Assisted living is changing for seniors with new advancements in medicine, technology, and socioeconomics. The rising cost of assisted living means that some families are looking for new alternatives, while those who consider traditional assisted living have new options to…
I have to decide between my two children, who should be my power of attorney when I need help communicating with doctors and handling my financial matters. Can't I just name them both? You can, but please don't. You risk…
When caring for an aging family member, a family caregiving meeting can be a great way to coordinate communications and activities. These meetings are beneficial for helping to keep all family members abreast of decisions that need to be made,…
You would hope your living will is properly prepared and your resuscitation instructions or DNR (do not resuscitate) are in order. While your wishes in a living will may be appropriately documented, that does not guarantee the instructions will be…
When you embark on a second marriage, you should be aware of how this will affect you and your new spouses’ Medicaid benefits. Current costs for long-term care facilities can run between $70,000 – $150,000 annually. Studies show that 70%…
A healthy lifestyle can increase your longevity significantly. Your lifespan can be increased by as much as 14 years for a woman and 12.2 years for a man according to the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation study. The United States…
In estate planning, it is common that parents divide the inheritance equally among the children. But sometimes, parents intentionally choose to not leave anything to a child, and the reasons for doing so may vary. One reason could be that…
Imagine this scenario, an unwed middle-aged lady, Sandy, being the sole caretaker for her 85-year-old mother. Sandy still worked full time and would help her mom in the evenings and weekends. Unfortunately, Sandy was in a serious car accident and…
Hospice care is meant to provide comfort by reducing suffering and focusing on the quality of life for the patient and the family. And yet a lack of regulation, oversight, and available information means that isn't always the case. The…
Most young adults don’t consider estate planning a priority. Young adults in their twenties and thirties often think they don't own enough to constitute an estate. However, an estate is the total of all you own – money, investments, real…