What is Palliative Care? #palliativecare
Human life expectancy in the past 100 years has been substantially lengthened as a result of advances in medical science. However, as we know the quality of an extended life span isn’t always great. Many people live with serious illnesses such as COPD, heart disease, cancer, Parkinson’s Disease etc.
Do-It-Yourself Wills #doityourselfwill
Do a search online and you can quickly find advertisements for websites and software that will help you prepare your own will and other legal documents. Some choose this option to save the legal fees. But is this being “penny wise but pound foolish”? Estate planning is as much
Don’t Fall Victim to Elder Fraud (Part 2) #MondayMorningBlog
Last week I was sharing with you the most common scams that target the elderly. This week let’s talk about tips to help avoid these scams, provided courtesy of the National Council on Aging. Never sign blank insurance claim forms. Never give blanket permission to a medical provider to bill for
What Happens to Social Security Benefits after Death (Part 2) #SocialSecuritySurvivorBenefits
A few weeks ago (1-11-16 post) I was discussing what happens to Social Security benefits when someone dies. Specifically I am talking about the entitlements of a surviving spouse. These benefits are commonly referred to as survivor benefits. Other family members, such as disabled children (provided the disability began before
Noticing Changes in Elderly Family Members (Part 2)
Two weeks ago (1/4/16 post) I was pointing out that while the holiday season is a time when we reconnect with family who we may not have seen for some time, health and behavior changes in the elderly may also become more noticeable. So what can or should you be doing?
What Happens to Social Security Benefits After Death #SocialSecurityBenefits
It’s a common question we get all the time. How do I handle Social Security since Dad has died? The Social Security Administration must be notified as soon as possible when a recipient dies. Usually notification is handled by the funeral director, however, if the funeral home doesn’t provide
Noticing Changes in Elderly Family Members
The holiday season is a time to connect or reconnect with family. We might visit with parents or other family members that we haven’t seen in some time and that’s when changes in their health become more noticeable such as: Weight loss Deterioration in personal hygiene Unusually dirty or messy home Unusually loud
New Medicaid and VA Figures for 2016 #2016Medicaidnumbers
Each year, many of the programs that, as elder law attorneys, we deal with daily, such as VA Aid and Attendance and Medicaid, are adjusted for inflation through a cost of living adjustment. For 2016, the Social Security Administration announced that Social Security recipients will receive no increase, the
Medicare Numbers for 2016 #Medicare2016
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid has announced 2016 numbers for Medicare premiums, deductibles and coinsurances. Once again, the basic Medicare Part B premium will remain the same at $104.90. That number has not changed for the past 3 years. However, approximately 30% of beneficiaries will receive an increase