Q. My aunt died ten years ago without an advance directive. I will never forget the fight between her husband and the rest of the family about life saving measures before she died. He insisted that she would have wanted them, when the rest of the family said she would not. There is tension to […]
Top 16 Articles of 2016
From the presidential candidates’ views on Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, to a new president being elected, we covered a lot of ground in 2016. It was a year that included the passing of the Special Needs Trust Fairness Act to help special needs individuals, overtime pay for caregivers being instated and subsequently shut down […]
Our Top 10 Scariest Articles of 2016 (If You Dare)
With Halloween upon us, now is the time when we present you with this year’s scariest stories. From one typo costing you your computer to loved ones with Alzheimer’s owning guns, we uncovered some scary ground. To celebrate Halloween, we’ve ranked our scariest articles from least to most scary (but you be the judge) for […]
Making Sure Your Money Goes to the Right Place
Q. When I read your bio, I noticed that you went to William & Mary for Law School. I went there for undergrad and for grad school, and love everything about the place, from the picturesque campus to Lake Matoaka in the Fall. I am a history buff with a PhD, who took full advantage […]
Who Will Be There for Me if I’m Aging Alone?
Q. I am currently 82 years old, and I live by myself in the home I purchased 40 years ago in Northern Virginia. Most of the people I know have grandchildren and evengreat-grandchildren. Throughout my life, I put my career first, and I never got married or had any children. I don’t have much family, […]
Do New Electronic Medical Record Systems Make It Difficult to Access Advance Directives?
Q. I have heard several horror stories about Advance Directives being unavailable when needed, as more hospitals are implementing new systems to store and access electronic medical records. Or, in other cases, patients’ documents are being rendered unreadable by incompatible software. What if a patient’s doctor uses one record system and the emergency room another? […]
Why Every College Student Should Have an Incapacity Plan
Q. My 18-year old daughter, Madison, will be a freshman in college in the fall. At her high school graduation party, my friend Phil told me that he is already doing estate planning for his own daughter, and he told me that it is really important and I should do it for my daughter. Is this really something that a college student needs? My […]
Do Not Resuscitate Orders Being Placed Without Patient Consent?
All of us can be lulled into believing we’ve got plenty of time, until something unexpected happens. Whether it’s a car accident, a heart attack, a fire, or a stroke, those who procrastinated and didn’t plan in advance often kick themselves for not taking action sooner. Let’s take, for example, Michelle Singletary, a Washington Post […]
The Most Important Awareness Day of the Year (and only 20- 30% realize it!)
Anne is 71 years old, and her health is rapidly declining. When her time comes, she is confident that she wants to donate her organs to help someone else live a longer and healthier life. She also wants to be buried next to her second husband, Joseph. Anne has three children — two from her […]
April 29 Marks the End of a Major Social Security Loophole
Q. I remember reading an article that you published last fall about The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, where you mentioned that the end of file-and-suspend would be happening in six months. I am concerned about the impending deadline. Can you explain exactly when it is and what it means for those who would still […]
Top 15 Articles of 2015
From the 50th birthday of Medicaid and Medicare and the 80th birthday of Social Security to the once-a-decade White House Conference on Aging, we covered a lot of ground in 2015. It was a year that included a new act being passed in Virginia to help special needs families, overtime pay for caregivers, and amazing new technological innovations to help seniors age-in-place. At the Farr Law Firm, […]
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, […]
Be Very Afraid: Our Top Ten Scariest Articles
With Halloween upon us, now is the time when we present you with this year’s scariest & creepiest stories. From posthumous messages from loved ones to Alzheimer’s being contagious, we uncovered some scary ground. To celebrate Halloween, we’ve ranked our scariest articles for you to revisit (if you dare). As always, thank you for reading […]
Spooky or Reassuring? Posthumous Messages from Loved Ones
Image from express.co.uk Imagine you had a letter from someone who was likely to pass away – could you resist reading it? Morgan received a letter from her cancer-stricken brother-in-law, Jack, to be opened after his death. She put it in her safety deposit box, to keep from opening it. When his health took a […]
“Life Reimagined”- Guidance for Retirement Planning
Are you at a point in your life where you’re asking, “What’s next?” You’ve finished one chapter and you have yet to write the next one, and this one involves an empty nest, no more commuting to the office, lots more time for yourself, and limitless options. Many of us face these exciting transitions as […]
Are they Senior Moments or is it Dementia?
Can you remember the great meal you had last weekend, but can’t remember the name of the restaurant? Have you ever frantically called your cell phone in an effort to find it, only to realize it was in your pocket the whole time, or looked for your glasses when they were sitting atop your head? […]
Secrets of Centenarians
Q. The other day, I was reading about Susannah Mushatt Jones, who turned 116 last month in New York. She was born in 1899 and retired in 1965. She never smoked or drank, and says lots of sleep is the secret to her longevity. I am in my 80’s and still have lots of energy […]
I Am Single With No Children. Why Should I Bother Planning?
Dear Commander Bun Bun, I am a free-spirited single person who has never been married or had any children. I don’t even have brothers or sisters. Yesterday, my neighbor told me about her estate planning during our morning walk. She suggested I call Evan’s office and make an appointment. I disagree. Dying is the last […]
What Happens When Caregivers Are Too Sick To Perform Their Duties?
Q. I am a caregiver for my husband, Ed, who has had Parkinson’s disease for fifteen years. While fully coherent, his physical capabilities have been greatly reduced. Confined mainly to a wheelchair, he requires my help to dress, shower, toilet, walk, and exercise, and has trouble communicating and swallowing food. Normal routine has set in, […]
Tom Brokaw Doesn’t Know Where His Living Will Is. Do You Know Where Yours Is?
Tom Brokaw and his daughter Jennifer appeared at the TEDx Stanford conference, speaking on the subject of end-of-life health care options. Brokaw began the dialogue, framed as a conversation between father and daughter, by asking the audience to ponder the reason to have such conversations. He shocked the audience by admitting that “unfortunately, I don’t […]