A recent survey of American adults aged 50 to 94 finds that many seniors are unprepared for the financial and logistical aspects of long-term care, with widespread misconceptions about coverage options.
Medicaid & Long-Term Care Planning
Steps to Protect Against the Financial Abuse of Senior Adults
As people get older, they often need to rely on others for various kinds of help and are more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or other forms of dementia. Consequently, as people age, they are more vulnerable to being…
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Public Benefits & Planning Strategies Definitions
To properly assist clients, elder law attorneys must juggle knowledge of a number of different public benefits programs, many of which have unique eligibility requirements. Additionally, with multiple planning strategies and instruments available to assist clients with public benefits, attorneys…
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How Pairing Older Adults With Older Pets Can Benefit Both
Takeaways Pairing senior adults with senior pets offers mutual benefits, including companionship and reduced loneliness for humans, and a loving home for older animals. While there are challenges like health costs and emotional considerations, supportive programs and careful planning can…
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Home Safety for Aging in Place: A Guide for Older Adults
Takeaways Aging in place involves making modifications to ensure safety, comfort, and accessibility for older adults. Home modifications, measures for preventing falls, and fire and carbon monoxide safety are crucial for creating a safer environment. Maintaining social and mental well-being…
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Should Aging Parents Live With Their Adult Children?
Takeaways Multigenerational living, with adult children and older parents living together, is becoming more prevalent. Factors to consider before moving a parent into your home include household harmony, lifestyle compatibility, space availability, and accessibility. Alternatives to having a parent live…
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Before You Move Your Parents to an Assisted Living Facility
Takeaways Assisted living communities provide care and peace of mind for aging parents and their families. When considering assisted living, involve your family in discussions, understand what assisted living can do to help, make a plan to cover care costs,…
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Medicare’s Hospice Benefit: Little Known, Little Used
Explore Medicare’s Hospice Benefit, a vital resource that remains underutilized. Understand its importance in delivering compassionate care for terminally ill patients.
What Is the Difference Between Palliative and Hospice Care?
Palliative care and hospice care can provide comfort to seriously ill patients and patients who have received a prognosis of imminent death. Each type of care is intended to improve the quality of life among patients who receive it. Many people use the terms hospice care and palliative care interchangeably, but there are important distinctions.
End-of-Life Care Decision Making
Just as we create estate plans for our eventual demise, we also need to plan ahead for the possibility that we will become sick and unable to make our own medical decisions.
Medicare Part A and B Costs to Rise Again in 2025
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has issued the 2025 figures for Medicare. As in 2024, these health care costs are going up across the board.
Medicaid Applicants: Protecting Your Healthy Spouse in 2025
Each year, the feds issues updated guidelines outlining how much of a couple’s assets a healthy spouse can keep while their Medicaid spouse gets the long-term care support they need.
Your Social Security Benefits for 2025: COLA Update
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has officially released its annual cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) figures for 2025.
What is an Advance Directive for Health Care?
The worst-case scenario has happened: you or a loved one has fallen ill or had an incident leaving another person in charge of making medical care decisions.
Britney Spears Case Puts Renewed Focus on Guardianships
Britney Spears’s struggle to regain control over her business and personal life shines a spotlight on legal guardianship and alternatives that involve less loss of control over one’s life.
The Ins and Outs of Guardianship and Conservatorship
Every adult is assumed to be capable of making their own decisions unless a court determines otherwise. If an adult becomes incapable of making responsible decisions, the court will appoint a substitute.
How Old Do You Have to Be to Get Medicare?
If you are approaching retirement, you may worry about paying for medical expenses once you leave the workforce. The good news is the United States has a health insurance program for individuals 65 and older. The program is called Medicare. Read…
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Why Do I Need an Elder Law Attorney?
While most lawyers in specialized fields focus on a distinct area of the law, a certified elder law attorney is focused on serving the distinct needs of a specific client. Certified elder law attorneys provide counsel for the unique requirements…
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The Guardianship Process in North Carolina
Across the United States, guardianship is understood to be a legal process where an individual or entity is granted the responsibility to make decisions on behalf of another person who is unable to make decisions for themselves and manage their affairs. In North Carolina, specifically, the guardianship process ensures…
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Attaining Guardianship Status for an Adult in North Carolina
It’s all too common: as parents get older, some of their faculties begin to decline. Eventually, the parent’s mental abilities may begin to fail, and you could find yourself needing to make various decisions on their behalf. There is one…
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Understanding the 5 Categories of Nursing Home Abuse and How to Recognize Warning Signs
Nursing home abuse or neglect is defined as any action or failure to act that causes unreasonable suffering, misery, or harm to the patient. It can include assault of a patient, but can also include withholding necessary food, medical attention,…
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Understanding Why Long-Term Care Insurance Lapses and How to Prevent It
Long-term care insurance is crucial to cover the high financial risk associated with senior care, whether provided at home or in a nursing facility. However, many people who purchase long-term care insurance let their policies lapse, ultimately losing the benefits…
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North Carolina Criminal Law 20-157(f) – Unlawfully Passing an Emergency or Public Service Vehicle
In North Carolina, if you see an emergency or public service vehicle giving a warning signal with lights while parked or standing within 12 feet of a roadway, you must either: (1) move your vehicle to the furthest lane until…
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Transitioning Your Special Needs Child into Adulthood: Three Important Considerations at Age 18
Raising a child with special needs poses numerous challenges, and one of the most daunting ones for parents is ensuring that their child is well-cared for as they transition into adulthood. Planning for this transition requires consideration of various aspects.…
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Lady Bird Deed
It is no secret that long-term care costs can be exorbitant. The rates on this type of care have skyrocketed for decades. With that being the case, individuals often turn to Medicaid for assistance in paying for their long-term care…
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How is a Medicaid Lien Managed During Probate?
Federal law allows states to recover the money paid to Medicaid recipients via Medicaid payments. One way this is done is through a Medicaid lien on the real property of the Medicaid recipient. A Medicaid lien allows a state to…
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Seniors Continue Embracing Technology
Technology is providing seniors with a multitude of applications to improve their health, lifestyle, safety, and entertainment. While the younger generations may think these older Americans are the equivalent of technology dinosaurs, the truth is mid-life, and older Americans are…
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When Is an Inheritance Not a Good Thing?
Say your spouse is living in a nursing home because of advanced Parkinson’s. Your spouse is currently receiving Medicaid benefits to pay for the high cost of that care. If you were to pass before your spouse, you wouldn’t want…
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South Carolina Medicaid Planning
South Carolina Medicaid planning is often used when a person requires long-term care and does not have private insurance or the financial resources to pay out-of-pocket. Many factors need to be considered to determine whether Medicaid is the best option…
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Helpful Ways to Pay for Assisted Living Costs
Assisted living rent can vary from $2,000 to $5,000 monthly. Depending on what type of care your loved one needs, assisted living can be the most affordable solution when compared to a nursing home ($5,000 to $10,000 or more per…
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Medicaid Asset Rules in South Carolina
The general Medicaid eligibility rule is that a person can’t have more than $2,000 in countable assets. If you are trying to become eligible for Medicaid to pay long-term care costs, you may need to spend down your assets or…
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What is Medicaid Planning?
Medicaid planning is a part of long-term care planning. Many people over age 65 will need long-term care at some point, and the costs of this type of care are very high. Everyone should include long-term care planning in their…
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