Elder abuse is a common topic and we hear frequent warnings about scams by caregivers, email and telephone scams, and even being taken advantage of by children or grandchildren. While marrying for money is not a new concept, it is quickly spreading into the area of elder abuse. Caregivers, or people wanting to get close to an elderly person with…
Exposure to natural light–or direct sunlight–has long been believed to have significant health benefits. For example, researchers have established that regular exposure to natural light: Produces vitamin D in the body. Vitamin D promotes bone growth and aids in the absorption of calcium. It also prevents some types of cancer, heart disease, depression, and weight gain. In addition, Vitamin D…
Mary set her phone down on the table and frowned. Her husband, Herb, studied her. “What’s wrong?” “I don’t think we can bring Mom home for Christmas. The nursing home said if we remove her from the premises, we have to pay a fee to hold her bed. Otherwise, they can give the bed away to someone else.” “What? That…
Mary slammed the cordless phone onto the receiver. Her husband, Tom, peered at her over the top of his newspaper, his eyebrows cocked in concern. “Now what was that about?” he asked. “That was Beth Willis. She says we can’t use Dad’s long-term care insurance for his home health care because he doesn’t meet the criteria of the policy.” Tom…
Sandy rolled up to the table where her poker club sat. “Well?” asked her friend, Diana. “How was the trip?” Sandy rolled her eyes. “Let’s see. The TSA agent kept insisting I had to walk through the security screener, even though I was in a wheelchair and told her I couldn’t walk. Finally, they brought me an airport-approved wheelchair and…
A change in nursing home regulations has some elder advocates up in arms. At the center of the dispute is the way nursing homes are fined for engaging in activities that endanger or injure residents. Under the Obama administration, nursing homes that failed to comply with federal regulations were fined for each day they were out of compliance, resulting in…
The California Department of Health Care Services recently announced new Medi-Cal resource numbers for 2019. In All County Welfare Directors Letter (ACWDL) 18-28 the Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) was increased to $126,420 and the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) was increased to $3,161 for 2019. The CSRA is the amount of non-exempt assets that the spouse of a…
We all know that when we turn 65 we are covered by Medicare. But many people don’t know that coverage is not automatic. We actually have to sign up for it. And we have to sign up during a specific time period or risk a penalty. Below is a quick lesson on when and how to do it. WHEN: Some…