Question:  Mom currently lives in an assisted living community in Phoenix Arizona, but because of a change in my job (I am her only living relative), it is necessary for her to move to California. How do we go about getting mom moved from an assisted living facility in Arizona to an assisted living facility in California? Please provide me with a “road map” so to speak. Thank you.

Answer:   Helping a parent move can be stressful, especially if that move is long distance. The job can be made less overwhelming by good planning. The big decision to move will be made easier by turning the process into a series of smaller decisions and tasks. Teaming up with senior service providers will make the physical and emotional tasks easier.

PLANNING should be your first step.  Develop a timeline. Decide which parts of the move you will do,   and which parts you need help with.  Decide where she will move to.  If  you need help, a geriatric social worker or a Senior Placement Counselor can help you locate an assisted living facility that is appropriate for her needs and resources. Talk to the Move-In Coordinator to find out the rules and schedules for moving in. You may also want to obtain a floor plan of her new apartment to help you decide which furniture to move and where it will  be placed within her room.

Another aspect of planning is to decide how you will move your mom's furniture and possessions. You can rent a van and drive it yourself. You can use a U-pak service like PODS who will transport your items after you pack them into a container (which they provide and deliver.) If you are moving a small amount you may choose to send it via a freight company or UPS. Finally, you can schedule a move with an interstate mover.  How you choose to move her things will be determined by what she is moving, your time availability, physical ability, and financial resources. Schedule your mover as soon as you are sure about the date and location. Sometimes it takes awhile to get on a schedule.

PACKING You didn't say the degree to which you are able to be involved in the your mother's relocation.  Are you planning to go there and help her organize, downsize, and pack?  If so, allow enough time that you and she are not rushed.  It is always a good idea to use new boxes and packing paper, not salvaged boxes. Boxes need to be of a uniform size,  taped closed, and strong enough to stack.  If you are not able to do the packing yourself, you may want to hire a professional move manager,  who specializes in working with older adults.  A move manager understands the  needs and limitations of elders. They will also know the local moving resources. Typically a move  manager will provide boxes.  Some will be able to help you load a van or pod if you choose that route.  A move manager knows how to downsize with sensitivity;  in all probability they have a working relationship with the facility where your mom is now living.  Another benefit of using a move manager is that she will know how to contact other move managers who service the residence where your mom is moving into.

It is a good idea to take with her valuables like jewelry, keys, eyeglasses, medicine, personal phone book, and anything she will need as soon as she arrives. In some cases there will be a difference in time between her arrival and the delivery of her things. Most assisted living communities have furnished rooms for short term occupancy.

Don't forget to file a change of address with the Post Office, arrange to change her bank accounts and any automatic deposits. Notify her doctors, dentist, caregivers, and other service providers.

RELOCATING YOUR MOTHER Your mother may be able to travel alone, if not you will need to drive her or fly with her.  Consult her doctor for advice and any needed medications. If you are unable to travel with her, you can hire a travel companion. Some move managers provide that service. Caregivers services can drive her to the airport and, if you want, fly with her. Airlines offer limited companion services similar to those provided to unaccompanied minors.

UNPACKING will take the same amount of time as packing. Your mom will adjust to her new residence faster if her things are put away where she is used to finding them.  A move manager in your area can help you unpack, set-up her new apartment and remove the boxes.

ATTITUDE is as important as logistics to a successful move. Listen to your mom and let her express her   preferences about where she will live, what to take or leave, and how her new residence will be set up. Treat her with respect and tact. Recognize the difficulty of moving away from familiar surroundings and routines. Avoid becoming critical or impatient. Be realistic about the time needed to accomplish a move. Remember the most important thing is to accomplish her move with minimal disruption to your lives and your relationship.

Jamie Wasson, CRTS, Managing Partner
easyMove, LLC
Pleasant Hill, California
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Question:  I am 75 years old and have a modest amount of savings, a home without a mortgage and a small retirement pension plus my monthly social security check.  I am in relatively good health, and quite candidly hope to live for another 10-15 years.  I have one child who is in her 50s but can’t seem to keep a job or a marriage.  She is again without a job and is now divorced for the 3rd time.  My question is whether I should start gifting her my money and perhaps gift her my home as well in anticipation of my needing nursing home care in the future.  What would you recommend I do from a financial planning perspective, factoring in the fact that elder care cost so much in California?”

Answer:  It is great to hear that you are in good health, but your finances may not be as healthy as you are.

The good news is that your estate is under the current $5 million limit, so there are no estate tax issues.

The bad news is that, based on your information, you have very limited liquidity, and liquidity is the secret of financial survival.  In my opinion, you need to have $1 million in liquidity, that is cash, stocks, or a pension plan, so that you are financially secure during retirement.

Also, there is a real concern about Medicare.  Will it be around in 10 years and will it pay the lion's share of your medical expenses in the future, and if not, will you be able to afford these medical expenses? 

Another concern that you should have is that California is bankrupt.  What affect will this have on its ability to provide California residents with Medi-Cal benefits?

If you have not done so already, I would suggest that you do the following:

1. Meet with a financial planner to develop a financial "road map".
2. Meet with an attorney to have the following legal documents prepared:  Power of Attorney for Health, Power of Attorney for Finances, and a Living Trust (which can help your estate avoid the high cost of Probate)  

Finally, regarding your daughter.  I would suggest that at 50 years of age that she assume responsibility for herself–that she find a job, and perhaps start thinking about taking care of you and your elder care needs.

Hope this helps.

Orlando J. Antonini, CPA/PFS, CFP, QFP, RIA, NCG
Antonini CPAs LLP
San Francisco, California
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Question:  If you have the Power of Attorney for a person what sort of paperwork do you need to keep, and are you authorized to make decisions re: the care of that person in an assisted living facility or nursing home if the person is still in his/her right mind?

Answer:  Once the durable Power of Attorney for health care or finance is in place, the designated person who holds the Power of Attorney should keep as much documentation about the person as possible, including a list of their medications, physician's report including diagnosis, allergies, etc., advanced healthcare directive, POLST (physician's orders for life sustaining treatment), DNR (do not resuscitate) , family history, medical history, copy of the Will, bank information, mortuary information, etc. The Power of Attorney is authorized to make decisions re: the care of that person in an assisted living facility or nursing home even if the person is still in his/her right mind.

My answer to your question is based on my many years of being a long term care Administrator.  If you need more specific information about these legal documents, I would suggest you contact an Elder Care Attorney in California, which can be found on ElderCareMatters.com.

Daniela Berindei, Administrator
Elite Elder Care
El Dorado Hills, California
916-267-1346
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Question:  I am caring for my mother in my home in California.  It is a full time job.  Will the state provide any kind of assistance to pay for this elder care?

Answer:  The state of California offers a program called In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS), which is paid for by Medicaid funds (MediCal, in California).  The program, administered by each county, does provide a certain number of home care hours, based upon an assessment by a county social worker.   

The care may be provided by a family member, who is paid by IHSS, if the recipient qualifies for MediCal and the caregiver is acceptable to IHSS.   

There is a Website with links to each of the counties’ offices: http://www.cdss.ca.gov/agedblinddisabled/pg1785.htm 

If your mother does not qualify for MediCal, you can talk to a reputable employer-based home care agency about the possibility of working for that company.  The care will not be free to your mother, of course, and you would have to pass the agency’s background screening, but you would be legally employed.

Bert Cave, President
Support For Home
Sacramento, California
916-482-8484
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Question:  I’ve been hearing a lot lately about a new service called “Daily Money Management” that may help my mother.  Would you please let me know what this new elder care service is, including the benefits of using a Daily Money Manager, and what the cost of this service will be.  Thank you.

Answer:  Daily Money Managers help people handle their daily finances and, depending on their individual practice, a variety of other administrative tasks.

There are 2 different daily money management programs at Diablo Valley Foundation for The Aging: AARP Volunteer Money Management Program and Fee for Service Money Management Program. 

The AARP Volunteer Money Manager Program offers money management service to help low-income older and/or disabled adults who have difficulty budgeting, paying routine bills, and keeping track of financial matters. An AARP Money Manager can also help deal with some debt problems, help obtain credit report/score. Organizations like Diablo Valley Foundation (DVFA) supervises volunteers and monitors all accounts. AARP recruits volunteers for the program and provides general guidelines. 

Within AARP Volunteer Money Management Program, there are 2 programs: Representative Payee and Bill Pay. 

When someone becomes the Representative Payee, he or she will set up a new bank account which is accessible only to the Representative Payee. A volunteer is assigned who will visit the client, work out a budget, and pay the bills. Clients must be 60 years old and older, and have a qualifying annual income limit of $35,298 for a single person and $49, 947 for the couple, assets under $35,000 (excluding home and car). AARP requires a medical verification of client’s inability to manage his/her own finances. 

A monthly fee for Representative Payee Program may be charged depending on income and other expenditures 

If someone becomes Bill Payer, all of the above applies, except the client retains control over his/her accounts, and medical verification is not required. 

A monthly fee for Bill Payer Program may be charged on case-by-case basis. 

A Fee for Service Money Manager will research all financial documents to determine the clients’ financial position and assets, sets up a Quicken or other financial software program that will track assets, expenses, and income. The Fee for Service Money Manager also writes client’s checks upon receipt of bills, reconciles all accounts monthly to statements, and sends reports to family when requested. 

FFS Money Manager also reviews all accounts to analyze net worth, transfers funds when necessary, makes deposits/withdrawals from clients’ accounts, and prepares information for annual tax preparation. 

Basic FFS Money Management fee is around $50/hr plus mileage to client’s residence.

Robert Kain, Executive Director
Diablo Valley Foundation for the Aging
Walnut Creek, California  94595
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Next week's Featured Elder Care Experts on ElderCareMatters.com will be the members of the California chapter of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

All next week, the members of the California chapter of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance (who are some of America's top Elder Care Experts) will answer your questions about a wide range of elder care matters (from legal, financial, caregiving, housing, etc.), and their answers to your questions will appear on ElderCareMatters.com.

So if you have questions about elder care matters, send us an email at Questions@ElderCareMatters.com, and one or several of our Elder Care Experts from the California chapter of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will answer them on the homepage of ElderCareMatters.com.  (Please include your name and email address)

Thank you for your interest in Elder Care Matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & Chief Executive Officer
ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com

Question:  "My family and I live in Alaska and we need help with a host of elder care issues, including elder law, geriatric care and senior housing.  Unfortunately, in reviewing the professional listings that are found on ElderCareMatters.com  for Alaska, there are many "Coming Soon" pages.  Can you please tell me what this means and let me know when I can expect to see more professionals listed for Alaska.  Please don't forget about our 49th state.  We too desperately need help with our elder care matters, and we thank you very much for providing us with this wonderful online elder care resource."

Answer:  We at ElderCareMatters.com realize that there are many families like yours across America who rely on us to help them locate competent, caring elder care experts who are located near them and can help them plan for and deal with their elder care matters. 

With this in mind, we are reaching out to ALL competent, caring elder care experts across  America and encouraging ALL of them to join ElderCare Matters and to be listed on ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 online resource for "Elder Care Experts", Information & Answers about a wide range of Elder Care Matters.

Simply put, our goal at ElderCareMatters.com is to be able to provide your family (in Alaska) and ALL families (across America) with a comprehensive list of America's top elder care experts in 83 different elder care service categories. 

Soon this will be a reality as more and more Elder Care Experts from across America continue to join ElderCare Matters and actively participate on our elder care website, ElderCareMatters.com.

Thank you for your support of ElderCareMatters.com.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO of ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com

 

Every day, more and more families from across America are relying on ElderCareMatters.com to help them find competent "Elder Care Experts" who are located near them and who can help them with a wide range of elder care matters, such as legal services, financial planning, home care, senior housing, adult day care, geriatric care management, money management, insurance services, aging in place services, etc. 

Below are just a few of the many emails that ElderCareMatters.com receives daily from families across America requesting help with their elder care matters:

• I am looking for help for my 77 year sister who lives in Louisiana and has been abandoned by her children.  Can you help me? 
• I need to locate someone to provide home care for my wife.  We live in New Jersey.  Can you help us? 
• We need to find senior transportation services in the Miami area.  Can you help us? 
• My mother has been injured in an Assisted Living Home in Arizona and we need an attorney with whom to discuss this legal matter.  Can you help us? 
• Can you help me locate elder care experts in the Jacksonville, Florida area?

