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 […]
New Technology Prevents You From Losing Your Children
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 […]
Is Living at Home Hazardous to Your Health?
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 […]
Does Medicare Discriminate Against Certain Elders?
Q. My mother, Sally, is 67, has chronic depression, and is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. In the past, Medicare only covered 50% of the costs of her psychological treatment for her depression. I feel like this is discrimination, since mental health treatment covered by Medicare is not on equal footing with other medical […]
Secrets to Living Longer from Centenarians
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 […]
Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. Day
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 […]
Explaining Grandma’s Alzheimer’s
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 […]
Two-thirds of Seniors Need Assistance
According to a recent study by the American Journal of Public Health, two-thirds of people 65 and older need help to perform activities of daily living, such as bathing, dressing, eating, getting out of bed or a chair, walking and using the toilet. Most seniors are seeking help in the form of special devices, such […]
Our Thirteen Most-Read Articles of 2013
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 […]
Can You Actually Die of Boredom?
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 […]
Tips for Less Stress During Mental Wellness Month
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 […]
Unusual Alternatives for Disposing of Your Body After Death
When most people think of what happens to their bodily remains after death, a traditional funeral and casket burial are what typically come to mind, with cremation being an increasingly preferred alternative to traditional burial because it is generally much less expensive than a traditional burial. With cremation, remains are reduced to ash in an […]
Good Dental Hygiene Can Help Prevent Alzheimer’s
When you go to the dentist, does the hygienist tell you to floss more often? Now there is more reason to listen, as a recent British study suggests that the bacteria from gum disease contributes to Alzheimer’s disease. The study, published in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, took brain samples from people who died of Alzheimer’s, compared with samples from people who died from […]
Ask the Expert: Medicare’s 100-Day Rule vs. Long-Term Care
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 […]
The Social Security Spousal Benefit
Many near-retirement couples are unaware of a special Social Security spousal benefit, which can be especially helpful when one spouse retires and the other continues working. How does it work? As an example, Dolores retired at age 62, and collects $2,000 a month. Her husband, John, the higher earner in the family, is turning 66 […]
A Universal Benefit that Assists with Long-Term Care—Not in the U.S.
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 […]
Giving Back: Farr Law Firm Participates in Wreaths Across America
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. […]
More Filial Responsibility Cases are Ending Up in Court
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 […]
An Online Workshop for Caregivers of Veterans
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 […]
Ask the Expert: Divorcing a Loving Husband to Afford Long-Term Care
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 […]
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