April 2, 2008
- Law and Aging Guide
The Law and Aging Guide is a comprehensive listing of the state-wide resources available to help older persons with law-related issues. Published by the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging, the Guide includes important contact numbers and addresses for legal assistance providers and other law-related services for the elderly. Click on [...]
March 27, 2008
- The Three Medi's: Medicare, Medigap And Medicaid
Your mom is turning 65. She will be receiving Social Security retirement benefits but is very concerned about how to finance her health care. She owns her home, has a limited pension, and with Social Security, will be able to make ends meet but with little money to spare. Will she be eligible for Medicare? [...]
February 25, 2008
- Power of Attorney v. Guardianship Edit
What is the Difference Between a Power Of Attorney and a Guardianship? Which is Appropriate for Someone With Alzheimer’s?
by William G. Hammond, JD
A power of attorney is a legal document in which one person (the principal) authorizes another (the agent) to act on his/her behalf. Financial powers of attorney allow your agent to make decisions [...]
January 3, 2008
- Community-Based Services for the Elderly
As the elderly population grows, so, too, do community services for older people. Services may be provided by government, non-profit or for-profit organizations. Urban and suburban residents usually have a broader range of services than people who live in rural areas; the quality of services also can vary among communities. However, anywhere an elder lives, [...]
April 16, 2007
- Alternative Living Arrangements for the Elderly
Your mother is 78 years old and lives alone. Her eyesight is failing, she’s becoming forgetful and she’s finding it difficult to keep up with housekeeping, home repairs and maintenance. You fear that she can’t manage on her own much longer.
Many older people find it necessary or sometimes just more convenient to move to housing [...]
March 28, 2007
- Caring for the Caregiver
Marcy is divorced with two teenage sons. Her 81-year-old widowed father lives nearby. Over the past two years, Marcy's father has experienced major bouts of forgetfulness and depression, with increasing frailty due to arthritis and congestive heart failure. He has fallen several times during dizzy spells and sometimes forgets to take his arthritis and heart [...]
February 19, 2007
- Selecting a Geriatric Care Manager
Your elderly aunt is widowed and lives alone. You’re the only family member she has to care for her. Her long-time health problems have become debilitating. You know she needs help but, because you live far away, you don’t know exactly what she needs or where to look for help. Someone suggests that you contact [...]
January 10, 2007
- Alternatives to Guardianship
Your 82-year-old father is overwhelmed with financial documents and gets confused and frustrated when he sorts through them. He often accidentally overdraws his checking account or forgets to pay bills. His only income is Social Security, so he has to be careful with his money. You’re concerned he can’t manage his financial affairs any longer. [...]
November 28, 2006
- Long-Term Care Insurance
At ages 59 and 61, your parents are independent and self-sufficient. Still, they realize that an accident, sudden illness or simple aging could trigger the need for long-term care. They nursed your grandmother through her 10-year bout with Alzheimer’s and are well aware that a loved one’s illness can cause heartbreak and financial strain for [...]
October 5, 2006
- How to Make Your Home Senior-Friendly
Your parents are healthy and living in their home, but you worry about the danger of falls and other household injuries. What if one of them becomes ill or disabled? How would they manage? What can you do now to improve their safety and comfort or mitigate any possible injury?
It’s wise to address concerns about [...]
August 26, 2006
- Daily Money Management Programs for Seniors
You live in a city far from your 75-year-old mother. In telephone conversations during the past year, you’ve begun to suspect she’s growing increasingly forgetful, but she assures you everything is fine. Now a neighbor has called to say your mother hasn’t paid her utility bills in three months and the utility company is threatening [...]
July 11, 2006
- Consumer Fraud Against the Elderly
During a visit with your mother, you notice a stack of wire transfer receipts totaling more than $65,000. When you ask what they’re for, she says she’s investing in a new hi-tech company. After you investigate further, you think she’s being scammed by fraudulent telemarketers. What can you do?
Consumers lose more than $40 billion a [...]
March 28, 2005
- Aging Parents and Adult Children
An estimated 22.4 million U.S. households — nearly one in four — now are providing care to a relative or friend aged 50 or older or have provided care during the previous 12 months. So says a recent survey by the National Alliance for Caregiving and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). Other surveys [...]
