No one wants to face a situation where they have to deal with losing someone they care about. It’s only made worse if debt is involved. What happens to debt after you die depends on who has signed for it, as well as the laws in your individual state. If you have a joint account […]

Guest Blog Post by Jennifer FitzPatrick, MSW, LCSW-C Attorneys, because of the doctrine of attorney-client privilege, are generally forbidden from reporting any private or confidential information about a client, including reporting suspected self-neglect to Adult Protective Services. However, many other senior-serving professionals are classified as “mandated reporters,” meaning they are required to report suspected abuse, […]

What happens when you notice changes in your loved one’s cognitive abilities and you want to suggest a memory screening, but are met with resistance?  When a loved one’s faltering memory causes problems finding words, a detachment from people, irritability, confusion, forgotten appointments or difficulty with everyday affairs such as grocery shopping, cooking or paying […]

Research findings suggest that men and women older than 65 who learn to use Facebook could see a boost in cognitive function. Currently, one in three online seniors use a social networking site like Facebook, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Project. In a preliminary study of older adults aged 68 to 91, researchers out of the […]

A “guardian” of an adult is a person appointed by the court who is responsible for the personal affairs of an incapacitated adult, including responsibility for making decisions regarding the adult’s support, care, health, safety, habilitation, education, therapeutic treatment, and residence.  A “conservator” is also appointed by the court, and is responsible for managing the […]

With Americans living longer and baby boomers hitting retirement age, the demand for long-term care is expected to surge. Long-term care (LTC) insurance is one way to pay for long-term care. But according to a recent three-part series aired on CNBC’s Nightly Business Report, LTC insurance is not ideal for everyone. Watch the CNBC videos: […]

Eric’s mother Joan died after being moved out of an assisted living facility, where she sustained life-threatening wounds. Cheryl’s husband, George — who suffered from dementia — died after he was left unsupervised and drank industrial strength dishwashing fluid.  These true stories and others are exposed on Life and Death in Assisted Living, a documentary […]

Medicare provides access to health care for millions of seniors and those with disabilities. Nearly 50 million Americans—15 percent of the nation’s population and growing—depend on Medicare for health security. New information released this week by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shows a strong Medicare program: Over 6.6 million people with Medicare […]

Family caregivers and home health care professionals (collectively referred to in this article as “caregivers”) provide in-home care for family members or others who are chronically ill, disabled or elderly. Their goal is to help their loved ones or clients remain in their homes as long as possible, or in residential facilities rather than long-term […]

Part 1: Celebrity Series – Guardianship and Conservatorship (Amanda Bynes) A “guardian” of an adult is a person appointed by the court who is responsible for the personal affairs of an incapacitated adult, including responsibility for making decisions regarding the adult’s support, care, health, safety, habilitation, education, therapeutic treatment, and residence.  A “conservator” is also appointed […]

Open enrollment for Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D runs from October 15 to December 7. If you are researching and comparing Medicare Part-D and Medicare Advantage plans, the Medicare.gov Plan Finder is a helpful tool. It lists all of the plans available in your area, with details about the premiums, and personalized information about […]

The following post was written by guest blogger, Carly Lee. Want to submit a guest blog post? Read the Guidelines here. — Many people in the U.S. will require some form of long-term care (LTC). Over the decades the population has been continuously increasing mainly due to Americans living longer. More services are required to […]

A new report released by AARP last week highlights the challenges facing states in providing long-term services and supports (LTSS). The report comes at a time when states are beginning to implement LTSS options in the Affordable Care Act that increase access to Medicaid home and community based services (HCBS). The report examines findings of […]

Many believe that an aging population means that there will be an explosive growth in the number of Medicaid beneficiaries in nursing homes. But, according to more than 35 years of research (see above), this isn’t necessarily the case. In fact, statistical data shows that nursing home use by Medicaid-eligible seniors has fallen by nearly […]

The Commission on Long-Term Care held its first meeting late last month on Capitol Hill. The panel is faced with a three-month deadline to produce a report that offers Congress recommendations on how to finance long-term care services, such as Medicare and Medicaid, for seniors and disabled Americans. Congress established the panel as part of […]

Nearly 1.5 million Americans live with Parkinson’s disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease for which there is no cure. Fortunately, a new study indicates that the artificial sweetener mannitol, a common component of sugar-free gums and candies, may hold potential for treating PD. Researchers took interest in mannitol because, when given as an injection, it can […]

Estate Planning Mistakes of Celebrities Continued…. Last fall, our newsletter featured a series of articles entitled “Lessons Learned from Estate Planning Mistakes of Celebrities,” demonstrating why probate is such a nightmare and lessons that can be learned from the costly mistakes of celebrities. Celebrities, including Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Etta James and Michael Crichton, who […]