When Steve and Joanna bought their family home thirty-five years ago, their plan was to live there all through their retirement years. Joanna recently broke her hip. Now with her return from the hospital in a wheelchair, Steve is facing the overwhelming task of making their home accessible for her wheelchair and safe for both […]

According to the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, nearly 14% of individuals on Medicare that are discharged from a hospital to a skilled nursing setting are readmitted to the hospital for conditions that could potentially have been avoided. In an effort to promote quality care and reduce expenses, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated payment reductions […]

Dementia costs in the United States account for a whopping $109 billion for direct care. This does not include the costs of caring for a person with dementia, usually provided by family members, which would add an additional $50 – $106 billion to that number. Why is dementia care so expensive? A recent study found […]

 On Sunday, April 28 at 10:30 p.m, Evan H. Farr, CELA will be the guest on “Of Consuming Interest” hosted by Shirley Rooker, radio host and President of Call For Action, Inc. On her show, Ms. Rooker typically interviews top government officials, CEOs, and experts in their respective fields about topics that are of interest […]

Maryann Pittas, the victim of a car accident, was a patient in a nursing home for about six months. A few weeks after she was released, her son received the nursing-home bill of $93,000. He was beside himself when the facility tried to collect from his family because his mother couldn’t pay the bill. After […]

Ruth London, 74, was in the hospital with severe pneumonia. She was delirious and hallucinated that she was in jail. With the permission of a doctor on the unit, her husband brought the family Maltese, Delilah, to see if the pet could calm his wife down. The hospital staff didn’t let Mr. London in at […]

Fairfax, Va. – April 18, 2013 – Certified Elder Law Attorney Evan H. Farr has been awarded the Martindale-Hubbell® Client Distinction Award.  Selection for the award is based on Client Review Ratings in the categories of communications ability, responsiveness, quality of service, and value for money.  The results of reviews from Mr. Farr’s clients were […]

As demand for long-term care services is increasing, the cost of home health aides, adult day care, and nursing homes is also rising, according to results of a recent Genworth survey. These increasing expenses aren’t likely to slow as Americans live longer and have more health problems later in life, experts say. An estimated seven […]

In January of this year, as part of the Fiscal Cliff deal, President Obama and Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill agreed to tax estates at 40% with an exemption of $5.25 million ($10.5 million for couples). This was an increase from 35% and a $5.25 million exemption.   President Obama’s new budget proposal aims to turn […]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced recently that it will increase public awareness of financial relationships between drug and device manufacturers and certain health care providers. This rule, referred to as the “National Physician Payment Transparency Program: Open Payments,” is one of many steps in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) designed to […]

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a developmental disability that significantly affects three areas: communication (verbal and nonverbal), social interaction, and behavior. It is a spectrum disorder, meaning it affects each person in different ways and can range from very mild to severe. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), ASD affects 1 in 88 […]

Carolyn and Mark have been married for over 40 years. Five years ago, Mark was diagnosed with dementia. Since well before they received this official news, Carolyn has been caring for Mark, which has become more and more challenging  for her over the years, both mentally and physically.   As both a wife and a caregiver, […]

Certified Elder Law Attorney Evan H. Farr released his latest book, “Nursing Home Survival Guide:  Helping You Protect Your Loved Ones Who Need Nursing Home Care by Preserving Dignity, Quality of Life, and Financial Security” this week.The book is available on Amazon.com. In this book, Mr. Farr provides invaluable information and guidance to families dealing […]

The revised DSM-5, due to be released in May, has generated an unusual amount of heat. The removal of the “bereavement exclusion” has raised the concern that depression, once under-diagnosed in seniors, may become over-diagnosed. Traditionally, depression has been under-diagnosed in older adults. When people’s health suffers and they lose friends and loved ones, the […]

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recently launched a new Medicare Chronic Conditions Dashboard, offering researchers, physicians, public health professionals and policymakers access to current data on chronic conditions. Read the CMS announcement.Two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries have multiple chronic diseases such as heart disease and diabetes.  The Affordable Care Act (ACA) addresses these […]