If you are a competent, caring professional who helps families plan for and/or deal with elder care matters, then you should definitely become a professional member of the national Elder Care Matters Alliance and you should be listed on ElderCareMatters.com – America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts, Information & Answers about Elder Care Matters.  Professional membership is just $15/month.

To request an Application for Membership to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, send us an email at:  info@ElderCareMatters.com

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO, ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com

Question:  I am a practicing elder law attorney with more than 15 years experience helping families with their elder care matters. How would I go about becoming a member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance so that I may be listed on www.ElderCareMatters.com and so that I may be a resource for families who visit this website and need my expertise to help them plan for and/or deal with their elder care matters?

Answer:  ALL competent, caring elder care professionals across America are invited to apply for membership to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and to be listed on www.ElderCareMatters.com – America's #1 online source for "Elder Care Experts", information & answers about elder care matters.

There are currently more than 2,000 professional members of this national Elder Care Alliance, including the following:

• Elder Law Attorneys
• Estate Planning Advisors
• Financial & Investment Advisors
• Geriatric Care Managers
• Long-Term Care Insurance Professionals
• Daily Money Managers
• Seniors Real Estate Specialists
• Home Care Agencies
• Assisted Living Communities
• and many other elder care experts

To request an Application for Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, send an email directly to: info@ElderCareMatters.com.

I look forward to your participation in Elder Care Matters!

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO of ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com (America's #1 source for "Elder Care Experts", Information & Answers about Elder Care Matters)

Answer:  If you are a professional who helps families plan for or deal with ANY of their elder care matters, then you owe it to yourself to be listed on America's #1 online source for "Elder Care Experts"….

ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com is where you will find more than 2,000 competent, caring elder care experts located across America, including:

• Elder Law Attorneys
• Estate Planning Advisors
• Financial Planners
• Investment Advisors
• Geriatric Care Managers
• Insurance Professionals
• Life Care Planners
• Professional Organizers
• Reverse Mortgage Lenders
• Senior Move Managers
• Senior Real Estate Professionals
•  Tax Advisors
• Aging in Place Professionals
• Daily Money Managers
• And other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families

This is also where you will find some of America's best:

• Assisted Living Communities
• Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities
• Home Care Agencies

Together, we provide families across America with:

• Unparalleled professional expertise
• Up-to-date elder care information & answers to your elder care questions
• Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care services

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional who helps families with ANY of their elder care matters, then request today an Application for Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and get listed on ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 source for "Elder Care Experts" plus information and answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO
ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com

 

 

 

Answer:  Starting in October, ElderCareMatters.com will feature each week 1 of the 81 different elder care services that are provided by the members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, experts who help families across America plan for and deal with their elder care matters. 

For example, during week 1 we will showcase members of the national ElderCare Matter Alliance who provide "Aging in Place Services". 

During this week our "Premium" and "Lifetime" members who are experts in helping families "Age in Place" will provide us with:

1) Actual Q&As taken from their practices,
2) Original articles written by them about this important elder care service,
3) Answers to your questions about Aging in Place.

So if you would like to ask one of our elder care experts a question about "Aging in Place",  just send a short email (a few sentences only please) to: questions@ElderCareMatters. com.

And remember to bookmark ElderCareMatters.com and check back often to see if your question is our Elder Care Question of the Day.

Thank you for your support of ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 online source for Elder Care Experts, Information & Answers About a Wide Range of Elder Care Matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder of ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Answer:  What a great idea!  Yes, we can make this happen.

In fact, I am pleased to announce that starting Monday, October 3rd, ElderCareMatters.com will "Feature" every week one of our 80 different elder care services.  For example, during one week we may showcase Elder Law or Geriatric Care Management or perhaps Elder Abuse Litigation Services.  And during this week, families are encouraged to send us their questions about this specific elder care service.  Then every day we will post an answer to one of your questions in the Question of the Day section of  ElderCareMatters.com, an answer provided by one of our Elder Care Experts who practices in this specific elder care service area.  Additionally, we will post during this week one or several original articles about this service, written by members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance who practice in this specific service area.

And, yes, ElderCareMatters.com would be pleased to provide a link each week to ALL of our elder care experts, by state, who provide this "Featured" Elder Care Service. 

Thank you again for this great idea.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO, ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Answer:  No, we have not designated a maximum # of elder care professionals that we will include on ElderCareMatters.com.  Our criterion for including professionals on this wonderful online elder care resource is:

1. All elder care professionals included on this site must complete an Application for Membership to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and must demonstrate that they are actively involved in helping families plan for and/or deal with the issues of aging.

The bottom line is that we want ElderCareMatters.com to be a resource that families across America can use that will help them plan for and/or deal with their elder care matters.  Soon this website should include most (if not all) of the competent, caring elder care professionals across America.

So if you know of some competent, caring elder care professionals who are not yet listed on ElderCareMatters.com, encourage them to become a part of this wonderful online elder care resource for families  across America.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO, ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

 

Answer:  It is my pleasure to provide you with the following list of the 87 different elder care services that are currently provided by the members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance on ElderCareMatters.com:

1. Accounting Services
2. Adult Day Care
3. Advance Medical Directives
4. Aging in Place Services
5. Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
6. Annuities
7. Arbitration
8. Asset Protection Planning
9. Assisted Living Communities
10. Assisted Living Referral Services
11. Bankruptcy
12. Bill Paying
13. Budgeting
14. Caregiving Education
15. Companion Care
16. Conservatorship
17. Consumer Law
18. Continuing Care Retirement Communities
19. Cremation Services
20. Crisis Intervention
21. Daily Money Management
22. Dementia Care
23. Disability Income Insurance
24. Disability Planning
25. Elder Abuse Litigation Services
26. Elder Law
27. ElderCare Planning
28. Estate Administration
29. Estate Liquidation
30. Estate Planning
31. Family Law
32. Financial Planning
33. Funeral Services
34. Geriatric Care Management
35. Guardianship
36. Health Insurance
37. Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services
38. Home Care
39. Home Downsizing Services
40. Home Health Care
41. Home Modifications
42. Hospice Care
43. Independent Living Communities
44. Investment Services
45. Life Care Planning
46. Life Insurance
47. Litigation
48. Long Term Care Insurance
49. Long Term Care Planning
50. Medicaid Planning
51. Medical Services
52. Medical Alert Systems
53. Medical Claims Processing
54. Medical Equipment & Supplies
55. Medical Malpractice Litigation
56. Medicare Consulting
57. Medicare Supplemental Insurance
58. Medication Management Services
59. Moving Services
60. Nursing Homes
61. Personal Finance
62. Powers of Attorney
63. Probate
64. Professional Organizing
65. Public / Non-Profit Resources
66. Real Estate Services
67. Rehabilitation Services
68. Residential Psychiatric Care
69. Respite Care
70. Retirement Planning
71. Reverse Mortgages
72. Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services
73. Senior Housing
74. Senior Move Management
75. Senior Move Planning
76. Senior Relocation Services
77. Social Security Disability Services
78. Special Needs Planning
79. Tax Law
80. Tax Planning
81. Tax Preparation
82. Transportation Services
83. Trustee / Fiduciary Services
84. Trusts
85. VA Benefits
86. Wills
87. Wound Care

The goal of ElderCareMatters.com is to provide families across America with the help they need to plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  Let us know if there are other elder care services that you would like to have us list on ElderCareMatters.com – America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO, ElderCare Matters, LLC
ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Answer:  Thank you for your kind comments.  This is exactly what we at ElderCareMatters.com are trying to accomplish, i.e., to become a trusted resource to ALL families across America regarding elder care matters. 

We continually strive to make it easier for families such as yours to locate ElderCareMatters.com via ALL the major internet search engines, and we will continue to improve our search engines rankings for key words related to elder care matters.

In addition to our improved internet ranking, ElderCareMatters.com now has more than 1,600 professional members who provide 72 different elder care / senior care services to help families across America plan for and deal with their elder care matters. 

The # of professionals listed on ElderCareMatters.com is increasing daily; however, there are still many professionals across America who are not yet listed on this national elder care matters resource. 

If you know of elder care providers near YOU who are not yet on our list, encourage them to join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and to be listed on ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts plus information and answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Thank you for your support of Elder Care Matters and for your help in increasing the # of professionals listed on ElderCareMatters.com - a resource to help families across America plan for and deal with their elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder of ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Answer:  ElderCareMatters.com is an elder care resource to help families across America plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  With this goal in mind, we will continue to add more elder care-related services to ElderCareMatters.com in order to make this online elder care resource invaluable for families looking for help in planning for and/or dealing with their elder care matters.

Below are the 72 different elder care services currently listed on ElderCareMatters.com (with more services soon to be added): 

1. Adult Day Care
2. Advance Medical Directives
3. Aging in Place Services
4. Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
5. Annuities
6. Arbitration
7. Asset Protection Planning
8. Assisted Living Communities
9. Assisted Living Referral Services
10. Bankruptcy
11. Caregiving Education
12. Consumer Law
13. Continuing Care Retirement Communities
14. Crisis Intervention
15. Daily Money Management / Bill Paying
16. Dementia Care
17. Disability Income Insurance
18. Elder Abuse Litigation Services
19. Elder Law
20. ElderCare Planning / Long-Term Care Planning
21. Estate Administration
22. Estate Liquidation
23. Estate Planning
24. Financial Planning
25. Funeral Services
26. Geriatric Care Management
27. Guardianship / Conservatorship
28. Health Insurance
29. Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services
30. Home Care
31. Home Downsizing Services
32. Home Health Care
33. Home Modifications
34. Hospice Care
35. Independent Living Communities
36. Investment Services
37. Life Care Planning
38. Life Insurance
39. Litigation
40. Long-Term Care Insurance
41. Medicaid / Disability Planning
42. Medical / Healthcare
43. Medical Alert Systems
44. Medical Claims Processing
45. Medical Equipment & Supplies
46. Medicare Consulting
47. Medicare Supplemental Insurance
48. Medication Management Services
49. Moving / Relocation Services
50. Personal Finance / Accounting / Tax Preparation
51. Powers of Attorney
52. Probate
53. Professional Organizing
54. Public / Non-Profit Resources
55. Real Estate Services
56. Rehabilitation Services
57. Residential Psychiatric Care
58. Respite Care
59. Retirement Planning
60. Reverse Mortgages
61. Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services
62. Senior Move Management
63. Senior Move Planning
64. Social Security Disability Services
65. Special Needs Planning
66. Tax Law
67. Tax Planning
68. Transportation Services
69. Trustee / Fiduciary Services
70. Trusts
71. VA Benefits
72. Wills

If you need help with your family's elder care matters, you can count on ElderCareMatters.com to provide you with the experts, information & answers you need to plan for and deal with your elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO of ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Answer:  Almost 1,600 professionals across America who help families plan for and/or deal with the issues of aging are now members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and listed on  ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts plus information and answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Listed on ElderCareMatters.com are professionals who provide a total of 69 different elder care services (and this # will continue to grow), including:

• Adult Day Care
• Aging in Place Services
• Assisted Living
• Daily Money Management / Bill Paying
• Elder Law
• Estate Planning
• Financial Planning
• Geriatric Care
• Home Care
• Life Care Planning
• Medical Equipment & Supplies
• Real Estate Services
• Senior Move Management
• Special Needs Planning
• VA Benefits
• Wills

The # of professionals listed on ElderCareMatters.com is increasing daily; however, there are still many professionals across America who are not yet listed on this national elder care matters resource. 

If you know of elder care providers near YOU who are not yet on our list, encourage them to join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance and to be listed on ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts plus information and answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Thank you for your support of Elder Care Matters and for your help in increasing the # of professionals listed on ElderCareMatters.com - a resource to help families across America plan for and deal with their elder care matters.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder of ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

 

Answer:  Our commitment at ElderCare Matters is to provide families across America with elder care resources (Experts, Information & Answers) to help them plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  To this end, we have no set # of experts that we will showcase on ElderCareMatters.com but rather we are inviting ALL competent, caring elder care professionals across America to become a part of this phenonmenal elder care resource.

