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…
As you and your loved ones age, you might wonder what are the available options for housing for seniors, and what is the right fit? The good news is that there are several broad options for senior housing and within each option is a spectrum of smaller options to best meet your needs. We will break each housing option down…
The California Department of Health Care Services recently announced new Medi-Cal resource numbers for 2021. In All County Welfare Directors Letter (ACWDL) 20-27 the Community Spouse Resource Allowance (CSRA) was increased to $130,380 and the Minimum Monthly Maintenance Needs Allowance (MMMNA) was increased to $3,260 for 2021. The CSRA is the amount of non-exempt assets that the spouse of a Medi-Cal applicant…
Big Three from Episode #059: Elder mediation can help families reach agreements about legal, financial, and care planning for their aging loved ones and their estate. Even if you think a conflicting party will not agree to mediation, it’s worth getting in touch with a mediator to find ways to engage the parties in communication. The ultimate goal is to…
Estate planning is not just for seniors. Ideally, as soon as you turn eighteen you should have some version of an estate plan because your parents are no longer automatically able to make decisions or act on your behalf. There are several reasons to create a power of attorney for finances once you turn eighteen. For example, the military helps…
It’s never too early to start planning for eldercare, whether for a relative, a spouse, or yourself. Generally, eldercare is separate and distinct from nursing home care. Nursing homes provide medical and personal care in a clinical setting. Eldercare offers personal care in a home-like or social setting. In California, there are three primary types of eldercare: Assisted living, home…
The passage of the U.S. Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014 (ABLE) enabled millions of disabled Americans to save money without losing means-based benefits, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Medi-Cal. Currently, anyone with more than $2,000 in countable assets is ineligible for most means-based programs. Prior to ABLE, it was impossible to save funds for larger…