Co-agents: An Overview
Choosing which of my two children will be my legal representative when I need help paying my bills and talking to doctors is a difficult decision for me. Can't I just name them both? You can, but please don't. You…
Overmedicating Alzheimer’s Patients Can Be Dangerous
A significant number of elderly Americans use multiple prescription medications simultaneously, or polypharmacy. The more medications a person takes, the higher the risk of dangerous drug-drug interactions and increased possibility of inappropriate prescribing, adverse drug reactions, hospitalization, and even death.…
Prepare for Emergencies, Don’t Wait
Your mother might say that, wouldn't she? How often have you wished that you had listened to your mother? Nobody really wants to think in advance about accidents or illness. But if no advance planning has been done, and if…
Medicaid Waivers and Nursing Facility Care at Home
In case you believe you do not qualify for Medicaid's long-term care benefits due to its strict asset and income limits, you might want to reconsider. If you currently demonstrate the need for nursing home facility services, you may meet…
Caregiving for Family Members
Rather than paying an outside agency to take care of an elderly relative, wouldn't it be better if a family member provided the care at home? Or uprooting the senior into an institution? The family member can pay the bills,…
How to Pay for Long-Term Care
As per findings from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), about 70% of retirees in the United States will need some long-term care (LTC). The median cost for such services is expected to range between $53,768 and…
Medicaid Penalties for Gifting Assets
The Medicaid program helps low-income seniors with limited income and assets access healthcare and long-term care. Many seniors believe their only option to qualify for the program is to “spend down” their assets. While this is true in some cases,…
Guardianship of an Elderly Parent
Most often, guardianship conjures images of a minor in the care of a designated adult family member or friend. However, you can employ the process to obtain legal rights over elderly or aging adults, usually, parents, who are losing their…
Be Careful and Plan Ahead When It Comes to Medicaid and Inheritances
Medicaid and inheritances can be tricky affairs, and mistakes can cost a lot of money. When a person is drawing Medicaid benefits and inherits money or property, that inheritance jeopardizes the benefits. The inheritance must be handled carefully to minimize…
Long-Term Care Crisis in America
There is a crisis facing Americans requiring long-term care (LTC) coverage. Industry-driven, massively underpriced policies are playing fiscal catch up with hefty premium rate increases. This price increase is forcing some aging Americans to abandon their policy while others struggle…