ElderCare Matters is where you will find 1,579 Elder Care Experts near YOU (and this # is growing daily) who have years of experience in helping families with elder care matters, including:

• Elder Law Attorneys
• Estate Planning Advisors
• Financial & Investment Advisors
• Geriatric Care Managers
• Insurance Professionals
• Reverse Mortgage Lenders
• Senior Move Managers
• Tax Advisors
• Daily Money Managers
• Other elder experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families

This is also where you will find some of America's best:

• Assisted Living Communities
• Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities
• Home Care Agencies

So if you help families plan for and/or deal with elder care matters and you are a competent, caring elder care professional, then you should be listed on ElderCareMatters.com – America's #1 source for Elder Care Experts plus information and answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

To request an Application for Membership to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, send an email directly to: info@ElderCareMatters.com

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO of ElderCare Matters
ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Answer:  The more resources (Experts, Information & Answers) families have available to help them with their elder care matters, the better decisions they will be able to make when planning for and dealing with these important elder care matters.

In fact, this Labor Day weekend, my family and I are dealing with Elder Care Matters with my in-laws because my Mother-in-Law has Alzheimer's Disease with a myriad of other health issues and my Father-in-Law finally made the decision early Sunday morning to admit her to a Skilled Nursing Facility.

My family and I found the help we needed (including finding the Elder Law Attorney whom my Father-in-Law hired from a small South Georgia town) through my contacts with the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, a national network of 1,576 Elder Care Experts who have "teamed up" on ElderCareMatters.com to provide families, such as ours, with the resources that they need to be able to make educated decisions about Elder Care Matters.

The purpose of ElderCareMatters.com is to provide ALL families across America with easy online access to ALL competent, caring Elder Care Experts in America, plus useful, up-to-date Elder Care Information, and answers to their Elder Care Questions.

Although ElderCareMatters.com currently has 1,576 professional members available to help families with their elder care matters, this is not enough. 

So in order to encourage ALL Elder Care Professionals across America to become a part of this online resource, we have decided that we will now offer 3 different Membership options, including a FREE Basic Membership option.

Now, there should be no excuse (including financially) why ALL competent, caring Elder Care Professionals across America should not be listed on  ElderCareMatters.com - America's #1 online source for Elder Care Experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters. 

To request an Application for any of our 3 different levels of Professional Membership (Basic, Premium or Lifetime) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, send an email directly to: info@ElderCareMatters.com.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder, ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder of ElderCareMatters.com
1-877-379-4500

This week's Featured Elder Care Expert on ElderCareMatters.com is Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA, Founder of  ElderCareMatters.com, America's #1 online source for Elder Care Experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Every day this week (M-F), Mr. Sanders will answer one of your questions about this online elder care resource that helps families across America plan for and deal with their issues of aging.

One selected question along with Mr. Sanders' answer will be posted on the Featured  Elder Care Question of the Day section of ElderCareMatters.com.

So if you would like to ask the Founder of ElderCareMatters.com a question, just send a short email (a few sentences please) to: Questions@ElderCareMatters.com.

And remember to bookmark ElderCareMatters.com and check back often to see if your question is our Elder Care Question of the Day.

Answer:   Yes, there are planning steps you can take now.  First, check with your local agencies, such as the Area Council on Aging to find out what eldercare services are available in your area. You may find that there are adult day care centers that cost nothing or are very reasonably priced. Next, determine out what the cost of eldercare is in your community. These providers will include home health care agencies, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Prices vary, so survey the market carefully.

Involve your children and inform them of your wishes in the event you need custodial eldercare services, and write down your wishes. Name one of your children or friends that you trust as your eldercare coordinator. As an aside, it is always a good idea to consult with an attorney and have a durable power of attorney drafted, as well as a living will.

If you have assets available for possible eldercare expenses, you should designate those as being for that purpose. If you have existing life insurance or annuity policies, it may be possible to leverage those products by re-positioning them into products that can provide enhanced eldercare dollars in the event that you need them. Check with your financial advisor.

To find  competent, caring elder care professionals across America who are located near You and can help you with your elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online resource to find elder care experts plus elder care information & answers to your elder care questions.

Gregory D. Roberts, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CLTC, EA
Life Solutions
Aiken, South Carolina  29803
803-617-9805
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, South Carolina chapter 

Answer:   As far as the Veterans Administration is concerned, the home your father owns is considered his home whether or not he is currently living there and will not impact his eligibility for benefits.  One thing you and your family should be careful of, however, is renting the home.  If you rent the home and its classification switches from residential property to rental property, it may be considered an asset and cost your father his veteran’s benefits.

To find  competent, caring elder care professionals across America who are located near You and can help you with your elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online resource to find elder care experts plus elder care information & answers to your elder care questions.

Dennis B. Sullivan, Esq., LLM, CPA
Estate Planning & Asset Protection Law Center of Dennis Sullivan & Assoc.
Wellesley, Massachusetts  02482
781-237-2815
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter 

Answer:  Ask the experts of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, 1,500 of America's top elder care experts with years of experience in helping families plan for and deal with their elder care matters. 

Every day one of our elder care experts will answer your family's important questions about elder care matters – from legal, financial, housing, healthcare, etc.

If you would like to ask one of our Elder Care Experts a question about his/her areas of expertise, just send a short email (a few sentences only please) to: questions@ElderCareMatters.com.

Every day we will post one of your questions along with an answer provided by our Featured Elder Care Expert of the Week on the homepage of www.ElderCareMatters.com (which is currently visited by thousands of families each week).  Yours may be one of the questions posted.  Of course, we'll keep your question anonymous and generic so that every family may benefit.  Not to worry.

So bookmark www.ElderCareMatters.com and visit us daily as questions about a wide range of elder care matters are answered FREE of CHARGE by some of America’s top elder care professionals with years of experience helping families plan for and deal with the issues of aging.

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder, ElderCare Matters
1-877-379-4500
www.ElderCareMatters.com

Answer:  Medication Therapy Management (MTM) is a process that reviews and evaluates how each senior is responding to their unique group of medications—prescription, non-prescriptions, over the counter and natural medications, supplements, vitamins, minerals…any item that is in use to improve health.  It also evaluates food intake, how the medications are taken or used.   

Families, caregivers and other loved ones also share their insights about how the senior is responding to the “medications”, as many of them are with the senior at various time of the day.  An action plan is developed to address these issues or concerns.  There are many things that the senior and/or their family can do to improve the benefits of the “medications” in use and to minimize the side effects or other problems.  Prescribers are also contacted for changes in medications orders, provided with information about the use of multiple medications and changes made in medication dosage, and frequency of dose. 

Having one person organize such reviews and provide information to other members of the healthcare team can be very successful in avoiding the “close calls” that cause seniors end up in the emergency room, admitted to the hospital or even subsequently moved to the nursing facility. 

Medication Therapy Management may also be known by another name…Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR) which is defined as a systematic process of collecting patient-specific information, assessing medication therapies to identify medication-related problems, developing a prioritized list of medication-related problems, and creating a plan to resolve them with the patient, caregiver and/or prescriber. A CMR is an interactive person-to-person consultation conducted between the patient and/or caregiver and the pharmacist and is designed to improve patients’ knowledge of their prescription, over-the-counter (OTC) medications, herbal therapies and dietary supplements, identify and address problems or concerns that patients may have, and empower patients to self-manage their medications and their health condition(s).  

I hope this helps…

To find other competent, caring elder care professionals across America who are located near You and can help you with your elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online resource to find elder care experts plus elder care information & answers to your elder care questions.

Lynn Harrelson, R.Ph., FASCP, Senior Care Pharmacist
8302 Cheshire Way
Louisville, Kentucky  40222
502-425-8642
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Kentucky chapter 

Answer:  This is a tough and not uncommon situation.  Your parents may be “in denial” about their situation or they may be perfectly aware but fatalistic – that is, “we can’t do anything about our situation so we might as well live our lives and the kids will take care of us when the time comes.”  Of course, they may truly not understand the consequences.  You don’t mention whether this is new behavior or if your parents have always lived beyond their means.  Reading between the lines, I’m guessing that this is more “business as usual” than not since your parents don’t own their home, have a “small” retirement account despite your father’s profession, and seem to be carrying a credit card balance.  If that’s the case, the situation is especially tricky, because their “system” has worked for them up to now and they may simply assume that will continue.  If, on the other hand, this is new behavior, it may be an indication of cognitive decline and the best place to start may be to take each of them for a thorough medical check-up. 

One way to begin to address this is for you and your sister to sit down with your parents and have a discussion about where and how they would like to age and the resources they have available to them to facilitate that plan so that the two of you can be sure that you know their wishes and can try to follow them.  After having that general discussion, I’d suggest that your transition the discussion into allowing the two of you to document what they have and where it is “just in case something happens to them suddenly” and you have to step in to their shoes.  As a part of this process, you should eventually be able to identify their income, expenses, assets and liabilities.  The next step would be to forecast a couple of scenarios and show them what will happen if……  In other words, if nothing changes, they will run out of money in X years.  Or, if one of them needs care, they will run out of money in Y years.  Perhaps you can then use this as a starting point for discussion of some changes they can make in their spending habits.  I call this process developing a family transition plan.   I have an outline of all of the items that should be included in this “family transition plan” and if you email me using the contact information provided I will be happy to provide it to you.  In general, the more dispassionate and non-judgmental you can be, the better the discussion will go.  I find when I’m working with families like yours that working through “the math” is often the best way to change behavior. 

To find competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online resource to find elder care experts plus elder care information & answers to your elder care questions.

Sheri Samotin, President
LifeBridge Solutions, LLC
Naples, Florida  34108
239-325-1880
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  This type of question comes up frequently and the answer depends upon the details of the Power of Attorney document that your mother signed back when she had capacity.  Each state has its own standards with regard to the construction of durable power of attorney rights, but even within that variation, it depends upon what the lawyer who drafted the agreement did or did not include.  If your family was my client, I would advise your brother that it is always best for the person who is serving as POA to be as transparent as possible in performing his duties, but in the end of the day, it is up to that person (the POA) to manage your mother’s affairs in accordance with the POA document and his best judgment.  While you can’t “force” your brother (the POA) to include you and your sibling in decision-making regarding your mother’s affairs, you can request that he does so.  Perhaps you can suggest that the three of you hold a family meeting (either in person or by phone) to discuss things.  If you are concerned that the POA will refuse or that the conversation might quickly become unpleasant, you might want to suggest that the POA engage an objective third party to facilitate the meeting.  This person’s fees would be paid for either from your mother’s funds or equally by the three of you.  The third party could be the attorney who drafted the original agreement, another attorney, a family transition coach, or any other neutral party with skill and experience in such situations.

To find competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Sheri Samotin, President
LifeBridge Solutions, LLC
Naples, Florida  34108
239-325-1880
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  This will depend on laws of the state in which your mother resides.  However,  a doctor's report will be needed to show that your mother is incapable of managing her own affairs.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

John E. Settle, Jr., Esq.
John E. Settle, Jr., Attorney at Law 
Bossier City, Louisiana  71111
318-742-5513
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Louisiana chapter

Answer:  A health care power of attorney would be important if you became mentally incompetent–authorizing an agent to make health care decisions for you.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

John E. Settle, Jr., Esq.
John E. Settle, Jr., Attorney at Law 
Bossier City, Louisiana  71111
318-742-5513
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Louisiana chapter

Answer:  I would NOT risk losing Medicaid over this car. I suggest buying the car for a nominal price.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

John E. Settle, Jr., Esq.
John E. Settle, Jr., Attorney at Law 
Bossier City, Louisiana  71111
318-742-5513
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Louisiana chapter

Answer:  Forced heirship applies when a child is under the age of twenty four, or if a child is permanently disabled (either mentally or physically).  A parent is only required to give part of his estate to a forced heir – -one fourth of the estate to one forced heir and one-half if two or more forced heirs.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

John E. Settle, Jr., Esq.
John E. Settle, Jr., Attorney at Law 
Bossier City, Louisiana  71111
318-742-5513
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Louisiana chapter

John E. Settle, Jr., Attorney at Law

John E. Settle, Jr., Esq.
1915 Citizens Bank Drive    
Bossier City, LA 71111
Telephone: 318-742-5513
e-mail:   Send E-Mail
website: http://www.SettleLawFirm.com

This week's Featured Elder Care Expert is John E. Settle, Jr., Attorney at Law, Member of the Louisiana chapter of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance (a network of 1,450+ elder care experts) and Founder of the Law Office of John E. Settle, Jr., a law firm in Bossier City, Louisiana, a firm that specializes in Elder Law, Estate Planning, Elder Abuse Litigation and closely related practice areas. 

Every day this week (M-F), Mr. Settle will answer one of your questions about his areas of expertise (Elder Law, Estate Planning, Elder Abuse, Probate, etc), and this selected question along with Mr. Settle 's answer will be posted on the Featured Elder Care Question of the Day section of ElderCareMatters.com.

