When completing any estate planning, including a trust, will, power of attorney, or health care directive, the person signing the documents must have what is called “capacity” in order to sign the documents. There are two kinds of capacity in estate planning: testamentary capacity and contractual capacity. Testamentary capacity is a lower form of capacity and is required by a…
The Aged and Disabled Medi-Cal program pays for long-term care in a skilled nursing facility and care at home through In Home Support Services (IHSS). In order to qualify for this type of Medi-Cal, you must meet an income test, or have a share of cost if your income is too high, and you are limited in the amount of…
We work with so many families who are struggling with dementia. Understanding how to deal with dementia is a growing problem in our society as the average age of our population continues to increase. We have all heard the statistic that 10,000 people become eligible for Medicare every day by turning 65. Every day. And caring for a family member with…
In 1987, President Reagan signed a ban on the use of drugs in nursing homes that were prescribed to chemically restrain patients, unless the medications are needed for that patient or other residents’ safety. However, in September 2021, the New York Times has reported that antipsychotic drugs were frequently used on dementia patients in the 2000s, notwithstanding the almost doubled…