In the past, 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 James Gandolfini, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, Etta James, and Michael Crichton, who made estate planning […]

Cremation is quickly becoming a preferred method of memorial in the U.S., and it is projected that 40-45% of those who pass away will be cremated this year, according to the Cremation Association of North America. Projections are that nearly 60% of the U.S. population will be choosing cremation by the year 2025.  Many people […]

Q. I am a caregiver for my husband of 10 years, Frank, who is 75 and has dementia. As his dementia is worsening, bills are piling up and decisions about long-term care need to be made. I am feeling alone, exhausted, and overwhelmed, and could use some help from my husband’s two adult daughters from […]

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 35% of Americans over 65 are considered physically fit. Many people don’t realize the countless benefits of exercise, including how it helps:  reduce the risk of many diseases; stave off depression; manage stress; and keep our minds sharp. In some instances, exercise can even lower […]

Mary is a caregiver for her mother, Charlotte, who is in the early stages of dementia. She has seen her mother’s symptoms of forgetting who family members are, having difficulty communicating and remembering the right words to use, and becoming irrationally suspicious of those around her. She has witnessed her mother forgetting how to turn […]

An estimated 5.2 million Americans of all ages have Alzheimer’s disease. This includes an estimated 5 million people age 65 and older and approximately 200,000 individuals younger than age 65. When Alzheimer’s disease touches someone close to you, it’s natural to want to honor or remember the person in a special way. Now, you can […]

LGBT married couples can now celebrate another important victory in their fight for equal rights. The U.S. Justice department will soon grant them the same rights in legal matters as married heterosexual couples. These new guidelines are the latest effect of the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage that struck down the Defense of Marriage […]

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 […]