So if you would like to ask Mr. Settle a question about one of your elder care matters, just send a short email (a few sentences only please) to: questions@ElderCareMatters. com.  And remember to bookmark ElderCareMatters.com and check back often to see if your question is our Featured Elder Care Question of the Day.

Answer:  It is a great idea to have a relationship with an elder law attorney so that your family and friends know who to turn to if something were to happen.  The attorney can help them with decisions if you have a serious illness or require extended care.  The attorney can also help them through the estate administration process after you pass away.  Creating a relationship with a good elder law attorney does not have to be expensive.  Many attorneys either charge a fixed fee for their help or charge hourly only for the work they do for you.  When you meet with an attorney, he or she can talk about how they charge and help work with you to make sure that you are comfortable with how things would be handled.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Angela N. Manz, Attorney at Law
The Law Firm of Angela N. Manz
Virginia Beach, VA  23452
757-271-6275
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Virginia chapter

Answer:  Although I don’t know exactly what benefit this gentleman applied for through the VA, I would highly recommend that he look into the Aid and Attendance pension to help pay for assisted living.  Aid and Attendance is available for veterans (or their widowed spouses) who served at least 90 days of active duty, with one day during a period of wartime.  They do not have to have been in combat.  

To be eligible, the veteran (or his widowed spouse) must have recurring medical expenses or care costs such as the Medicare premium, supplemental insurance premiums, prescription drugs, etc.  The VA also allows the monthly rent at an assisted living community as a medical expense if the veteran’s doctor states that he needs assistance with some of his daily activities, such as making meals, driving, bathing, dressing, taking medications, or if he needs a protective environment due to dementia. 

If the veteran moved to assisted living, that monthly cost may lower his income enough for him to qualify.  I would recommend that your acquaintance contact an attorney who is accredited with the VA and talk with that attorney about how to qualify. The maximum pension for a married veteran is $1949 per month and the maximum for a single veteran is $1644 per month.   If he obtains this pension, these tax-free benefits will help pay for his assisted living so that he can get the care that he needs.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts across America plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Angela N. Manz, Attorney at Law
The Law Firm of Angela N. Manz
Virginia Beach, VA  23452
757-271-6275
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Virginia chapter

Question:  I recently relocated my elderly mom from New York to Virginia. She is living in an assisted living facility by me. She still has her home in NY where two apartment rents help to pay for her assisted living room rent, prescriptions, incontinence care, etc. The rest of her care fees come out of her savings. Is her assisted living rent deductible on her tax return?

Answer:  Although I am not a CPA, my understanding is that the IRS may allow her to deduct the cost of assisted living rent as a medical expense if your mother needs assistance due to a chronic illness.  IRS publication 502 defines chronically ill as being unable to perform 2 or more activities of daily living without substantial assistance or if the person needs substantial supervision due to a cognitive impairment.  From what you described, it appears as though she would be able to deduct her assisted living costs as a medical expense. However, her total medical expenses must exceed 7.5% of her adjusted gross income in order to be deductable. 

I would recommend that you keep all receipts from the assisted living community, as well as receipts for all other medical expenses that your mother incurs during the year.  Then talk with your tax preparer to make sure that you take advantage of all the available deductions.

To locate competent elder care professionals who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Angela N. Manz, Attorney at Law
The Law Firm of Angela N. Manz
Virginia Beach, VA  23452
757-271-6275
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Virginia chapter

Answer:  Generally, a POA or Health Care Proxy does not necessarily need to be redone simply because your mother moved to another state.  However, I recommend that you have them reviewed by an elder law attorney who practices in Georgia to make sure that they comply with Georgia law and to make sure that they have all of the necessary powers needed to make decisions for your mother.  For instance, if Georgia law requires that the health care proxy be notarized and New York does not, then you may need a new one prepared or it won’t be accepted.  Or if your mother’s POA does not have certain powers which may be necessary for asset protection planning, then you may want to have a new one prepared. If the attorney in Georgia does recommend that your mother sign new documents, he or she should also tell you the specific reasons why that recommendation was made. 

To locate competent elder law attorneys who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Angela N. Manz, Attorney at Law
The Law Firm of Angela N. Manz
Virginia Beach, VA  23452
757-271-6275
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Virginia chapter

Answer:  A power of attorney is one of the most important documents that you can execute. It allows you to appoint an agent to manage your financial affairs if you become unable to do so. Without a power of attorney, if you become incapacitated your family will have to go to court to have a judge determine who will manage your financial affairs.  That can be both costly and time consuming and is easily avoided by having a comprehensive power of attorney. 

Many people use the internet to obtain a power of attorney in order to avoid going to an attorney. These internet forms seem simple to complete and are not expensive.  The biggest problem though is that these forms are not tailored to your specific family’s needs and are often missing many important powers that your agent should have. 

The most important function of a power of attorney is that it sets out the specific powers that your agent will have if you become unable to make financial decisions on your own. These powers generally include buying or selling property, managing your bank accounts, paying bills, investing money, cashing checks, and collecting debts. 

In many states your agent only has the powers that are specifically listed in the power of attorney.  This means that a broad statement that your agent can do anything you can do is simply not enough.  Your power of attorney must list out each power you want your agent to have.  

The powers stated in your power of attorney can vary greatly depending on your wishes and your family’s situation.  Some powers are typically not included on an online power of attorney, and therefore it is important to consult an attorney rather than filling out a premade form. For example, the power to transfer money to your children, or to create and fund an irrevocable trust, is generally not included in an online power of attorney, but these can be extremely important powers for your agent to have if you need to do Medicaid or Veterans benefits planning in the future.   

By having a power of attorney, your family can avoid the court process and feel secure about your future. While it is tempting to avoid legal fees by completing an online premade form, I recommend that you seek the advice of an experienced attorney. With your attorney’s help, you can rest assured that your wishes will be carried out should you become unable to manage your finances in the future.

To locate competent elder law attorneys who are located near You and can help you with this type of elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Angela N. Manz, Attorney at Law
The Law Firm of Angela N. Manz
Virginia Beach, VA  23452
757-271-6275
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Virginia chapter

Answer:  I just met with a son and his mother to review the change she has experienced with the ability to care for herself. It was a great meeting in that his mother expressed to me where her concerns were and the son expressed his concerns. Together we came up with a plan to help with meals, assistance with her bath, some brain fitness activities and a weekly jaunt to the local pool! She wants to stay at home as long as possible and needs more support to stay safe. 

What you are experiencing with your mother is at the heart of what Professional Geriatric Care Managers do. We evaluate the status of the elder, listen to their needs and coordinate a plan of care for them with the support and understanding of the family. 

A good first step would be to call a Geriatric Care Manager for an initial evaluation of your mother ideally with her support and approval.

To locate competent geriatric care managers who are located near YOU and can help you with these types of elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - A FREE online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Amy Cameron O'Rourke, MPH, CMC
The Cameron Group
Orlando, Florida  32803
1-888-896-2010
Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  Unfortunately, in most 401(k) plans, your account balance is dependent almost solely on the overall market level. After you retire, you will be able to roll the balance into a self-directed IRA in which you can own individual stocks, especially stocks that pay dividends. In many cases the dividends a company pays are far more stable than the share price of the company’s stock.  

Think of owning a rental property that pays you $1,000 per month in rents. If the market value of that property drops in half, it doesn’t mean your rent drops also. The key is the stability of the rental income, not the market value of the property. Focus your retirement income planning on creating a monthly cash flow and try to put account values in perspective.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care financial matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Philip C. Benedict, CFP
Benedict Financial Advisors, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia  30328
770-671-8228
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Answer:  Many of the companies that you want to own have Dividend Reinvestment Plans (DRIPs) in which you can accumulate shares with monthly purchases. You can find these by going to the company’s website, usually under “Investor Services.” 

You can set the plan up where you add the same amount each month and the company buys shares for you. It is a great way to accumulate wealth because it is on autopilot. I suggest if you can, that you consider doing this with at least five different companies in five different industries. 

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care financial matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Philip C. Benedict, CFP
Benedict Financial Advisors, Inc.
Atlanta, Georgia  30328
770-671-8228
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Answer:  Whether giving away assets is a good strategy for your parents will depend on a number of factors including their age, health, how they feel about giving up control over their assets, and how they feel about having less flexibility regarding where care can be provided.  

Oftentimes assets are given directly to a child with the thought that the child will use the funds for the parents later when the need arises.  But a true and complete gift does not come with strings, once given to the child there is no legal obligation on the part of the child to help mom and dad later.  What if the child does have good intentions to help mom and dad, but divorces, is sued, is influenced by a spouse, or is just not good with money?  Mom and dad’s hard earned assets may be taken away forever. 

Giving assets away can be tricky.  If after giving assets away mom or dad needs care prematurely i.e., within 5 years of the gift, a penalty period or period of ineligibility for Medicaid will result.  This period will not begin to run until mom or dad applies for Medicaid. 

You don’t indicate your parents age or health status, but purchasing a long-term care insurance policy to cover a period of 5 years could be a good investment.  There are policies available that include a return of premium feature, meaning that if the policy is not used the premiums are given back.  There are also life insurance policies that have long-term care riders.  With this type of policy if long-term care is needed the policy is tapped and if not it continues as a regular life policy paying a benefit on death. 

It will be worthwhile to consult with an elder care attorney to learn about all the options for long-term care planning available.  The guidance of a professional will save the family time, money and stress in the long run.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Heather R. Chubb, Life Transitions Lawyer
The Chubb Law Firm
Gold River, California  95670
916-635-6800
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Answer:  The VA’s Aid & Attendance (A&A) benefit is available to war-time veterans who need assistance with activities of daily living, such as bathing, feeding, dressing, or protection from the hazards of the daily environment.  The assistance can be provided in the veteran’s own home, in a board and care home (also referred to as a group home or RCFE (Retirement Care Facility for the Elderly)) or in an assisted living facility.  This pension provides a married veteran $1,949/month, single veteran $1,644/month, or veteran’s surviving spouse $1,056/month tax-free income to help pay for care. 

In addition to being a wartime veteran and needing assistance there are also income and asset limitations to qualifying for the program. 

The claims process can be very frustrating if you have not been trained and do not understand the law.  You may be denied outright or your claim may take many more months to complete because of information requests and exchanges between you and the VA.  I strongly recommend that you use the services of a VA accredited individual or organization, which includes state and county veterans service agencies. 

The VA recognizes three groups to assist veterans in the preparation, presentation and filing of claims.  VA accredited attorneys, accredited Veterans Service Officers (VSO) and claims agents.  You can find a list of these groups by city and state at the VA’s Office of General Counsel’s Accreditation website.  It is against the law to charge for services to help prepare and file the claim. 

Whomever you seek out for advice should understand not only the VA laws and rules, but also those for Medicaid (Medi-Cal in CA) and tax laws.  These programs are very different and what may be acceptable under one program may have adverse consequences under the other programs.  The right professional will help you develop the most appropriate planning to meet your specific needs.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Heather R. Chubb, Life Transitions Lawyer
The Chubb Law Firm
Gold River, California  95670
916-635-6800
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Answer:  The truth is that, the Medicaid department is not authorized to send anyone over to actually take possession of the house.  However, after the death of the second parent the state wants to be paid back and may seek “recovery” from assets owned by the survivor at the time of the survivor’s death.  However, the state may only be paid back up to the amount that they actually paid out, but this still may result in the forced sale of your parents’ home. 

However, in your case there is an exception to the recovery rules because your parents have a disabled child.  When there is a surviving disabled child a recovery claim is prohibited by federal and state laws.  The surviving disabled child will need to provide documentation of disability or blindness, such as a Social Security or SSI award letter and a birth certificate showing they are the child of the deceased. If the surviving child does not have documentation of disability from the Social Security Administration, he/she can still file for a disability determination with the Medicaid department.  It is important to note that the surviving child does not have to live in the home (or even in the State, for that matter) in order for recovery to be barred. 

Signing over the home now may sound like a good idea, but it carries some big risks.  First, when your parents sign over the house they lose control and that can mean that the kids can kick them out at anytime.  In addition, if a child’s marriage ends in divorce or the child is sued the house can be taken away.  Finally, if your parents sign over the house and then need Medicaid within 5 years of the transfer a penalty and ineligibility for Medicaid for a period of time will result with the ineligibility period starting at the time they apply for Medicaid. 

