We have received many inquiries from clients and colleagues asking whether the California Budget, just signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on July 28, 2009, will adversely affect nursing home residents who rely upon Medi-Cal to help pay for care. The good news: No. Neither will it directly affect subsidies for ancillary services, such as dental and… Read More »
Posts Categorized: Elder Law
“Second Childishness and Mere Oblivion”
Shakespeare wrote about the seven ages of man, in which he describes the human journey from helpless child to adult and back to helpless child again: “…Infant, schoolboy, lover, soldier, justice, pantaloon, and second childhood, ‘sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything’”. Anyone who has had to watch as their parents age knows how… Read More »
Medicaid Fact and Fallacy: Shouldn’t You Know the Truth?
Health Care is one of the Obama Administration’s pet projects, and ever since President Obama took office there has been a lot of media attention and speculation about the national health care system and what changes (for good or ill) may be in store. Of course, the backbone of our national health care program is… Read More »
Avoid Caregiver Burnout
Many of our clients provide care for elderly loved ones; some even providing constant, around the clock care. Care giving is a demanding, overwhelming, and often grossly under-appreciated job. In addition to giving up their own time and interests, caregivers have to watch someone they love slowly regress and lose the ability to do even… Read More »
If It Sounds Too Good to Be True, It Probably Is
“We are pleased to inform you of the result of the Lottery Winners International programs… Your address attached to ticket number 2051146 won in the second category, you have therefore been approved to receive a sum of 1,000,000.00 Euro. Congratulations!!!” You probably recognize the paragraph above from a common mail/e-mail scam letter. This letter (or… Read More »
New Website May Help Caregivers Breathe a Sigh of Relief
If you provide care for an elderly relative or a special needs child you know how much work is involved in just getting away for an afternoon or evening, let alone planning for their care if you were to pass away. First you have to find a caregiver qualified to handle your loved one’s more… Read More »
There’s No Place Like Home
The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home (or the decision to leave your own home and move to a nursing facility, if you are making the decision yourself) can be one of the most difficult and harrowing decisions we ever make. Stories about disreputable facilities where seniors are neglected or abused… Read More »
The Best Gift for Aging Parents is… A Laptop?
Americans love our technology; cell phone, laptop, wi-fi, Kindle, iPod—all of these things keep us socially connected, culturally informed, and satisfy our growing need for instant gratification. But there is an assumption that this technological savvy and appreciation stops once you reach a certain age. We expect teens, twenty and thirty-somethings, and baby-boomers to be… Read More »
You Ought To Be In Pictures: When and How To Create A Video Will
The process of creating a last will and testament hasn’t changed much over the centuries, and the requirements are few: Paper, pen, witnesses, and a testator who is of sound mind. This endurance and simplicity is one of the hallmarks of estate planning—and yet there are plenty of ways to incorporate technology into our practices… Read More »
A Situation Such As This
A child paralyzed in a tragic accident; a spouse diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and then placed in assisted living after a terrible fall; mounting medical bills. How does one plan for a situation such as this? Kate Michelman certainly thought she and her husband had planned for every eventuality—she is a well-known and well-to-do public… Read More »