U.S. food safety system is preparing for massive reform. It’s time to loosen up the belt for the holiday season, but are you taking adequate measures to prevent an untimely bout with food poisoning? The House of Representatives just passed legislation that is being called “[the] biggest overhaul in more than 70 years.” (MSNBC) This […]
Most likely: Supreme Court will have to decide constitutionality of mandatory insurance
The mandatory insurance debate represents an intersection (or a train wreck, depending on how you look at it) between federal powers, Congressional constitutional boundaries, and state interests. At issue is whether Americans can be required to buy medical insurance, and if so, whether penalties can be enforced for noncompliance. The states that oppose the multi-trillion […]
Hospitalized seniors can make great strides with just a few steps
A recent study conducted at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston suggests that senior citizens who stay mobile in hospitals can decrease the length of their stay. “Using [special step activity] monitors, we were able to see a correlation between even relatively small amounts of increased mobility and shorter lengths of stay in […]
How expensive will nursing homes be in 2020?
The cost of growing old is a concept Baby Boomers are beginning to wrestle with as they contemplate long term care options for both themselves and their aging parents. But in today’s age of economic uncertainty and rising care costs, more dependent adults are relying on family members for care. The Wall Street Journal recently […]
Good cholesterol linked to reduced Alzheimer’s risk
Alzheimer’s disease is the 7th leading cause of death and costs about 172 billion dollars annually.[1] Due to the disease’s debilitating nature, more than 10 million caregivers of individuals with the disease are unpaid family members, friends, or volunteers. For these reasons, it is no surprise that research and medical trials are ongoing to combat […]
Should the WikiLeaks fiasco raise healthcare privacy concerns?
Read the FULL Article here With roughly 250,000 documents released by WikiLeaks and with the aid of some popular media outlets, the ramifications of the diplomatic cables will be far-reaching. My initial thoughts were mixed: perhaps this latest WikiLeaks embarrassment will sound the alarm bells for governments and private industries to protect sensitive information more […]
Should the WikiLeaks fiasco raise healthcare privacy concerns?
Perhaps it is time to start asking questions, the goal being to learn from this unfortunate situation and hence pay more attention to safeguarding our data in this “post-9/11, information age.”
How New Health Information Technology Will Save Money and Lives
Why is it that our most sensitive, personal data is often in an unorganized state of disarray? Most of us probably could more quickly pull a given DVD or book from our collections than proffer to a doctor a condition or illness we may have suffered 1, 2, 5, or 10 years ago! The electronic […]
A Mixed Bag in Virginia: Federal Law Prohibits 2011 Social Security Increases, but Federal Agency Grants Millions to Disadvantaged Groups
As Halloween approaches this year, I can’t help but draw an analogy between the nights I spent meandering my neighborhood as a kid looking for handouts, and our current economic times. I recall my grade-school friends and I operating our minds at their collective capacities, as we planned the best streets to target and the best […]
Reverse Mortgage Rules Changing Again
I’ve written several times over the years on the topic of Reverse Mortgages. My first article explained the concept and requirements of a Reverse Mortgage and how seniors can use a reverse mortgage. My second article, entitled Using a Reverse Mortgage to Pay for Home Care, explained how the Reverse Mortgage can be used as a tool […]
Be Prepared
In my last blog post, I mentioned I’d be spending a week and a half working as a member of the archery staff at the BSA National Scout Jamboree, helping the Boy Scouts of America celebrate its 100th Anniversary. Well, I’m happy to report that I made it back to work last week, safe and sound despite having […]
Survey Shows Some Nursing Homes May Bill For Services Not Provided
A recent Washington Post article concludes that many nursing homes have been “up-coding” billing for care of residents for years, meaning that some nursing homes sometimes bill a resident more than they should be billed by using a special billing category intended to be used only for the five percent of nursing home patients who need highly […]
Health Reform: Changes in Store for the Elderly
After a year of legislative wrangling and premature forecasts of death, historic legislation overhauling the nation’s health insurance system passed the Congress and has been signed into law by President Obama. Among some of the highlights, this legislation contains: The nation’s first publicly funded national long-term care insurance program, the Community Living Assistance Services and […]
New Medical Conditions — Including Early-Onset Alzheimer’s Disease — Now Qualify for Automatic Disability Benefits
Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits are paid to individuals who, after having worked for many years, develop a disabling condition, prior to their normal retirement age, that is so severe that they are no longer able to work. Applicants for Social Security disability benefits often have to wait months, and sometimes years, for approval from the government, […]
Using a Reverse Mortgage to Pay for Home Care
Many of my clients ask me how I feel about reverse mortgages, and even more so this past week because of a favorable story that appeared in last week’s Washington Post entitled “Reverse Mortgages are Not the Next Subprime.” This excellent article was written by the “Mortgage Professor,” a Professor of Finance Emeritus at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (incdientally, my Alma Mater), and clears up much of the confusion and myths and fears surrounding the reverse mortgage. I encourage all of you to read it.
Important Elder Law and Estate Planning Numbers for 2010
Under current law, there will be no cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in Social Security in 2010 — the first time that has happened since automatic cost-of-living adjustments began in 1975. Several bills before Congress would grant a special increase in Social Security payments for 2010. In addition, when no Social Security COLA is provided, Medicare Part […]
Who Was Supposed To Be Watching Grandma?
There is a popular tune played this time of year called “Grandma Got Run Over by A Reindeer” which relates that Grandma — after drinking too much eggnog — went out into the winter cold to get her medication and was run over by a reindeer. The question is . . . “Who was supposed […]
Helping Your Older Parents Stay Happy and Healthy
by Robert Stall MD, Geriatrician If you’re fortunate enough to have one or both parents still living, you may have noticed a role reversal taking place in your relationship. Remember the days when Mom shuttled you to the doctor whenever you were sick? Now, it may be you who’s driving her to her medical appointments. Perhaps […]
What Does the Bible Teach us About Estate Planning?
Sorry for the last minute notice, but I just found out that my church, Fairfax United Methodist Church (10300 Stratford Avenue, Fairfax, VA 22030), has space left for a course I’m teaching tomorrow evening entitled What Does the Bible Teach us About Estate Planning?This is a brand-new two part course seminar that I’ve just put together as part of my […]
Keeping Mom and Dad Safe at Home
Elderly parents generally prefer to remain living in their own homes as long as possible. However, remaining in their homes becomes a concern when children see their parents slowing down or starting to have trouble with handling stairs and doing general daily activities. This is the time to evaluate the home to make it safe […]