As you can see Medicaid planning is filled with traps for the unwary.  I encourage you to seek the advice of a qualified elder law attorney in your state who will help guide you through the process.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Heather R. Chubb, Life Transitions Lawyer
The Chubb Law Firm
Gold River, California  95670
916-635-6800
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Answer:  I’m pleased to hear that your mother’s doctor is being proactive and discussing the importance of an Advance Directive with her.  If your mom’s health continues to be good you may not need to do anything except keep in communication with her and stay on top of her medical needs.  It may be valuable to both you and your mother if you accompany her to her doctor’s appointments in order that you can develop a deeper understanding of your mom’s medical conditions and needs.

An Advance Healthcare Directive (AHCD) is a legal document in which the creator, in this case your mom, hand selects a trusted person to make medical decisions for her and speak for her if she is incapacitated or otherwise unable to speak for herself.  These decisions cover a wide variety of actions from making doctor’s appointments to making end of life decisions (i.e., “pulling the plug”).

However, just having this document is not enough and all AHCDs are not created equal.  It is essential that as the decision-maker (aka “agent” in legal terms) you understand your rights under this document, as well as your mom’s rights and healthcare wishes.  Most of those rights are described right in the document so you and your mom need to really read and understand it, so that you understand the importance of leaving instructions and information to carry out your wishes should something happen to you.

Because it is impossible to include instructions for every situation within the AHCD, you need to have discussions with your mom about her healthcare wishes.  And, this is not a one-time discussion.  Over the last few decades advances in medical technology have created an environment where people can be kept “alive” much longer.  But there is a big difference between being “alive” and having a quality life.  Discuss with your mom what quality of life means to her.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Heather R. Chubb, Life Transitions Lawyer
The Chubb Law Firm
Gold River, California  95670
916-635-6800
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Heather R. Chubb, Life Transitions Lawyer
The Chubb Law Firm
Gold River, California  95670
916-635-6800

Ms. Chubb is this week's Featured Elder Care Expert on www.ElderCareMatters.com, and will be answering your questions about Elder Care Matters.

Heather R. Chubb is a Life Transitions Lawyer in the Sacramento area dedicated to helping individuals and families make the best possible legal decisions for themselves and those they love. She uses her passion to educate her clients and make navigating the legal world easy, understandable and comfortable.

While each of her clients has different needs and objectives; they all have the common goal of protecting those they love, keeping control for as long as possible, making the most of assets they worked hard to acquire, and making things as easy as possible for their loved ones. She is particularly attuned to the needs of the “sandwich generation” balancing the demands of children, home, work and caring for elderly parents.

Whether developing a foundational estate plan, special needs plan, long-term care plan (including Medi-Cal and VA benefits), or advanced plan, or administering a plan upon death or incapacity, the focus is the individual client and their needs and goals.

Heather is a member of the State Bar of California Trusts and Estates section, WealthCounsel, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), and the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter.

Answer:  Elder financial abuse is any practice or conduct that misuses, takes or conceals a vulnerable elder’s funds, property or assets. Elder financial abuse includes any type of investment fraud that uses misrepresentation, deception, trickery, false pretence, or dishonest act to the financial detriment of a senior.

A fiduciary duty is an affirmation obligation imposed on one person to act in the best interest of another person.  Whether or not a fiduciary duty is owed to an elderly client depends on the law of the state where the senior resides. In some states like Georgia, stockbrokers owe fiduciary obligations to their clients but insurance agents and bank officials normally do not. Nonetheless, this does not give an insurance agent or bank official a license to defraud a senior out of his or her money or property and the agent or official can still be sued by the senior for fraud.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

Answer:  The practice you are referring to is commonly known in the securities industry as “unauthorized trading.” It violates securities laws and securities industry rules. Unauthorized trading occurs when a broker makes trades in a customer’s account without having any authority, either in writing or orally, to do so. Unless a client gives a formal written grant of "discretion" (like a limited power of attorney) to her broker, a stockbroker is not entitled to trade in the client's account without obtaining prior approval for the specific trade.

In your Aunt’s circumstance, if she has given you a financial power of attorney to act on her behalf, you should immediately notify the brokerage firm’s manager in writing that no new transactions should be executed in the account because of her condition.  Even in the absence of a financial power of attorney, you should notify the manager in writing that your Aunt is suffering from Alzheimer’s.  Either way, this will put the brokerage firm on notice it has potential liability and the broker’s conduct will be more closely scrutinized.

If the transactions in your Aunt’s account have not been authorized, she has a right to recover losses she has sustained on the unauthorized purchases and I would suggest you contact a securities lawyer to advise you further. If the broker’s manager wants to meet with you to discuss your Aunt’s account, keep in mind this is akin to the insurance adjuster trying to get a statement from a car accident victim before the victim can talk with a lawyer. If the broker has engaged in authorized trading someone knowledgeable should do a complete account review to be sure nothing else improper has transpired in the account.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

Answer:  A Ponzi scheme is a phony investment plan where investors are promised high rates of returns on their investment but no real legitimate business operations exist to generate profits or earnings. Instead, early investors are paid from funds put into the scheme by later investors. When the promoter of the scheme can no longer attract new investor money to pay early investors (or he has stolen investor funds to fund his own lifestyle) the scheme collapses.

Ponzi schemes derive their name from criminal financier Charles Ponzi who is credited with creating this fraud back in the 1920s.  Charles Ponzi duped thousands of investors through a postage stamp speculation scheme. Ponzi promised to pay investors a 50% return on their investments within 90 days. Ponzi had no legitimate business or investment opportunity in place to generate earnings and used incoming funds from new investors to pay off earlier investors.  

Some warning signs associated with Ponzi schemes are:

•  Promises of unrealistically high returns with little risk.
• Claims by the promoter that the investment opportunity is extremely complex and usually only available to large overseas institutional investors like foreign banks and insurance companies.
• Requirement by the promoter that investors not discuss the investment with third parties and keep all aspects of the investment confidential.
• Representations by the promoter that investor funds are never at risk and are always held in an escrow account.
• Lack of transparency/refusal of the promoter to disclose to investors the location of investor funds or how the funds have been invested.
• Opportunity to reinvest promised payments at increasingly higher rates of return.
• Inability to pay investors requested withdrawals or refusal to allow investors to cash out their investments.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

Answer:  A securities brokerage firm and its brokers have a duty to only recommend investments which are suitable for a customer in light of the customer’s objectives and individual circumstances. This is known as the “suitability doctrine.” Specifically, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) rules state:

"In recommending to a customer the purchase, sale or exchange of any security, a member shall have reasonable grounds for believing that the recommendation is suitable for such customer upon the basis of the facts, if any, disclosed by such customer as to his other security holdings and as to his financial situation and needs."

Where a senior’s life situation dictates a conservative investment approach and a broker recommends high risk investments not designed to preserve the senior’s financial resources, the senior can have a suitability claim against the broker and his or her employer for damages. 

It’s likely your mother signed an arbitration agreement when she opened her brokerage account  and gave up her right to file her case in court.  Therefore, your mother needs to file an arbitration claim to recover her money. Nearly all arbitrations are conducted by arbitrators appointed by FINRA. 

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

Answer:  Here are some telltale signs of Financial Elder Abuse:

• Unusual or unexplained expenditures by the senior.
• Large cash withdrawals from the senior's bank account
• Numerous checks being written to a person or company that you do not know
• Wires or asset transfers out of the elder's bank or investment accounts that the senior cannot explain or doesn't want to talk about
• Numerous unexplained credit card charges
• Monthly account balances in the senior's bank or brokerage accounts that have suddenly declined dramatically
• The senior living without certain basic necessities even though he/she should have the money to afford them
• The senior recently lending money to someone you don't know
• Large amounts of money in the senior's investment account suddenly being invested in one product like a deferred variable annuity

From a practical perspective, there are a few simple things you can do to help your mother avoid Financial Elder Abuse:

• Have your mother's bank and brokerage firm send you duplicate copies of her monthly account statements.
• Also, most banks allow their account holders to set up daily email alerts.  Ask your mother to let you set up an email alert that sends you the daily balances on her bank accounts.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

Answer:  It depends of the type of financial advisor handling your parents’ money. If the advisor is a stockbroker, it’s likely your parents signed an arbitration agreement when they opened their account. This means they agreed in advance to file their case against the stockbroker and his employer in an arbitration forum and gave up their right to file their case in court.  Normally, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”) is the arbitration forum where your parents’ case would have to be filed.  Arbitration has both advantages and disadvantages but is less costly than filing an action in court and will likely get faster results. The arbitrators selected to hear the case can award your parents compensatory damages, punitive damages and attorneys’ fees– just like a jury can in court. For an overview of the FINRA arbitration process, click on this link: http://www.sbpllplaw.com/2011/04/an-outline-of-the-finra-arbitration-process-for-customer-broker-disputes/

If the advisor is not a stockbroker and your parents did not sign an arbitration agreement, they can file their case against the advisor and his employer in court. Whether they file their case in federal or state court depends on a number of factors including:

a) where your parents live
b) where the advisor lives
c) where the advisor’s employer maintains its principal place of business
d) how much money your parents lost, and
e) the legal causes of action asserted in the complaint.

Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

Answer:  FINRA’s Central Registration Depository (CRD) system contains registration and background information on stockbrokers. Certain information from this system can be accessed through FINRA’s BrokerCheck website at: www.finra.org/Investors/ToolsCalculators/BrokerCheck/.  

The BrokerCheck report which can be obtained through the website discloses complaints other clients have made against the broker, arbitration cases and lawsuits where the broker has been found liable and shows cases that are currently pending against him. The report also reflects disciplinary actions brought by securities regulators where the broker was sanctioned. Let me know if I can be of further assistance to you.

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance

J. Michael Bishop, JD
Partner in the Law Firm of Smiley Bishop & Porter, LLP
Atlanta, GA  30338
770-829-3850
www.sbpllplaw.com

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

I am an Atlanta native and partner in the law firm Smiley Bishop & Porter LLP. I received my law degree from Mercer University law school in 1984. For the last 26 years, my firm and I have dedicated our law practice to representing investors whose trust has been abused by dishonest financial advisors, stock brokers, investment advisors and financial planners. We have been fortunate during this time to have successfully represented numerous seniors who have been victimized by unscrupulous investment companies and their employees.  

Our firm prides itself on being keenly aware of the unique factors associated with representing seniors. Personally, I have served on the Board of the Elder Law section of the Atlanta Bar Association, am a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and a Charter Member of the ElderCare Matters Alliance.  I am also a member of the Public Investors Bar Association. 

My law firm is based in Atlanta, Georgia but our practice is national in scope. We have represented investors in numerous venues throughout the Southeast and across the United States. We have successfully represented clients with claims against virtually every major Wall Street firm, including: Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, UBS/PaineWebber, Morgan Stanley/Dean Witter, Wells Fargo Securities/Wachovia Securities, Prudential Securities, Citigroup/Smith Barney, Shearson/Lehman Brothers, Bear Stearns, Credit Suisse, Ameriprise Financial, Morgan Keegan, and LPL Financial, as well as numerous others.

Answer:  Your husband should qualify for Medicaid given his age and disabilities. You didn’t mention his or your monthly income or your family resources. However, assuming his monthly income is less than $2,022.00, assuming his resources are less than $2,500.00, and further assuming your family resources are less than $109,560.00, then your husband should qualify for Medicaid benefits. Allow me to add that your current situation as a “burned out” primary care giver is common. It would appear essential to your continued good health that your husband transition into a long term skilled care facility in the near future. I recommend that you contact an Elder Law attorney to assist your family with the asset planning and Medicaid planning that will be required for your husband to successfully qualify for Medicaid, while at the same time protecting your family assets. Also, please visit the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services website at www.cms.gov for further information and helpful resources. Thank you for your inquiry, and best of luck!

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com - America's online source for elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.

Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dennis L. Duncan, P.C.
Macon, Georgia  31210
478-254-4232
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Answer:  You will need to file a Petition for Guardianship and Conservatorship with the Probate Court in the county of residence for your mother in Illinois. I practice Probate Law in Georgia, and every state may handle the petition process a little differently. Please check with the website www.ProbateIllinois.com. There you can enter the county of residence for your mother and proceed directly to that county’s Probate Court website for more specific information regarding the petition process. You will need to contact a Probate Law attorney in Illinois, who is familiar with the court of jurisdiction. If the process in Illinois is like the process in Georgia, then procedurally this is what you can anticipate: A lengthy Petition for Guardianship and Conservatorship must be completed, which will include among other things, your mother’s financial records, medical examination reports/physician affidavit, and contact information for all living relatives. The relatives are notified by copy of the petition, and they are given time to object by filing a caveat if they so choose. If a caveat is filed, a period of discovery is allowed by the court before setting a court date. Mediation may be mandated by the court or the parties may elect to resolve any differences thereby. If no resolution can be reached, a bench trial takes place, and the Probate judge decides the outcome. If there is no opposition to the petition, a less formal in chambers hearing is held by the Probate judge, and the Guardianship and Conservatorship is granted by the court to the petitioner. I hope this information proves helpful, and I wish you the best of luck!

