Archive for July 2017
Toolkit for Diagnosis of Dementia
Primary-care doctors have a free online toolkit to aid them in detection and diagnosis of cognitive impairment, dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. Developed by the Gerontological Society of America, the toolkit model is named KAER, a four-step method. Step one is KICKSTART, an introduction about memory loss to patients and families. Step two is ASSESS, in…
Read MoreSuperagers have Joie de Vivre
Why are some people superagers? One common factor is that they engage in demanding mental exercise, continually challenging themselves to learn new things outside of their comfort zone. They try new things that they wouldn’t have dared to do when younger, fearing failure. In addition, older adults generally are happy. Retirement likely is improving…
Read MoreCan’t I Just Give Away My Assets? Understanding the Penalty Period
After our last blog post about qualifying for nursing home Medicaid while owning a home, we received numerous questions about just giving the house away. Several sons and daughters were advised to just sign a quitclaim deed transferring mom or dad’s house to them before moving them into a nursing home. They thought that just…
Read MoreLocating Critical Information
A parent’s unexpected health event could precipitate an immediate need to get your hands on key information and secure valuables. Before something happens, it is a good time to talk to aging parents about what you may need to provide someday. Some parents are hesitant to discuss personal matters, even with their children. For insight…
Read MoreNational Parks Service – Senior Pass Price Increase
Buy now, if you wish to pay $10 for a Senior Pass, a lifetime benefit for admittance into our national parks and monuments. This is a real deal for U. S. citizens or permanent residents age 62 or over and hasn’t changed since 1994. This price is in effect through August 27th. But…….buy the pass…
Read MoreQualifying for Nursing Home Medicaid While Owning a Home
Is it true that I have to sell mom’s home before she can get Medicaid? We just received this question yesterday…and the day before that… and a few times last week… There is so much confusion about Medicaid, especially when it comes to home ownership. A nursing home resident can own a home and still…
Read MoreOperation Southern Shield
Operation Southern Shield begins today, July 17th, in a weeklong speed prevention and enforcement initiative on interstates, major highways and local roads in Georgia, Alabama, Florida, South Carolina and Tennessee. The campaign aims to reduce summertime wrecks and traffic deaths by reducing drivers who are speeding, impaired, distracted or not wearing seat belts. Harris Blackwood,…
Read MoreBe Discreet with Elders
Unintended barbs cut to the quick and can’t be taken back. Try to work with an elder’s loss of short-term memory or declining cognition when speaking with them. Here are some options when speaking to elders: Hold your tongue; you are frustrated but think about them and repress your emotions. They forget. As reminders, say…
Read MoreMore about the QIT
The eligibility rules for Medicaid can be confusing, and this is especially true if you think you need a Qualified Income Trust (or QIT). In today’s blog, we want to address how the QIT (the Qualified Income Trust, or Miller Trust) is used. A QIT is needed when a nursing home resident’s income exceeds the…
Read MoreGrant to Fight Elder Exploitation/Abuse
The Georgia Department of Human Services has been awarded a $10,000 AARP BankSafe Initiative Grant to help fight the loss of retirement savings among its aging population. One in five older adults fall victim to financial exploitation, each losing an average of $120,000, as reported by AARP. Nationwide, seniors lose $3 billion to financial abuse…
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