Laura, age 72, suffers from Parkinson’s disease, arthritis, and diabetes. On a snowy afternoon, she sits on her bed watching her favorite court television programs. At 3:30 p.m., it’s time for her wellness appointment. Laura turns on her iPad (supplied by her doctor’s office), and sees her physician’s face smiling back at her. The doctor […]
Is it the End for Observation Status?
Q. Late last year, you answered a question about a woman who spent a week in the hospital and was seen by doctors and nurses, given every kind of test imaginable, operated on, transferred to another room for recovery, and then to a nursing home for two weeks of rehabilitation. Subsequently, she received a […]
State of the Union: Status of Senior Programs
Q. My husband and I watched the State of the Union address on Tuesday night, until we fell asleep. We heard a little bit about Social Security and Medicare, but couldn’t get the complete gist of what President Obama was saying. If you watched, what do you think are some of the key takeaways for seniors, about important programs such as […]
Balanced Budget Act: Good or Bad for Seniors?
Image source: Wall Street Journal On November 2, 2015, the Balanced Budget Act of 2015 (BBA) was signed into law by President Barack Obama. According to the President’s statement on the day of the signing, “Democrats and Republicans came together to set up a responsible, long-term budget process, and what we now see is a […]
She was in the Hospital a Week, and They’re Calling it Observation Status!
Image Source: Dailymail Q. Last month, my 82 year-old mother, Shirley, fainted and hit her back on the bathroom counter on her way to the ground. When she came to, she could hardly move, but she was able to grab her phone to dial 911. She was taken to the emergency room, where the attending […]
Why Take Advantage of End-of-life Care Talks?
Dear Baxter, I just read that Medicare will fund end-of-life planning discussions with doctors, as of Jan. 1, 2016. Why is this important? My doctor already does this for free. And why should seniors take advantage of these talks? I personally don’t want to talk about death and dying. Thanks in advance for your thoughts! […]
Preparing Yourself for Medicare Open Enrollment
Every day, an average of 10,000 Americans will become eligible for Medicare as they turn 65 — and face a complex new set of health care decisions. If you’re among them, you may feel perplexed about what you need to do about Medicare and when. And, if you do, you are not alone. In fact, […]
What She Doesn’t Know About Social Security Could Cost Her Thousands
Q. My mother, Eileen, and her husband, Ray, just recently got divorced after 15 years of marriage. My step-father was the primary breadwinner throughout their marriage, while my mother was a homemaker, who worked a little here and there. Now that she’s turned 62, my mother wants to begin collecting Social Security as her sole […]
70% of Americans turning 65 will need Long-Term Care
Correction: The title of our newsletter is incorrect. It should be “One in seven adults will have a disability for more than five years.” We apologize for this error! Photo from homeaidescny.org A new federal issue brief, compiled by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), was released following the White House Conference on Aging. The research shows that […]
A “Guardian Angel” When One is Needed Most
Marjorie never felt alone at her nursing home. Although her husband died last year, and her children couldn’t be there a lot of the time to visit her, she seemed content. Her ability to speak clearly and her memory were diminishing and most people couldn’t understand what she wanted or needed, but somehow she always […]
ACA is Here to Stay – Is That Good for Seniors?
Photo Source: Irish Times Q. I heard that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is here to stay, as of yesterday when the Supreme Court ruled to save the health care law. Is the ruling good for seniors? Also, can you clarify whether seniors on Medicare are or are not affected by the ACA? A. Yesterday, […]
Virginia Becomes First State to Approve ABLE Act
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe Signs ABLE Act into Law (Source: NBC 29) Q. Our son, Jeff, has autism spectrum disorder and will likely need assistance throughout his lifetime. We are looking for ways to save for his future without jeopardizing his eligibility for Social Security and other government programs. I read about the ABLE act, and how […]
Strong or Vulnerable? Social Security in its 80th Year
For 80 years, Social Security has been protecting American families from both expected and unexpected challenges. Last week, the Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report to Congress, which projects that Social Security’s condition isn’t as troubling as many think. The 2015 report presents an honest, open discussion about the value of Social […]
Highlights from the White House Conference on Aging
Photo from Whitehouse.gov This past Monday, on the cusp of the 50th anniversary of the creation of Medicare and Medicaid and the 80th anniversary of Social Security, the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging was held. During the conference, 200 advocates, health care workers, and government officials discussed caring for seniors, addressing topics such as […]
Have a Piece of Cake. . .
It’s Medicaid’s 50th Birthday! Q. My son, Sam, turns 50 this year. Besides his birth, I know that something else significant happened in 1965 — President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicaid into law. I know you help people apply for Medicaid to protect their hard-earned assets from the catastrophic costs of long-term care, so I thought you […]
How to Choose Trustees for a Special Needs Trust
Mark is an autistic adult who resides in a Medicaid-funded residential program in upstate New York. Before his parents passed away, his mother established a Special Needs Trust for him, which held in excess of $2 million, with the two co-trustees being an attorney and a well-known trust company. As a result of the trust, […]
Want Free Long-Term Care? Try Medicare Part G.
Q. Nursing homes are so exorbitantly expensive. There is no way I can afford long-term care for myself, when the time comes, or for my husband, Morty. Is there any way to qualify for free long-term care in this country? A friend told me there’s a Medicare Part G that pays for free long-term care, […]
Hospice Care For Mom? But, She Isn’t Dying.
Q. My mother, Roxanne, 76, has suffered from lung disease for ten years. She still has her wits about her, and spends her days knitting, reading historical novels, and sipping tea. Recently, her doctor recommended hospice care, and I was perplexed by his recommendation. She has been living fine for a decade with her lung […]
Beating the Winter Blues
Dear Saki and Alley, I get depressed at this time of year, ever since my husband passed away. I had a full house for the holidays and everything seemed great, but now that it is over and the tree and decorations are gone, I am sad. I have physical and financial limitations that keep me […]
How Nursing Homes are Collecting Debts- More Reason to Plan Ahead
Lillian Palermo, a 90-year old retired insurance executive, entered a nursing home after she began experiencing dementia, falls, and surgical complications. Her husband, Dino, who is eight years her junior, visits her every day. He sings her favorite songs, feeds her home-cooked Italian food, and pays a private aide to be there when he cannot. […]