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dennis L. Duncan, P.C.
Macon, Georgia  31210
478-254-4232
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Answer:  The process is usually initiated with an in-depth consultation, which can be accomplished in person or telephonically. Prior to the consultation, I provide the client with a financial questionnaire to be completed on behalf of the Applicant/Recipient of benefits. Customarily, the goal of my Elder Care Planning clients consists in shielding family assets, while at the same time assisting a family member’s transition into a long term skilled care facility. Once I have gathered all of the family, medical and financial history needed to formulate a plan of action, I provide the client with a comprehensive Elder Law Opinion Letter for a set fee. Once they have had an opportunity to review and consider same, we have another consultation. If the client wishes to proceed with the plan of action, they provide me with a retainer. The requisite actions necessary to perfect the plan are then implemented. I hope you find this explanation helpful. Thank you for your inquiry and best of luck!

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dennis L. Duncan, P.C.
Macon, Georgia  31210
478-254-4232
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Answer:  Obviously, this is a serious matter. There are several federal laws that impact state policy concerning elder abuse; however, there isn’t really any general federal statute that deals with this heinous problem directly. The Older Americans Act of 1965, through its implementing regulations, provides state funding for programs designed to protect vulnerable adults. And The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act provides federal funding at the state level to combat domestic violence and elder abuse. Nevertheless, the investigation of allegations of elder abuse, and the administrative and legal handling of these cases is regulated by law at the state and/or local level. Your state has enacted an Adult Protective Services statute. Thus, I recommend you look into this further by accessing The National Center on Elder Abuse. The National Center on Elder Abuse has a listing of reporting hotlines for each state and a wealth of other helpful resources. I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for your inquiry and the best of luck! 

To locate other experts in your state who may be able to help you with this elder care matter, go to:
www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dennis L. Duncan, P.C.
Macon, Georgia  31210
478-254-4232
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Answer:  Most of the larger insurance companies offer Long Term Care Insurance, including Northwestern Mutual, MassMutual, State Farm, John Hancock, Genworth, MetLife, Mutual of Omaha, and AARP. The federal government also offers Long Term Care Insurance to its employees. Unfortunately, none of these policies is inexpensive. I recommend that you speak with a qualified insurance agent to determine what alternate types of policies are available and to comparison shop for the best price.

To locate long term care insurance experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dennis L. Duncan, P.C.
Macon, Georgia  31210
478-254-4232
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

 

Answer:  Your situation is not uncommon, and actually, you are in pretty good shape financially for your husband to transition into a long term healthcare or nursing home facility.  In order for your husband to qualify for Medicaid he must be 65 years or older, and in his case, disabled. He must have a monthly income of no more than $2,022, which he does at $1,950. Another factor is the Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA), which for 2011 is limited to $109,560. Since your principal residence, your car, your husband’s IRA, and his term life insurance policy are all exempt resources, your husband should qualify for Medicaid. However, allow me to add that if the principal residence is held in Joint Tenancy with Right of Survivor, you and your husband should consider placing it in your name in Fee Simple. There is no penalty on spousal gifts, and when your husband passes, you will not have to worry about Medicaid’s Estate Recovery seeking his share of the property as reimbursement for benefits provided. 

To locate experts in your state who can help you with these elder care matters, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dennis L. Duncan, P.C.
Macon, Georgia  31210
478-254-4232

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter

Get FREE advice every day about elder care matters from one of our 1,375+ elder care experts (and our team of experts is growing daily).

Families now have FREE access every day to the advice of one of our 1,375+ ElderCare Matters Alliance experts, offering YOU not only answers to your elder care questions but also providing you with up-to-date, useful articles about a wide range of elder care matters. This is information that will help YOU plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging.

This week's Featured Elder Care Expert is Dennis Duncan, Attorney at Law, from Macon, Georgia.  Mr. Duncan provides legal assistance in the areas of Elder Law, Elder Care Planning, Asset Protection Planning, Social Security, Medicaid/Disability Planning, Wills and Trusts, Advance Directives, Probate Law, Guardianship/Conservatorship, and Annuities.  Mr. Duncan will answer a different question each day about his areas of expertise, and a selected question along with Mr. Duncan's answer will be posted on the Featured Elder Care Question of the Day section of www.ElderCareMatters.com.

So if you would like to ask Mr. Duncan a question about an elder care matter, just send a short email (a few sentences only please along with your first name and City & State) to: questions@ElderCareMatters.com. 

And remember to bookmark www.ElderCareMatters.com and check back every day to see if your question is our Featured Elder Care Question of the Day. 

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Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 125 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the regular price of $450 for lifetime membership.  (Just $337.50 for a "lifetime membership")  This is a very cost effective way to "get the word out" to literally hundreds of thousands of families across America about how you and your company can help families with their elder care matters. 

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

Answer:  Your family is in a very difficult situation and it appears that you have been unable to find anyone who can help you locate a suitable home for  your step-father.

If you are not able to get help from a state agency as to where he might be cared for, one other thing you can try is to to locate a geriatric care manager in your state who has a specialty in psychiatric  assessments. This person should be able to give you more specific information on the housing options that are available for your step-father.

To locate some outstanding geriatric care managers in your state who may be able to help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dagmar M. Pollex, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dagmar M. Pollex, P.C.
Braintree, Massachusetts  02184
781-535-6490

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter

Answer:  The income and resource (asset) levels for Medicaid assistance for nursing home costs do vary from state to state. In Massachusetts, a single person can own no more then $2,000.00 in countable assets (not including the value of a home and automobile).

A couple can own $111, 560 in countable assets (not including the value of a home and automobile).

In Massachusetts (and many other states) there is no income limit in order to qualify for the long term care Medicaid program, which pays for nursing home costs.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dagmar M. Pollex, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dagmar M. Pollex, P.C.
Braintree, Massachusetts  02184
781-535-6490

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter

At last, families across America have one resource they can tap into daily to relieve the stress of aging… ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,350+ members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the elder care resources they need to plan for and deal with their issues of aging.  In fact, here is where you will locate, by state, some of America's top elder care professionals who provide a total of 68 different elder care services that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging, including: Advance Medical Directives Aging In Place Services Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities Annuities  Arbitration  Asset Protection Planning Assisted Living Communities  Assisted Living Referral Services Bankruptcy Caregiving Education  Consumer Law Continuing Care Retirement Communiities Crisis Intervention Daily Money Management / Bill Paying Disability Income Insurance Elder Abuse Litigation Services Elder Law ElderCare Planning / Long-Term Care Planning Estate Administration Estate Liquidation Estate Planning Financial Planning Geriatric Care Management Guardianship / Conservatorship Health Insurance Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services Home Care Home Downsizing Services Home Health Care Home Modifications Hospice Care Independent Living Communities Investment Services Life Care Planning Life Insurance Litigation Long-Term Care Insurance Medicaid / Disability Planning Medical / Healthcare Medical Alert Systems Medical Claims Processing Medical Equipment & Supplies Medicare Consulting Medicare Supplemental Insurance Medication Therapy Management Moving / Relocation Services Personal Finance / Accounting / Tax Preparation Powers of Attorney Probate Public / Non-Profit Resources Real Estate Services Rehabilitation Services Residential Psychiatric Care Respite Care Retirement Planning Reverse Mortgages Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services Senior Move Management Senior Move Planning Social Security Disability Services Special Needs Planning Tax Law Tax Planning Transportation Services Trustee / Fiduciary Services Trusts VA Benefits Wills

If you and your family need help with your elder care matters, this is where you will find competent, caring elder care experts located near you who provide a total of 68 different services that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging.  Whether you are looking for: an elder law attorney in Philadelphia a geriatric care manager in South Florida a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth, a home care provider in Southern California, or an assisted living community in Phoenix (as shown in the photo above)… you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts and services that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).

Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 125 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the regular price of lifetime membership. So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.    To request a Membership Application, send an email to: info@ElderCareMatters.com.

Answer:  I would need to know more specifics about your mother’s situation as well as the type of Medicaid assistance she will be seeking. However, the rules for Medicaid qualification, especially for individuals like your mother who is working and receiving disability benefit vary greatly from state to state.  I recommend that you contact an elder law attorney in your mother’s state who includes disability benefits in their practice areas.

To locate elder law attorneys in your state who may be able to help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dagmar M. Pollex, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dagmar M. Pollex, P.C.
Braintree, Massachusetts  02184
781-535-6490

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter

Families across America now have an online source they can tap into to find experts who can help them with a wide range of elder care matters…   ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,375+ members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the elder care resources they need to plan for and deal with their issues of aging.  In fact, here is where you will locate, by state, some of America's top elder care professionals who provide a total of 68 different elder care services that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging, including: Advance Medical Directives Aging In Place Services Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities Annuities  Arbitration  Asset Protection Planning Assisted Living Communities  Assisted Living Referral Services Bankruptcy Caregiving Education  Consumer Law Continuing Care Retirement Communiities Crisis Intervention Daily Money Management / Bill Paying Disability Income Insurance Elder Abuse Litigation Services Elder Law ElderCare Planning / Long-Term Care Planning Estate Administration Estate Liquidation Estate Planning Financial Planning Geriatric Care Management Guardianship / Conservatorship Health Insurance Hoarding Clean Up and Coaching Services Home Care Home Downsizing Services Home Health Care Home Modifications Hospice Care Independent Living Communities Investment Services Life Care Planning Life Insurance Litigation Long-Term Care Insurance Medicaid / Disability Planning Medical / Healthcare Medical Alert Systems Medical Claims Processing Medical Equipment & Supplies Medicare Consulting Medicare Supplemental Insurance Medication Therapy Management Moving / Relocation Services Personal Finance / Accounting / Tax Preparation Powers of Attorney Probate Public / Non-Profit Resources Real Estate Services Rehabilitation Services Residential Psychiatric Care Respite Care Retirement Planning Reverse Mortgages Securities Arbitration & Litigation Services Senior Move Management Senior Move Planning Social Security Disability Services Special Needs Planning Tax Law Tax Planning Transportation Services Trustee / Fiduciary Services Trusts VA Benefits Wills

If you and your family need help with your elder care matters, this is where you will find competent, caring elder care experts located near you who provide a total of 68 different services that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging.  Whether you are looking for: an elder law attorney in Philadelphia a geriatric care manager in South Florida a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth, a home care provider in Southern California, or an assisted living community in Phoenix (as shown in the photo above)… you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts and services that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).

Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 125 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the $450 regular price of lifetime membership. So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.    To request a Membership Application, send an email to: info@ElderCareMatters.com.

Answer:  This will vary somewhat from state to state. Generally, if  the person who executed the power of attorney is legally incompetent, a family member  can petition the Court to have a conservator appointed who then would have authority to request an accounting. This requires a doctor to certify that the person is unable to make rational financial judgments and therefore legally incompetent.

If  the uncle suspects that there has been financial abuse, most states also have agencies that will investigate the situation. You can call the Elder Affairs department  in your state to find out which agencies handle these matters in your state.

To locate other experts in your state who may be able to help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dagmar M. Pollex, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dagmar M. Pollex, P.C.
Braintree, Massachusetts  02184
781-535-6490

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,375+ Lifetime Members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the resources they need to plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  And now our "Elder Care Experts" are ranked #1 on Google, Yahoo & Bing. This is America's online source to find elder care experts plus useful information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.  Here you will find professionals with years of experience in helping families with the issues of aging, including: Elder Law Attorneys Estate Planning Advisors Financial & Investment Advisors  Geriatric Care Managers Insurance Professionals Reverse Mortgage Specialists Senior Move Managers  Seniors Real Estate Specialists A host of other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families This is also where you will find some of America's best: Assisted Living Communities Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities Continuing Care Retirement Communities Home Care Agencies Together, we provide families with: Unparalleled professional expertise Up-to-date elder care information & answers Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care matters

If you and your family need help with elder care matters, this is where you will find 1,375+ competent, caring elder care experts located near you.  Whether you are looking for: an elder law attorney in Philadelphia a geriatric care manager in South Florida a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth, a home care provider in Southern California, or an assisted living community in Phoenix… you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).     So why wait?  If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out" to hundreds of thousands of families across America (in a cost effective way) about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging, then you should join our 1,375+ elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.   And, now, if you are one of the next 125 new members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price.  This 25% discount is available only to the next 125 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  If you are a competent elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance. To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email directly to: psanders@eldercarematters.com.

