much that we never moved, and when I got married and had my own family, we bought a house a few blocks away. Now, dad’s been gone for many years, and mom has had home […]
Nursing Home Preparation
Dear Baxter, My father will be moving to a nursing home next month. What do you suggest we do to prepare for this big move? Thanks! Bea Forehegos —— Dear Bea, The move to a nursing home is more like a journey than an event, for most residents, caregivers, and families. After you have chosen […]
The Best Way to Leave Assets to Minor Children
Dear Commander Bun Bun, My husband and I were talking about doing estate planning and how to provide for our minor children. Of course, we want to leave almost everything to our children, because we want to make sure that they are provided for in the event something happens to us. But we couldn’t trust them with the inheritance […]
A Parent has Alzheimer’s and a Gun. What Do You Do?
Ever since Gregg Schnepp retired, his favorite activity has been gathering with his friends at the shooting range. According to his wife, Joanne, who is a strong believer in the right to bear arms, “shooting is about his only interest in life.” However, as a 70-year old with both mental and physical decline, it is becoming unsafe for Gregg to carry a gun. Joanne knows she has to talk to her […]
Discriminated Against for Having the “Wrong Type of Illness”
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 activities. In the United States, in particular, long-term care is disastrously expensive. And, when it comes to benefits, some people are discriminated against simply because they have the […]
Should My Uncle With Dementia Still Be Driving?
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 if he loses his way, […]
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 activities. In the United States, long-term care is disastrously expensive. Medicare, the public health insurance system […]
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 and cons list? Thanks! Lee Vamealone —- Dear Lee, With […]
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