Richard has had Parkinson’s for more than two decades. He has been hospitalized several times this past year, and each time, his ability to swallow and other motor skills have regressed and have needed to be relearned through therapy. Since there is no cure for Parkinson’s and since Richard has had it for so long, […]
575,000 People Are Using This Medicare Benefit. Are You?
Q. My friend Kate’s 93-year-old mother, Sue, was recently in palliative care. Sue had her Advance Medical Directive in place and the doctor had access to them. The documents clearly conveyed that she didn’t want aggressive measures to prolong her life. Sue also signed a HIPAA Waiver allowing the doctor to share confidential medical information […]
Virginia’s New Emergency Contact Program
Q. Last week, my husband got into a car accident. It was minor, luckily, and although he was a little shaken up and had whiplash, he was fine otherwise. When he called us from the hospital, the children and I were extremely worried, as you can imagine. What if the accident were more severe, and he was unable to […]
Facing the Elephant in the Room
When Alyssa left for her long drive back to college or for a vacation, she would always give her father a long, meaningful hug, and would reassure him that if something happened to him or her, that she loved him very much. Since she was always prepared for EVERYTHING, when she came home for holidays, […]
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 […]