Answer: Your mother will be able to continue living there as long as she wants and does not have worry that she’ll have to sell it to pay the cost of your father’s nursing home care.

It is very important that your parents meet with an elder law attorney in your state as soon as possible as there are other planning options for your parents to consider that could protect the value of the town home and other assets.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dagmar M. Pollex, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dagmar M. Pollex, P.C.
Braintree, Massachusetts  02184
781-535-6490

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter

Answer:   The first thing I would suggest you do is speak to the chief of nursing or the nursing home administrator about your concerns. If that doesn’t resolve the problem, you can ask for a formal meeting between family members and the appropriate nursing home personnel.

Most states also have a nursing home ombudsman assigned to each nursing home for the purpose of looking into complaints about the care that nursing home residents are receiving. You can contact your state’s Office of Elder Affairs to get contact information for the ombudsman.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Dagmar M. Pollex, Attorney at Law
The Law Offices of Dagmar M. Pollex, P.C.
Braintree, Massachusetts  02184
781-535-6490

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Massachusetts chapter

Get FREE advice every day about elder care matters from one of America's top elder care experts.  Ms. Pollex will answer a different question every day this week about her areas of expertise, and one selected question along with Ms. Pollex's answer will be posted on the Featured Elder Care Question of the Day section of  www.ElderCareMatters.com.  If you would like to ask Ms. Pollex a question about an elder care matter, just send a short email (a few sentences only please along with your first name and City & State) to: questions@ElderCareMatters.com. And remember to bookmark www.ElderCareMatters.com and check back every day to see if your question is our Featured Elder Care Question of the Day. Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 125 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the regular price of lifetime membership.  So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.   To request a Membership Application, send an email to:  info@ElderCareMatters.com .

Answer:  Thanks for the question. I practice law in Florida and my answer reflects how I would respond to a Florida resident.

The power of attorney can only use the money for the benefit of the person who granted the power.

The power of attorney does not have to report to siblings, but if wrong is suspected  may  have to answer to legal authorities and/or elder abuse authorities.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Joseph F. Pippen, Jr., Attorney at Law
Law Office of Joseph F. Pippen, Jr. & Associates
Largo, Florida  33771
727-586-3306

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  Thanks for the question.

The answer is yes-new owner will pay new tax rate  based on current market value at time of transfer.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Joseph F. Pippen, Jr., Attorney at Law
Law Office of Joseph F. Pippen, Jr. & Associates
Largo, Florida  33771
727-586-3306

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  A homestead would not disqualify the sisters from Medicaid and SSI benefits.  However, a trustee cannot transfer ownership  if sisters are only entitled to “life estate” benefits.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Joseph F. Pippen, Jr., Attorney at Law
Law Office of Joseph F. Pippen, Jr. & Associates
Largo, Florida  33771
727-586-3306

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  Having prepared over 36,000 estate plans with over 90% involving trusts – I would recommend your son consult with an attorney for directions on how to proceed based on the assets in the trust and estate. In Florida a trust notice would need to be filed and attorneys should be hired to transfer real estate.

However, the answer to your question is “YES” but not advisable without some advice.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Joseph F. Pippen, Jr., Attorney at Law
Law Office of Joseph F. Pippen, Jr. & Associates
Largo, Florida  33771
727-586-3306

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  Thanks for your question. Guardianships are very expensive, time consuming, and supervised by the courts.

The advantage of having a valid power of attorney is that you have the power to act quickly without court involvement.

The court system in Florida (where I practice) will not usually allow a guardianship when estate documents have been prepared to avoid being declared incompetent.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Joseph F. Pippen, Jr., Attorney at Law
Law Office of Joseph F. Pippen, Jr. & Associates
Largo, Florida  33771
727-586-3306

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  There are a number of different solutions, depending on her medication routine, what is causing the difficulties, etc.  When we do a geriatric care assessment, this is often one of the areas explored and it is not unusual to find problems, which as you well know can be very adverse.  We tailor recommendations to the solutions that fit for the individual.

A couple of resources I can share that might work.  First, you’re probably aware of simple pill boxes, where medications are laid out as to when to be taken.  A family member or a R.N. from a home care company can do this.  If your Mom can handle taking the medications from the pillboxes correctly, this can work.  Some clients need additional reminders, and maybe it is feasible for someone in the family to call and help with this.  Some pharmacies and services also package pills in easy-to-use dosages (one of our local pharmacies delivers them right to the client, packed in easy to tear off packets with all the pills for a specified time).

For other clients, especially with cognitive deficits, a more extensive solution may be needed.  There are some wonderful technologies, such as electronic pill dispensers that are pre-loaded and dispense the meds. at the scheduled time.  They typically sound a reminder and have different settings to help avoid missed dosages turning in to overdoses.  Additionally, some of the emergency response systems (fall buttons) have options for medication reminders.  Some clients may need more hands-on, personal assistance.  A home care aide trained in medication assistance can be there to serve as a personal reminder.  You may want to talk to a home care agency about your Mom’s specific needs and see if a reasonable plan can be worked out…with 10 prescriptions, timing may be tough so it may require some creativity or a combination of options.

I always like to go back to the basics too.  I would suggest bringing this up with your Mom’s doctor (or doctors?) and asking if there are any ways to streamline the medication routine.  When pills are prescribed over time (and sometimes by different specialists), the doctor doesn’t have a really good picture of how complex this can be, and obviously at this point there have been adverse effects which make this a priority.  Can any of the pills be eliminated?  Can some of them be taken at the same time, or a larger dosage be taken less frequently?  If a review hasn’t been done recently, it is probably a good idea anyway with such a large # of medications.  There are consultant pharmacists who specialize in medication reviews.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Shannon Martin, M.S.W., CMC
Aging Wisely, LLC
Clearwater, Florida  33756
727-447-5845

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  A geriatric care assessment is a useful tool for any family caring for an aging loved one (for an overview of components & the process you may wish to read http://www.agingwisely.com/the-positive-results-of-a-comprehensive-geriatric-assessment/). 

What outcomes can one expect from an eldercare assessment?

• A comprehensive picture of the situation and a solid understanding of current status, future needs and things to anticipate.
• A road map for moving forward, with very specific recommendations that can be carried out by family/responsible party, or with a care manager's assistance if desired.
• Cost projections, budgets and means of assistance with various recommendations and needs.
• Alternatives so that clients and their responsible parties can prioritize and direct the goals and future care planning.

How does a family or client benefit from a professional geriatric assessment?

• COST SAVINGS: expertise to help clients access services and benefits, find less costly options and avoid costly mistakes.
• TIME & STRESS SAVINGS: benefit from the professional’s knowledge of resources & systems, unique solutions to your concerns.
• IMPROVED FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS/CAREGIVING EXPERIENCE:  an objective picture helps families to come to agreement and makes caregiving easier.
• CONFIDENCE:  knowing they understand the options and can make the best choices armed with all the information.

The cost of an assessment will vary as care managers set their rates independently.  Prices vary by area of the country, expertise/experience and scope of services.  At Aging Wisely, for example, we offer clients a flat rate, comprehensive assessment which covers diverse areas and provides a complete set of recommendations.  At times, we do an even more in depth assessment for legal cases which involved extensive research and confirmation of information from various parties.  However, we also offer families the opportunity to do a more limited assessment of a particular area if that is appropriate to their situation. 

A brief, introductory type of assessment may be offered for a rate of $200-300 whereas a more comprehensive assessment may include many hours of work and can be a great value at $500 or more.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Shannon Martin, M.S.W., CMC
Aging Wisely, LLC
Clearwater, Florida  33756
727-447-5845

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

Answer:  Unfortunately this is something more and more elders and their families are running in to.  This does relate to billing and especially the crackdown on hospitals in regards to overpayments for hospital stays.  This was never really intended to be a status for patients for more than about 24-48 hours, but increasingly families are experiencing what yours did with stays upwards of 3-10 days classified as observation status.  This is particularly problematic when a patient needs inpatient skilled nursing care afterwards, because Medicare requires a 3 day hospital stay (with admitted status) in order to cover subsequent rehabilitation or skilled nursing in a skilled nursing facility.  Additionally, the patient may be responsible for some services received during the hospital stay, which is essentially treated as an outpatient stay.

Be aware that Medicare recipients do have the right to appeal coverage decisions.  This is also an important issue for families to be aware of in order to be able to ask questions and get more details when a loved one is in the hospital.  The Medicare coverage (or non-coverage in the case of no qualifying hospital stay) of inpatient rehabilitation can be worth thousands of dollars, and may be key to a loved one’s recovery.

To locate experts in your state who can help you with this elder care matter, go to: www.ElderCareMatters.com/statechapters.htm

Shannon Martin, M.S.W., CMC
Aging Wisely, LLC
Clearwater, Florida  33756
727-447-5845

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

At last, families have a resource they can tap into to find "Elder Care Experts" across America… ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,300+ Lifetime Members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the resources they need to plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  And now our "Elder Care Experts" are ranked #1 on Google, Yahoo & Bing.  This is America's online source to find elder care experts plus useful information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.  Here you will find professionals with years of experience in helping families with the issues of aging, including: Elder Law Attorneys Estate Planning Advisors Financial & Investment Advisors  Geriatric Care Managers Insurance Professionals Reverse Mortgage Specialists Senior Move Managers  Seniors Real Estate Specialists A host of other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families This is also where you will find some of America's best: Assisted Living Communities Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities Continuing Care Retirement Communities Home Care Agencies Nursing Homes Together, we provide families with: Unparalleled professional expertise Up-to-date elder care information & resources Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care matters

If you and your family need help with elder care matters, this is where you will find competent, caring elder care experts located near you.  Whether you are looking for: an elder law attorney in Philadelphia a geriatric care manager in South Florida a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth, a home care provider in Southern California, or an assisted living community in Phoenix (as shown in the photo above)… you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).   So why wait?  If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out" to hundreds of thousands of families across America (in a cost effective way) about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging, then you should join our 1,300+ elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  And, now, if you are one of the next 200 new members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price.  This 25% discount is available only to the next 200 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  If you are a competent elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance. To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email directly to: psanders@eldercarematters.com.

Question: When you need an answer about an elder care matter, who can you ask? 

Answer: The experts of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance. 

ElderCareMatters.com  is now offering an "Ask an Elder Care Expert" service.

Every day one of our 1,300+ experts will answer your family's important questions about elder care matters – from legal, financial, housing, healthcare, etc.

If you would like to ask one of our Elder Care Experts a question about his/her areas of expertise, just send a short email (a few sentences only please) to: questions@ElderCareMatters.com.

Every day we will post one of your questions along with an answer provided by our Featured Elder Care Expert of the Week to the homepage of www.ElderCareMatters.com (which is currently visited by thousands of families each week).  Yours may be one of the questions posted.  Of course, we'll keep your question anonymous and generic so that every family may benefit.  Not to worry.

So bookmark www.ElderCareMatters.com and visit us daily as questions about a wide range of elder care matters are answered by some of America’s top elder care professionals with years of experience helping families plan for and deal with the issues of aging.

At last, families across America have a resource they can tap into daily to relieve the stress of aging… ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,300 members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the resources they need to plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  This is America's online source to find elder care experts plus information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters from members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  Here you will find professionals with years of experience in helping families with the issues of aging, including: Elder Law Attorneys Estate Planning Advisors Financial & Investment Advisors  Geriatric Care Managers Insurance Professionals Reverse Mortgage Specialists Senior Move Managers  Seniors Real Estate Specialists A host of other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families This is also where you will find some of America's best: Assisted Living Communities Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities Continuing Care Retirement Communities Home Care Agencies Nursing Homes Together, we provide families with: Unparalleled professional expertise Up-to-date elder care information & answers Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care matters

If you and your family need help with elder care matters, this is where you will find competent, caring elder care experts located near you.  Whether you are looking for: an elder law attorney in Philadelphia a geriatric care manager in South Florida a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth, a home care provider in Southern California, or an assisted living community in Phoenix (as shown in the photo above)… you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).

Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 200 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the regular price of lifetime membership. So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.    To request a Membership Application, send an email to: info@ElderCareMatters.com.

Families now have FREE access every day to the advice of one of our 1,250+ ElderCare Matters Alliance experts, offering YOU not only answers to your elder care questions but also providing you with up-to-date, useful articles about a wide range of elder care matters. This is information that will help you plan for and deal with your family's issues of aging.

This week's Featured Elder Care Expert is Ben A. Neiburger, JD, CPA, Founder of Neiburger Law, Ltd., a recognized and respected attorney in Elmhurst, Illinois.  Mr. Neiburger will answer a different question each day about Elder Law, Estate Planning or Medicaid Planning and a selected question along with Mr. Neiburger's answer will be posted on the Featured Elder Care Question of the Day section of www.ElderCareMatters.com.

So if you would like to ask Mr. Neiburger a question about an Elder Law, Estate Planning or a Medicaid Planning matter, just send a short email (a few sentences only please along with your first name and City & State) to: questions@ElderCareMatters.com. 

And remember to bookmark www.ElderCareMatters.com and check back every day to see if your question is our Featured Elder Care Question of the Day.
 

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Special Offer for ALL Elder Care Professionals:  The next 225 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance will receive a 25% discount off the regular price of lifetime membership. 

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.   
 

If you are an elder care professional who helps families plan for and/or deal with their issues of aging, then you need to be featured on www.eldercarematters.com (which now gets 25,000+ visitors every month) and in the ElderCare Matters Bulletin (our weekly e-newsletter that is now distributed to about 100,000 families and professionals across America who are looking for help with their elder care matters, including searching for elder care experts like you).

As the Featured Elder Care Expert of the week, you will be showcased on the homepage of www.eldercarematters.com plus be exclusively featured in an issue of the ElderCare Matters Bulletin.  Moreover, you will have the unique opportunity to answer questions from families across America about your area of expertise.  These questions along with your answers will be posted on the homepage of www.eldercarematters.com and distributed further via our social networking sites on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

So, what are you waiting for?  If you are a competent, caring elder care professional and you are not already a member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, join us today and become a Featured Elder Care Expert on www.eldercarematters.com – America's online source to find elder care experts who help families plan for and deal with their issues of aging.

And if you are already one of the 1,250+ members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, take advantage of this opportunity to share your expertise with families across America who need your help with their elder care matters.

If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out to thousands of families across America (in a cost effective way) about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging", then you should join our 1,250+ elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  And, now, if you are one of the next 250 new members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price.  This 25% discount is available only to the next 250 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email to: info@eldercarematters.com.

"If you are an elder care professional, then I encourage you to join me and the other 1,250+ experts of ElderCareMatters.com." 

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This is America's online source to find elder care experts plus useful information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters. 

Here you will find professionals with years of experience in helping families with the issues of aging, including:

• Elder Law Attorneys
• Estate Planning Advisors
• Financial & Investment Advisors 
• Geriatric Care Managers
• Insurance Professionals
• Reverse Mortgage Specialists
• Senior Move Managers 
• Seniors Real Estate Specialists
• A host of other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families

This is also where you will find some of America's best:

• Assisted Living Communities
• Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities
• Continuing Care Retirement Communities
• Home Care Agencies
• Nursing Homes

Together, we provide families with:

• Unparalleled professional expertise
• Up-to-date elder care information & resources
• Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care matters 

Now, ElderCare Matters is offering a 25% discount to the next 250 elder care professionals who apply for Lifetime Membership in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

So, if you are a competent elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a lifetime membership (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) in the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

To request a Membership Application, send an email to: info@ElderCareMatters.com. 

At last, families have a resource they can tap into to find "Elder Care Experts" across America…  ElderCareMatters.com

ElderCareMatters.com, along with the 1,250+ Lifetime Members of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, provides families with the resources they need to plan for and deal with their elder care matters.  This is America's online source to find elder care experts plus useful information & answers about a wide range of elder care matters.  Here you will find professionals with years of experience in helping families with the issues of aging, including: Elder Law Attorneys Estate Planning Advisors Financial & Investment Advisors  Geriatric Care Managers Insurance Professionals Reverse Mortgage Specialists Senior Move Managers  Seniors Real Estate Specialists A host of other elder care experts with long and successful careers working with seniors and their families This is also where you will find some of America's best: Assisted Living Communities Alzheimer's / Memory Care Communities Continuing Care Retirement Communities Home Care Agencies Nursing Homes Together, we provide families with:  Unparalleled professional expertise Up-to-date elder care information & resources Competent, caring assistance with a wide range of elder care matters

If you and your family need help with elder care matters, this is where you will find competent, caring elder care experts located near you.  Whether you are looking for:  an elder law attorney in Philadelphia a geriatric care manager in South Florida a long-term care insurance professional in Fort Worth, a home care provider in Southern California, or an assisted living community in Phoenix (as shown in the photo above)… you can count on www.ElderCareMatters.com to help you find the Elder Care Experts that you will need in ALL 50 states (plus the District of Columbia).

If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out to thousands of families across America (in a cost effective way) about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging", then you should join our 1,250+ elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  And, now, if you are one of the next 250 new members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price. This 25% discount is available only to the next 250 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.    So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!) to the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.  To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email directly to: psanders@eldercarematters.com.

Dallas Leigh Atkins, Esq.
Law Offices of Dallas Atkins
Santa Barbara, California  93101
805-687-8782

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, California chapter

Dallas Atkins is an attorney who practices in the field of elder law, special needs planning, and long term care estate planning. Her work includes Medi-Cal estate planning, Medi-Cal applications for nursing home benefits, Superior Court petitions to preserve the assets and income of couples with a spouse in a nursing home, VA pensions for Aid and Attendance benefits for home care and assisted living care, estate planning documents geared towards long term care planning, revocable and irrevocable trusts, protection of the home without endangering public benefits, nursing home admissions and contracts, and special needs trusts.

Dallas helps elders, persons with disabilities, and their families prepare for and meet the challenges of aging, disability, and incapacity while maintaining autonomy and quality of life. The focus of her practice is planning and problem solving to maximize legal and financial options for quality care at home, in the community, in assisted living facilities, and in skilled nursing facilities. Aging well in place by finding, getting, and paying for quality care is a major goal of her work. She values ensuring quality care across the life span, not protecting wealth to the exclusion of the elder’s quality of life.

The Section Head of the Elder Law Section of the Santa Barbara County Bar Association in 2003 and 2004, Dallas is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Academy of Special Needs Planners, and ElderCounsel. She is a frequent contributor to professional journals and other publications. A dynamic and popular speaker, she has presented seminars before community groups, elder care organizations, UCSB, the Omega Program of SBCC Adult Education Department, the Santa Barbara County Bar Association, law firms, training conferences for tax professionals and lawyers (including California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform), and other public and private organizations and events.

A graduate of Bryn Mawr College (A.B. 1970), Villanova University School of Law (J.D. 1975), and University of California, Santa Barbara (M.A. in Counseling Psychology 1988), she was admitted to the California State Bar in 1977. She practiced as a legal aid attorney and then a private adoption attorney prior to finding elder law in 1999. She was licensed also as a Marriage and Family Therapist from 1991 through 2008 and continues to enjoy the integration of psychology and law through her elder law practice.

Steven H. Peck, Attorney at Law
Law Offices of Steven H. Peck, Ltd.
300 Saunders Road
Suite 100
Riverwoods, Illinois  60015

Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Illinois chapter

Steven H. Peck is a native of Boston, Massachusetts and is married with three daughters. Mr. Peck graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from Harvard College. He received his Juris Doctor degree from Boston College Law School.

Mr. Peck is licensed to practice law in Illinois, New York, Massachusetts, Florida and six federal jurisdictions, including the United States Supreme Court and the United States Tax Court.

Mr. Peck has been involved in the estate and tax planning field for over 19 years and is devoted full time to the practice of estate planning. He is a member of the Illinois Forum of Estate Planning Attorneys as well as Wealth Counsel, a nationwide group of attorneys committed to bringing their clients the finest estate planning advice and documentation possible. Additionally, he is a member of Elder Counsel, which is devoted to the practice of elder law and special needs planning. Mr. Peck is also listed in Nationwide Register’s, Who’s Who in Executives and Businesses.

Mr. Peck has presented several hundred seminars on the topic of estate planning for the public and various private organizations across the country. He was also a faculty member for National Business Institute’s professional education seminar “Handling the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax”.

Prior to estate planning law Mr. Peck practiced real estate development law and spent four years active duty as a captain in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Additionally, he has a substantial knowledge of the insurance field having spent several years as an insurance broker prior to practicing law.

Question:  When you need a quick answer or advice about an elder care matter, who can you ask?

Answer:  The "Elder Care Experts" of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, who can now be found on page 1 of Google.

ElderCareMatters.com is offering a NEW Ask an Elder Care Expert service.

Each week one of our 1,250+ experts will answer your family's important questions about elder care matters – from legal, financial, housing, healthcare, etc.

If you would like to ask one of our Elder Care Experts a question about his/her areas of expertise, just send a short email (a few sentences only please) to:  questions@ElderCareMatters.com

Every day we will post one of your questions along with an answer provided by our Featured Elder Care Expert of the Week to the homepage of ElderCareMatters.com (which is currently visited by thousands of families each week).  Yours may be one of the questions posted.

So bookmark ElderCareMatters.com and visit us daily as questions about a wide range of elder care matters are answered by some of America's top elder care professionals with years of experience helping families plan for and deal with their issues of aging.

___________________________________________________________

If you are an elder care professional and you would like to "get the word out" to thousands of families across America (in a cost effective way) about how you can help them plan for and deal with their issues of aging, then you should join our 1,250+ elder care experts as a lifetime member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance.

And, now, if you are one of the next 250 new members, you will receive a 25% discount off the regular lifetime membership price.

This 25% discount is only available to the next 250 elder care professionals who join the national ElderCare Matters Alliance as a Lifetime Member.

So if you are a competent, caring elder care professional – take advantage of this special 25% discount offer and pay only $337.50 for a "lifetime membership" (and there are no annual membership dues, ever!).

To request an Application for Lifetime Membership, send an email directly to: psanders@eldercarematters.com

Phillip G. Sanders, MBA, MSHA, CPA
Founder & CEO of ElderCare Matters
1-877-379-4500
www.ElderCareMatters.com

David F. Anderson, Esq.
David F. Anderson, P.A.
7735 N.W. 146th Street
Suite 205
Miami Lakes, Florida  33016
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter

David F. Anderson is President of David F. Anderson, P.A., a full service Elder Law and business law firm that is committed to the legal and personal needs of the firm’s clients and professionally and ethically assisting them in achieving their business, family and personal goals. Mr. Anderson has a Bachelor’s Degree in Science, a Masters of Business Administration Degree in Finance, a Doctorate of Jurisprudence, a Post-Doctorate in Real Property Law and a Post-Doctorate in Elder Law. David F. Anderson has over 20 years experience and creatively solves legal, personal and business problems in an efficient, professional and economical manner for his clients. He considers it a privilege in playing a part in his clients' successes and protecting the clients’ interests, whether it is obtaining medical benefits, protecting family assets, planning an estate, probating an estate, structuring a business transaction, satisfactorily handling commercial litigation, or taking a client successfully through bankruptcy. The law firm is completely fluent in Spanish.

Martin C. Womer, Esq.
Maine Center for Elder Law, LLC
3 Webhannet Place
Suite 1
Kennebunk, Maine  04043
207-467-3301
Member of the national ElderCare Matters, Maine chapter

Martin C. Womer is the founder, President and Managing Attorney of the Maine Center for Elder Law, LLC, a law firm located in Kennebunk, Maine. He assists clients with Medicaid (MaineCare) planning and applications, planning for VA Aid and Attendance eligibility, and trust and estate planning and settlement. He is known for his work in crisis Medicaid planning.

Marty received his Bachelor’s degree, Cum Laude, from Colby College (1975), and his J.D. from the University of Maine School of Law (1997). He is the Chair in the Elder Law Section of the Maine State Bar Association, and is active in the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and ElderCounsel, LLC, for whom he teaches Medicaid planning courses. Marty was the featured cover story of the February 2009 issue of NAELA News, the bimonthly magazine published by the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys.

Marty lives in Saco, Maine with his wife, Mary Keefe, an expert in elder living solutions.