Russell Hodges, Esq., Managing Partner
Hodges Law Firm, LLC
Atlanta, Georgia 30040
www.RHodgesLaw.com
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Georgia chapter
Personal Care Contract Payment to Family Members: ANOTHER MEANS OF ASSET PROTECTION
Gregory D. Roberts, CFP, CLU, ChFC, CLTC, EA
Life Solutions
Aiken, South Carolina 39803
803-617-9805
Member of the South Carolina chapter, national ElderCare Matters Alliance
Asset-Based Solutions for Long Term Care Coverage are Gaining Favor
Lynn Harrelson, R.Ph., FASCP, Senior Care Pharmacist
8302 Cheshire Way
Louisville, Kentucky 40222
502-425-8642
www.SeniorPharmacySolutions.com
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Kentucky chapter
Risky Medications
Everyone who cares for todays’ seniors will eventually deal with the problems created by the medications that the seniors use. Some seniors have other watchful eyes on the medication they use. The general public is generally unaware that since Medicare was initiated in the mid-sixties that pharmacists have been federally mandated to review the medications of all Medicare patients residing in nursing homes or long term care facilities (LTCFs) across the country. Specially trained pharmacists review the use of each patient’s medications, how they are responding, train facility staff on proper dosing of medications, side-effect monitoring and documenting and they make recommendations to the prescriber for changes in orders or labs.
Read more on Article of the Week on ElderCareMatters.com: "Risky Medications"…
Angela N. Manz, Attorney at Law
The Law Office of Angela N. Manz
Virginia Beach, Virginia 23452
757-271-6275
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance
There are several government benefits available to seniors who need help paying for extended care. However, the qualifications and requirements for these benefits can often be complicated and confusing, leaving many people unsure of how to qualify or whether they are applying for right benefit for their family.
Amy Cameron O'Rourke, MPH, CMC
The Cameron Group
Orlando, Florida 32803
1-888-896-2010
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance
Watching a parent grow older, become more frail and maybe more vulnerable can be an enriching experience when there is a framework for understanding the stage they are in. Without understanding some of the common stages, however, it can be a time fraught with frustration and anxiety. This time of life for an elder is called “late life” and one of the books that best describes and supports this time is the pioneering book, “ My Mother, Your Mother”, by Dr. Dennis McCullough.
Read more on Article of the Week on ElderCareMatters.com: "I Am Worried About My Parents"…
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
The collective goals of Mr. and Mrs. Marlowe are to protect their family assets for the future benefit of Mrs. Marlowe, their grown children and grandchildren, and accomplished this while at the same time establishing compensability for Mr. Marlowe for Medicaid benefits. The Marlowe family estimate that Mr. Marlowe will need to transition into a long-term skilled care facility in the next two to five years. Read more on Article of the Week: "An Elder Law Case Study – Medicaid and Estate Planning for Mr. and Mrs. Marlowe"…
Shannon Martin, M.S.W., CMC
Aging Wisely, LLC
Clearwater, Florida 33756
727-447-5845
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter
If your loved one is hospitalized, the hospital discharge process is a key transition time. Within 90 days of hospital discharge, as many as 35% of Medicare recipients will be readmitted to the hospital.
Without proper support and resources as well as good understanding of follow up instructions, many individuals will return to the hospital for reasons that could have been avoided. No one wants this, and it can be especially dangerous for elders and persons with chronic conditions.
If you are a family caregiver and an elderly loved one is hospitalized what can you do to ensure a safe transition after the hospital stay? Read more on Article of the Week: Ensuring a Safe Transition for Your Loved One After a Hospital Stay…
Ben A. Neiburger, JD, CPA
Neiburger Law, Ltd.
Elmhurst, Illinois 60126
630-782-1766
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Illinois chapter
In my elder law practice, a frequent topic of conversation with my clients is how to pay for long-term care. This is an understandable concern given that many long-term care facilities in Northern Illinois charge between $6000 and $8000 per month for care – that’s $72,000 to $96,000 per year!). A typical married couple in their 70’s may have only $50,000 to $200,000 in life savings plus their home. This means that if one spouse needs to spend some time in a long-term care facility, he or she could burn through the couple’s life savings in a year or two – a very scary thought.
Read more on Article of the Week: Paying for Long-Term Care – Can it be done?…
Elayne Forgie, M.S., CMC
ElderCare at Home
Lakeworth, Florida 33461
1-800-209-4342
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Florida chapter
Alzheimer's disease can have devastating consequences for patients and their families. Counseling tailored to the manifestations of each stage of Alzheimer's disease is one approach clinicians can adopt to help meet patients' needs. In the early stage, treatment options and the development of advance directives should be the focus. Problems that arise with declining cognitive function, personality changes, and communication deficits should be addressed during the long second stage. During the final stage, the family will need support while they make the difficult decisions regarding end-of-life care. Read more on Counseling Alzheimer's Patients and Their Families…
Kenneth C. King, Jr., Esq.
