Medical alert systems can be a vital tool in maintaining a frail elderly parent's independence. Many people's only knowledge of a medical alert system is Lifecall’s “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up” catchphrase. It has become a catch phrase for memes and GIFs. However, in the late 80s Lifecall’s commercials made the...
As the population ages, the use of assisted living facilities to provide long term care for aging parents increases. Often, adult children are asked to sign the admission contract on behalf of a parent who will reside in the assisted living facility. These contracts are usually presented in a flurry of activity with...
In our last blog post, Should My Elderly Parents Stop Driving, we discussed the warning signs indicating an elderly parent is an unsafe driver. If you determine a parent may be unsafe to drive, there are three ways to address it: First, have a conversation with your parent. While families dread this conversation, it is...
Driving is a vital part of nearly every American's life. Remember when you received your first driver’s license? The ability to drive represents freedom and independence. It is understandable that for the elderly the thought of losing the ability to drive equals the loss of freedom and independence. Isolation and loss...
It is often difficult for families to know when they need to step in and provide assistance or even take protective action with regard to an aging parent or loved one. This difficulty is compounded by the opposition an aging parent may show toward any type of help. The following is a checklist families can use to...
Most families dread the day they may have to find a nursing home for an elderly loved one who can no longer be cared for at home. However, families are more likely to have to hire help for an elderly or disabled loved one in their home before placing that same loved one in a nursing home. And, few families consider this...
More and more families today are combining households to provide care and support for aging parents. Aging parents often move in with an adult child and that child’s family later in life when they need care or financial support. Often these moves are done in crisis or anticipation of a crisis and with very little, if...
Most people prefer to remain in their homes as long as possible receiving long-term care in their home. This is referred to as aging in place. To ensure you can age in place, here are five factors that you must consider: Can your home accommodate you as you age? Your home should be a single story, single level home...
The costs of long-term care can be financially overwhelming — for the person who needs care and for the family supporting them. Many families are caught off guard because they assume Medicare will cover these expenses. It does not, at least not in the way most people expect. Understanding what long-term care actually...
If you have ever searched online for help with Medicaid planning, you have probably encountered companies and consultants advertising their services as Medicaid "experts" or "specialists" — none of whom are attorneys. In Florida, what those companies do is illegal. And it took nearly a decade of advocacy to make it so....