“There must be a better way!” For those with limited mobility, this statement likely sounds familiar. While navigating ways to live more comfortably and independently, many turn to medical equipment, which can be helpful but costly. Many of us don’t realize that we may already have hacks to make our lives easier, and in many […]
What to Do When You Can No Longer Care for an Elderly Parent
Dear Hayek, I am a caregiver for my mother, and I’m beginning to realize that I don’t think I can do it anymore and that she may need more help than I can provide. I feel guilty for having these thoughts and wanting to find alternatives, as she has been a great mother to me […]
Yes, Probate Really Is That Bad!
When Sheila’s mother died with only a Last Will and Testament (Will) in place, she couldn’t fathom that she would still be knee-deep in probate a year later without an end in sight. Sheila often tells her friends and anyone who will listen that if she knew then what she knows now about probate, things […]
The Scammers Are Winning. How a New Client Benefit from The Farr Law Firm Can Help You Turn the Tables!
Q. I’ve been reading your newsletter for a while now and I’m always very impressed with all of your articles, including the many informative articles about the latest scams that seem to keep being targeted at the older population, and how to spot these scams so we don’t become another victim. I forward your articles […]
Two Scams That Aren’t Widely Known
Dear Kiwi and Mango, A friend of mine recently experienced a gift card draining scam where there was nothing left on a gift card she purchased at the store. Another was a victim of check washing, where the scammer actually washed the writing off a check she put in her mailbox. I have never heard […]
Beware of “Forgotten Assets” When Applying for Medicaid. And Beware of Bankers Trying to be Helpful.
We received two similar questions this week and will address them both. Q1. My aunt opened a savings account at her local bank for her son (my cousin) in the late 1980’s when my cousin was in college. When she opened the account for him, the bank representative, trying to be helpful, suggested that the […]
Should You Ever Prepay a Hospital Bill?
A week before she was due to have knee replacement surgery, Jennifer got a call from the surgeon’s office. She was told that she had not met her annual deductible, so she would owe $700 up-front. Jennifer paid because she thought she had to. Later, when she got an explanation of benefits statement from her […]
A Screening Tool Exists that Accurately Predicts End-of-Life
Q. I read somewhere that there is a screening tool that was developed to more accurately predict someone’s risk of dying based on different factors. Do you know more about this or other screening tools that are out there and how they work? Is this too much information, or can people use this information to […]
Misinformation about Medicaid in Popular Media and Journalists Getting Legal Information from Non-Lawyers
Medicaid turns 59 in July 2024! In the summer of 1965, President Johnson addressed a joint session of Congress asking that we honor a basic commitment to our seniors. He asked that the later years of their lives not be filled with “despondency and drift, or fear of financial hardship in the event of illness,” […]
Happy Birthday Medicare!
Dear Kiwi and Mango, I understand that July 30 marks the 59th birthday of Medicare. I will be 65 early next year. What should I do and what resources can I count on for more information before I sign up? Thanks for your help! Cella Brate — Dear Cella, You are correct! Next month marks […]
Prescribing Art: Can Art Be Used to Treat Conditions Affecting Seniors?
Two years ago, I wrote a three-part series that shared the wisdom of Katya De Luisa, a dementia educator and author of “Journey through the Infinite Mind–the Science and Spirituality of Dementia.” Besides being a dementia educator, caregiver coach, and author, Katya De Luisa is an art therapist. She describes art as “a window into […]
Are You a Super-Ager?
Are you someone in your 80s or older whose memory recall seems to be as good or even better than people decades younger than you? If you are, you’re in a relatively rare category of people known as “super-agers” — people who can easily recall things from many years ago with exceptional clarity along with […]
Top 10 Things Your Children Want You to Leave Them and the Top 10 Things They Don’t Want
When considering what to leave your children or grandchildren, many of you hope to pass on love, wisdom, financial abundance, and maybe a few precious family heirlooms. However, despite your best intentions, while there are some things your children would be happy to inherit, there are others that they hope not to be burdened with. […]
Comparing a Certified Medicaid Planner with a Certified Elder Law Attorney
Q. My sister-in-law and my husband have recently been discussing Medicaid Planning for my husband’s mother, who is in an early stage of dementia. You and your law firm represented my parents several years ago when we needed to protect their assets and get my mom on Medicaid. Thank you again for that! My siblings […]
Can Alzheimer’s Symptoms Be Reversed? Sanjay Gupta Explains in Newest Documentary
Dear Angel, I recently read about “The Last Alzheimer’s Patient,” starring Dr. Sanjay Gupta. The documentary describes Alzheimer’s patient Cici Zerbe, who claims that her early Alzheimer’s symptoms have been reversed. This was after she participated in Dr. Dean Ornish’s clinical trial on how intensive lifestyle changes can halt the progression of early Alzheimer’s. Do […]
Is Alzheimer’s Disease Genetic?
Years of research has found that the most common gene linked to Alzheimer’s disease is a risk gene called apolipoprotein E (APOE). Recent research built upon what was already known about APOE, finding that people with two copies of the gene variant APOE4 are almost certain to get Alzheimer’s. This new information could result in […]
New Federal Rule Sets Minimum Staffing Requirements for Nursing Homes — the Biggest Reform in Nursing Home Policy in Decades
A federal mandate that sets minimum staffing requirements for nursing homes was finalized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) last week. Three final rules were issued to “fulfill President Biden’s commitment to support family caregivers, boost compensation and job quality for care workers, expand and improve care options, and improve the safety […]
Does an Adult Child Have a Legal and/or Moral Duty to Become a Parent’s Caregiver?
Jane had a good childhood growing up in Virginia. However, she kept both an emotional and geographic distance from her mother for most of her adult life. The rift began after her parents’ divorce, which Jane blamed on her mother. They had only spoken a handful of times over the years. Jane’s mother missed many […]
CaringBridge: Don’t Go Through Your Caregiving Journey Alone!
Rosalynn Carter, former first lady and prominent advocate for caregivers, famously stated that there are only four kinds of people in the world: those who have been caregivers; those who are currently caregivers; those who will be caregivers; and those who will need caregivers. For those of us who are caregivers, we’re very aware that […]
How to Meaningfully Reconnect with Someone Who Has Dementia
Thirty years ago, Dr. Anne Basting, a gerontologist and a professor, had an experience that would change her life forever. Dr. Basting, who currently teaches theater at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, was researching aging and memory for her PhD, and she felt she genuinely connected with a room of seniors who suffered from dementia. At […]