King Law Group, P.C.
Roanoke, Virginia
1-866-985-1123
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Virginia chapter
The holidays are the best time of the year for talking T-U-R-K-E-Y. As you savor turkey and gravy and once again remember how good the green bean casserole really tastes, gather your family into a "Time to Talk Turkey" about your family's Love 'n Money. The holidays are the right time to formulate and discuss your family's plans, including your estate plans.
To get you started, during a large helping of mashed potatoes and gravy, here is a simple formula for family discussion: talk T-U-R-K-E-Y(the "Turkey" topics are in the following paragraphs). For each Turkey topic, discuss who, what, when, where and how. It is that simple. So, let's get talking T-U-R-K-E-Y about your family's Love 'n Money. For each letter in "Turkey", we'll get you started with some questions. Now, it is your turn to provide the discussion. Read more on Time to Talk T-U-R-K-E-Y…
Martha M. Kern
Director, Lifecare Home Solutions
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois 60181
630-932-4032
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Illinois chapter
The problem of hoarding has recently garnered a great deal of attention, particularly since becoming the subject of an A&E television show. It is not, however, a new problem. It pre-dates the Depression (and is not caused by Depression-Era upbringings), has been documented all over the world, and is believed to afflict 15 million Americans to a clinically-significant degree. Hoarding causes trouble not just for the hoarder, but for everyone in their lives. Paradoxically, allowing a hoarder to get into trouble rather than working to get them out of trouble may just be the key to lasting change. Read more on The Hoarding Dilemma: When and How to Help…
Allen Kampf, RFC
Wealth Advocacy Partners
Sparks, Maryland
410-527-1171
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Maryland chapter
As a result of medical technology, we are definitely living longer. When we continue living, we age; when we age, we need care. It isn't a question of who will care for you. The question is, "What impact will that care have on your family – physically, emotionally and financially?" Read more on Who Pays for Long-Term Care?…
Read more on Who Pays for Long-Term Care?…
Shay Jacobson, RN, MA
Life Care Innovations
Oakbrook Terrace, Illinois
630-953-2154
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance, Illinois chapter
Long term care has evolved into a "catch all" phrase that is confusing to the lay as well as the professional community. The boundaries among primary, acute, and long term care have blurred. Instead of concentrating on acute care in hospitals, our health care system's focus has switched to managing chronic conditions in a variety of settings from home to rehabilitation hospitals. The long term care goal switches from curing illness to helping individuals function as well as possible while maintaining dignity and independence. Individuals that require long term care have a compromised ability to live on their own due to their condition. Long term care encompasses help with activities of daily living (ADLs), such as bathing, dressing, eating, and toileting. Read more on Medical Issues and Terminology in Long Term Care…
By Mandy Merkel, MMSc, CCC-SLP
Senior Resource Consulting
Atlanta, Georgia
404-786-7789
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance,
Georgia chapter
After my parents retired to Florida, we thought things would be fine; if something happened to them, we could hop on a plane and take care of things.
Unfortunately, it was not that simple. Dad broke his hip and needed short term rehab – unbeknownst to us, he had been taking care of Mom as her dementia advanced.
Like many parents, he had kept us in the dark about how much she depended on him and like many children, we chose not to see the realities of her decline.
Now we were in a crisis: Read more on Distance caregiving is new baby boomer challenge…
By Gary Figiel, MD
Southeastern Geriatric Healthcare Group
Atlanta, Georgia
404-497-1830
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance,
Georgia chapter
Depression is a serious life threatening illness, which without question increases the risk of mortality in elderly patients and is linked with increased mortality of residents in nursing and assisted living homes, along with other long-term care facilities.
Read more on Diagnosing and Managing Depression in the Elderly…
By Ginny Helms
Alzheimer's Association, Georgia Chapter
Atlanta, Georgia
404-728-1181
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance,
Georgia chapter
Of all the issues of aging, none has been more emotionally or medically challenging than Alzheimer's disease. And because we are living longer, the incidence of Alzheimer's is on the rise. More than 1,000 cases are diagnosed each day in the U.S., In Georgia alone, the Alzheimer's Association counts more than 160,000 cases. Read more on ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE: Significant Progress toward Prevention and Cure…
By Gary Figiel, MD
Southeastern Geriatric Healthcare Group
Atlanta, Georgia
404-497-1830
Member of the national ElderCare Matters Alliance,
Georgia chapter
This is the second most asked question from a patient's loved one: "Am I going to get it too?"
Read more on My parent has Alzheimer's Disease – Am I going to get it too?…