Steps to Take in Advance of Death or Disability
No one wants to face the fact that our loved ones will not be with us forever. Facing our own mortality is frightening as well. Although none of us wants to contemplate a time when we or a loved one…
How to Fight a Nursing Home Discharge
Once a resident is settled in a nursing home, being told to leave can be very traumatic. Nursing homes are required to follow certain procedures before discharging a resident, but family members often accept the discharge without questioning it. Residents…
What a Good Long-Term Care Insurance Policy Should Include
Nursing home and long-term care costs continue to rise and it is difficult to qualify for Medicaid to pay for nursing home costs. Long-term care insurance can help cover expenses, but long-term care insurance contracts are notoriously confusing. How do you…
Medicaid Home Care
Traditionally, Medicaid has paid for long-term care in a nursing home, but because most individuals would rather be cared for at home and home care is cheaper, all 50 states now have Medicaid programs that offer at least some home…
Protecting Your House After You Move Into a Nursing Home
While you generally do not have to sell your home in order to qualify for Medicaid coverage of nursing home care, it is possible the state can file a claim against your house after you die, so you may want…
Guns and Dementia: Dealing with A Loved One’s Firearms
Having a loved one with dementia can be scary, but if you add in a firearm, it can also get dangerous. To prevent harm to both the individual with dementia and others, it is important to plan ahead for how…
Tips on Having ‘The Talk’ With Aging Parents
If you’re a baby boomer, you may already have had “the talk” with your growing children. But have you had “the talk” with your aging parents as well? That talk involves a frank discussion with parents about financial arrangements for…
Reverse Mortgages Can Pose Problems for Heirs
Reverse mortgages can be a big help to seniors needing extra cash, but they can become a nightmare for their heirs. Heirs who don’t know their rights may be faced with large bills or threats of losing the house. Fortunately,…
4 Ways to Respond When Someone with Alzheimer’s Keeps Repeating Questions
People with Alzheimer’s may repeat things…a lot Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias cause problems with short-term memory. This can lead to repetitive behaviors, like asking the same question over and over again. Your older adult isn’t doing it on purpose…
Nursing Home Costs Rise Sharply in 2017
The median cost of a private nursing home room in the United States has increased to $97,455 a year, up 5.5 percent from 2016, according to Genworth’s 2017 Cost of Care survey, which the insurer conducts annually. Genworth reports that the…