I met with an adult child of a client earlier this week. When the family first came to me about a year ago, the wife had late-stage Parkinson’s and the husband had been her primary caregiver for many years. The husband was clearly experiencing the stress and fatigue of caregiver burnout. He realized he could […]
Simplifying Things for Your Heirs
Dear Kiwi and Mango, I am in the process of organizing my paperwork. I was thinking that I should put anything important that my children would need in one place, to make things easier if something should happen to me. Do you have any suggestions for how to simplify things for my children? Thanks for […]
When Is the Best Time For You to Retire?
Nine Important Factors to Consider and the Most Important Factor that Is Often Overlooked The retirement wave is about to hit. A whopping 4 million Americans are expected to turn 65 every year for the next four years. That means approximately 11,200 Americans who will turn 65 every day through 2028, up from 10,000 […]
Long-Term Care Planning Month — Can the Terms “Long-Term Care” and “Nursing Home Care” Be Used Synonymously?
Dear Oakley, I read somewhere that October is Long-Term Care (LTC) planning month. I heard that 70% of seniors will need long-term care in their lifetimes. I’m a little confused though. Is “long-term care” another way of saying “nursing home care?” Thanks for your clarification. Thanks! Elle T. Cee —- Dear Elle, You are correct. October […]
Getting Loved Ones the End-of-life Care They Deserve
Q. My mother is in her 80’s and has been in the hospital several times this year with pneumonia and urinary tract infections and has been suffering with Parkinson’s for decades. There have been times when I’ve visited her and a doctor hadn’t been in in a couple of days, other times when she is […]
Can You Still Live Alone if You Have Early-Stage Alzheimer’s?
When Kimberly was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she took it as a devastating blow. She experienced the gamut of emotions anyone would feel after such a shocking discovery about oneself, including shock, denial, and depression. It took Kimberly more than a year to accept what the doctor had said— that she does in fact […]
Surprise Medical Bills May Become a Thing of the Past
Freya (80) had chest pains, a hacking cough, and a high fever when she was visiting her son, Andy. An ambulance was called and she was rushed to a hospital in her health plan’s network. As she headed home after a week’s stay to continue her recovery, she took a measure of comfort that her […]
How Alzheimer’s is Different for Women and Men
Diagnosed with Alzheimer’s four years ago, 75-year-old Elaine still enjoys jigsaw puzzles, knitting, and dancing. She manages day-to-day life with the help of a GPS tracker – prompted after a trip on the wrong bus – and with reminder notes stuck around the house by her husband Fred, who is also in the beginning stages […]
Telehealth Scams are on the Rise: How Not to Fall Prey
This past winter, John Ernest got a call that showed up on his caller ID as being from “Medicare,” asking if his father, Dean, who lived in a nursing home at the time, needed a free orthotic brace for pain. John knew that Medicare would not be calling him and that the call was fishy, […]
The Older Americans Act Expired On 9/30: What that Means
Dan Adcock, Director of Government Policy and Research at the National Committee to Preserve Social Security and Medicare and one of the authors of the Older Americans Act reauthorization in 1992, wanted to see for himself how the Older Americans Act (OAA) affects seniors. So, he rode along with his father, Cliff, on his route […]
Why Do People with Alzheimer’s Remember Old Memories While New Memories Fade?
Q. I recently went to visit my father, Paul, who has Alzheimer’s. I posted a picture of us on Facebook, which prompted several cousins who lived nearby who I rarely see to visit while I was there. His first cousin, Sophie, came to visit and talked about how she lived next door to my […]
What is a POLST Form and Does it Replace an Advance Directive?
Dear Hayek, When reading about Advance Medical Directives, I saw something about a POLST form. What exactly is that, and if we have one, do we need an Advance Directive also? Thanks! Paul Stuh — Dear Paul, A POLST (Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form is a medical order for the specific medical treatments you […]
From Grief to Compassion: The Changing Face of Alzheimer’s Care
Marie sits at a table in the dining room at the memory care center, reading the Washington Post and sipping some iced tea. She greets a visitor who enters with a big smile. She points out the view of a quiet tree-lined street beyond, visible through a wall of windows. Marie makes conversation with the […]
Is a Handwritten Will Ever Valid?
Q. My brother, Larry, doesn’t like to spend money on anything. His family never went on vacation, never bought a new car, or never remodeled their 1970’s kitchen (or any other part of their home, for that matter). His attitude is that if something is functional, there is no need to replace it. He is […]
It’s Vacation Time — Are Your Children Protected?
Q. My husband and I are finally taking our dream vacation to visit Greece this summer. Our children, Mason (11) and Emilie (9), will be at sleepaway camp, and then at their grandmother’s house, so they will not be going with us. While we should be thinking about sun, fun, and relaxation, I keep having […]
Being Shamed for Your Nursing Home Decision
This past weekend, Kathryn hosted a graduation party for her daughter and was excited to spend time with the family and friends that came to celebrate. For the past few years, she hadn’t had much time to visit with friends or family with all of the caregiving duties she had for her mother, who suffers […]
When Caregiving Turns into Self Neglect
Q. I am concerned about my mother, Sharon. She is a caregiver for my 92-year-old grandmother, who lives with her and my father, who is not in the best of health himself. I saw my mother the other day when I stopped by for a visit. She looks emaciated and sleep deprived, and her personal […]
Do Caregivers Have a Higher Life-Expectancy?
Dear Magic, I read somewhere that caregivers have a higher life-expectancy than non-caregivers. With all of the stress that goes into caregiving, how can this be true? Thanks for your help! Liv Longer — Dear Liv, What you read is true! Studies show that by helping others, we’re actually helping ourselves, too. There is Great […]
More Untrained Caregivers Performing Medical Tasks
At 49 years old, Emily is an accomplished accountant. She worked her way up in a prominent firm, but recently took a leave of absence to care for her father, Sid. She is married to her college sweetheart but doesn’t have any children. The only classes she ever took that were remotely close to nursing […]
When Mom and Dad Both Have Dementia
Q. My mother, Mary, is in a world of her own. I call it “Mary-land.” She often walks around in circles fussing about the “people who are breaking into the house.” We live in a quiet safe neighborhood, which hasn’t had a break-in in at least fifty years! She’s exhausted, disheveled, and constantly afraid. She […]
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