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 […]
Almost All Nursing Home Beds Are Medicaid Beds
Q. My father is being cared for in our home near Old Town Alexandria but needs more care than we can provide. We are seriously considering nursing home care as the best option for him. With the incredibly high cost of care, we are also considering Medicaid asset protection planning, so we can retain some […]
Ten of the Most Common Myths About Long-term Care
Mark and his wife, Josephine, were discussing his mother, Alice, at dinner one night. Alice is in the early stages of dementia, but as her memory gets worse and she needs more assistance, the doctor said she will likely need long-term care services. Mark and Josephine don’t know much about long-term care and are under […]
What to Do When Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums are Skyrocketing
Q. Last week my friend, Patty, received notice of a substantial increase in her long-term care insurance premiums. She was so upset that she fired off an email to the Virginia Insurance Commissioner, Scott White, exclaiming how appalled she is that he gave his okay to such an egregious increase. Patty and her husband, Frank, […]
What is the Difference Between Hospice and Palliative Care?
Penny’s father was being discharged from the hospital after his latest fainting spell from low blood pressure. Having suffered from Parkinson’s for more than 20 years, he regressed during his stay, and he was having serious trouble swallowing. The discharge nurse came into the room to talk to Penny and her mother about him, suggesting […]
Free Seminar: Who Will Pay for Your Long-Term Care?
Nursing homes are a common solution when it comes to long-term care, and a good elder law attorney should help you plan for how to make this possibility happen. It’s common for people to think that the government will simply pay for their needs or that a nursing home isn’t any more expensive than renting an apartment. Both ideas are usually untrue. For example, here in Northern Virginia a nursing home can cost around $10,000-$12,000 per month!