Emily Sagle of Stafford, VA, is a full-time caregiver for her 11-year-old son, William. He’s nonverbal, autistic, and suffers from various medical and genetic conditions that make it difficult for him to attend public school. Due to the amount of assistance William needs each day, Sagle cannot work outside the home. During the pandemic, Sagle’s […]
News Alert: Did Yesterday’s Medicaid Payment System “Blackout” Change Anything?
Temporary Medicaid Blackout Yesterday, President Trump’s administration announced a freeze on federal grants and loans to assess their alignment with the administration’s priorities. Although Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid were supposed to be exempt, the freeze (caused by an inadvertent server “outage” according to the Trump administration) temporarily affected Medicaid payment portals, causing great concern […]
Top 25 Life Hacks for Seniors with Limited Mobility
“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 […]
Are Personal Checks a Thing of the Past?
It’s the holiday season and with Black Friday and Cyber Monday and the rest of the shopping season approaching, many of us are shopping for that perfect gift for our friends and loved ones. Some of us shop online at Amazon to avoid the crowds, while others prefer the brick-and-mortar stores. Some of us even […]
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 […]
Legal and Financial Considerations Associated with Multi-Generational Living Arrangements
Most of us know someone whose adult child moved back in with them after college, a job loss, or a divorce. In other situations, seniors who have lost their spouse or who no longer can or want to live on their own may also opt to live with their grown children. These multi-generational living arrangements […]
Yikes! Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2024
Halloween is tomorrow, so this is the perfect time to share this year’s most petrifying articles. From those who had to endure the intrusive, expensive nightmare of probate to a screening tool that can accurately predict risk of dying within the next 6 months, we have uncovered some scary ground. To celebrate Halloween, we’ve ranked […]
Age Gap Relationships: Ten Things to Know If You and Your Spouse Are 10 Years Apart
Alan Seidner, 82, and his wife, Carrie, 49, have been together for 26 years and married for nearly 21 of them. After splitting from his wife of three decades about a year earlier, Alan met Carrie at a work event. They knew their age difference would present challenges, so the couple handled tough topics early […]
What Happens When You Die with No Will in Virginia, Maryland, or DC?
Over two-thirds of U.S. adults have no Last Will and Testament or Estate Plan, according to a recent Caring.com study. Dying without a Will (and without an Estate Plan that uses a Living Trust as a Will substitute to avoid probate) means that your state’s probate court will force the distribution of your assets according […]
Why Would a College Student Need a Power of Attorney?
Dear Hayek, Our son is heading to college for his sophomore year in a couple of weeks. Last year, I was worried about him adjusting socially and doing well academically. Now that I know he is happy there, has a nice group of friends, and has been on the Dean’s List for both semesters of […]
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 […]
How Care Managers Work with Care Agencies
By ElderTree Care Management Services Care managers and home care agencies often collaborate closely to provide comprehensive support for individuals who need assistance with daily living activities, especially the elderly or those with chronic health conditions. Here’s how they typically work together: Assessment and Care Planning: Care Managers: Conduct a thorough assessment of the client’s needs, […]
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 […]