Every year, thousands of Medicare patients spend time in the hospital for “observation,” but are not officially admitted. Many Medicare recipients don’t realize that the time they spend in the hospital under “observation” status cannot be counted towards the 3-day inpatient hospital stay required for Medicare coverage.  In these cases, Medicare will not cover any medications the hospital provides for pre-existing health problems. In addition, the biggest problem is […]

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system that impairs motor skills and speech.  In its advanced stages, sufferers could become disabled, with problems feeding themselves, talking, and walking. Nearly 1.5 million Americans live with Parkinson’s disease (PD), and there is no cure. In a recent study published in Neurology Magazine, researchers […]

Over 3 million Americans receive care in nursing homes and skilled nursing facilities each year, and nearly one million persons reside in assisted living facilities. Data about infections in long-term care facilities are limited, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 million to 3 million serious infections occur every year. […]

The Veteran’s Aid and Attendance benefit, offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs, is a vital program for those veterans (and their spouses) who are in need of medically related assistance with activities of daily living. Changes that are forthcoming, including a “look-back period,” may make benefits more difficult to secure in the future. In […]

Q. I have three children – a healthy 2-year old and twin 9-year olds with severe Autism Spectrum Disorder. I recently took them  grocery shopping, and when looking at the ingredients on a label, one of my twins disappeared. Luckily, the clerk at the front of the store found him wandering around and returned him […]

It’s estimated that 5.4 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease or another type of dementia, and about 70% of them live at home. For most seniors with dementia, staying at home is a common goal; however, it can pose certain risks and prove challenging for family caregivers. A new study of more than 250 Baltimore residents (average age of 83) who are aging in […]

A growing number of Americans are living to age 100 and beyond. In the U.S., the centenarian population has grown 65.8 percent over the past three decades, from 32,194 people who were age 100 or older in 1980 to 53,364 centenarians in 2010, according to new Census Bureau data. In contrast, the total population has increased 36.3 […]

Today, people in the United States come together to commemorate an important figure in the history of civil rights, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. MLK Day offers the perfect opportunity to remember a man who played an important role in freedom and equality. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. called for peaceful protest in response to […]

Q. When I was a child, my parents took me to see my grandmother. I was very upset when she didn’t remember me or my sister and when she thought my dad (her son) was my older brother. Now I am faced with the same situation with my own children. My wife would like for […]

From the sticker shock of long-term care to court cases involving filial responsibility, we covered a lot of ground in 2013. It was a year that included a 5.2 percent sequester and the release of a new DSM-5 manual that changed the definition of Autism Spectrum Disorder and eliminated the bereavement exclusion. We also saw […]

Patients in a nursing home or rehabilitation facility are often limited in their mobility as well as in their contact with the outside world, which can often cause feelings of isolation or depression. Spending long days watching television or waiting for the next meal can be a mundane and boring existence for them.  However, family members (even those who are […]

Mental and emotional well-being is essential to overall health. Positive mental health enables people to cope with the stresses of life, to live life to the fullest with a positive attitude, and to feel active and connected. This January, during Mental Wellness Month, is a good time to recognize and address some of the daily […]

Q. My 71-year old father, Joe, had a stroke and was hospitalized for a week and a half. When he was discharged, he was moved to a rehabilitation facility for therapy, and Medicare has been paying for his therapy there for 2 weeks. When it comes to his in-patient therapy, what is covered and when […]

  All taxpayers in Jersey (not New Jersey, and not any U.S. state) will soon be contributing towards the high costs of residential nursing facility and home-based care, after a vote by politicians. Ideally, this means that home owners in Jersey (part of the Channel Islands) will not have to sell their property or use […]

In an effort to show support for veterans and honor their families this holiday season, the Farr Law Firm participated in the 5th Annual Wreaths Across America. Wreaths Across America is a nonprofit organization best known for its annual wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery and 850 other military cemeteries across the nation and overseas. […]

Filial responsibility laws obligate adult children to pay for their indigent parents’ food, clothing, shelter and medical needs. When the children fail to do so, nursing homes and government agencies can bring legal action to recover the cost of caring for the parents. Not only can they sue you for the money, but in some […]

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers a six-week online workshop at no-cost, called Building Better Caregivers™, for family caregivers of veterans. This comprehensive online workshop addresses specific needs of caregivers who care for Veterans with dementia, traumatic brain injury, posttraumatic stress disorder, or any other serious injury or illness. The program, developed at […]

Q. I have a question about Medicaid eligibility and need elder law and/or divorce advice in order to protect our modest assets. My husband and I reside in Virginia. I am in my late 60s and work full time. My husband is 80 and has Parkinson’s disease and early signs of dementia. His only income […]