Posts by Hurley Elder Care Law
Setting up a Plan for Aging without Family
“I just turned 74, and I’m still in great health; but I am concerned about my future. My husband died last year after living with dementia for 8 years. We have no children, and my only relative, a nephew, is now living in Alaska. I don’t know what will happen to me if I get…
Read More4 Mistakes to Avoid When Hiring In-Home Caregivers
In a blog last week, we offered guidance on finding a good long-term care bed in Georgia. Many readers reached out to remind us that long-term care does not have to mean institutional living. It is true that millions of families provide care in their own homes using family, informal, or paid caregivers. These families…
Read MoreFinding the Right Nursing Home in Metro Atlanta
Most families are shocked when they find out how difficult it can be to find a nursing home bed for their loved one in the Metro Atlanta area—much less a bed in the right nursing home. The Metro Atlanta area has a shortage of long-term care beds in nursing homes. Georgia requires that a nursing…
Read MoreCaring for a Parent Who Didn’t Care for You
Many of the families we work with share a positive, symbiotic relationship with their relatives. We hear stories of healthy, nurturing childhoods, supportive young adult periods, and caring late-life phases. These memories help give steam to adult child caregivers facing the tough job of caring for an aging parent. Taking care of elderly parents can…
Read MoreHow to Stop an Older Adult from Driving
“Two months ago a neighbor was killed by an older driver. Now I can’t stop thinking about my own mom and her driving. I know that she shouldn’t drive anymore. She has what seems to be early stages of Alzheimer’s (although, she is in denial). She also drinks heavily and seems to be making lots…
Read MoreYou have a plan for your parents but how do you make them move?
Last week I talked to a woman about her aging parents. They are living in an apartment in the independent-living section of a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC). Her 89-year-old dad is blind, and her 87-year-old mom has dementia. According to the daughter, they are just getting by with the on-site meals and regular housekeeping;…
Read MoreWhen Dementia Hits Our Clients in Their 40s and 50s
We are an elder care law firm, but we work with individuals and family members of any age who are dealing with a debilitating disease and are in need of long term care. Unfortunately, over the last 5 years we have seen an increasing number of families come to us because their spouse, mother,…
Read MoreSeeking Professional Guidance–Michelle’s Story of Family Caregiving
By: Michelle Allen, LCSW My journey into this field began 15 years ago when I interned with Haven House Hospice. I felt at ease working with folks nearing the end of life and felt drawn to the other professionals engaged in this work. During my internship, I realized that I wanted to become a hospice…
Read MoreUnderstanding Guardianships: Annual Reporting
After the probate court appoints a guardian over a ward, the court stays involved in the ward’s care to supervise the ward’s affairs and monitor the actions of the guardian. Guardians must provide regular reports, known as Personal Status Reports, to the court to keep them updated on the ward. This report must include the…
Read MoreUnderstanding Guardianships: The Uniform Guardian, Conservatorship & Other Protective Arrangements Act
Last July, the Uniform Law Commission (ULC) adopted a new act to help states reform their current guardianship laws. Guardianship laws are complex, and they, like all laws, need updating. The ULC last issued a Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act in 1997. Their current one took two years of committee work and is now…
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