If you or a loved one has lived with a mental illness and/or a substance use issue, you may be aware of how important it is to make your wishes for your health care known before a crisis occurs. When our own wishes are not known or are not followed, severe emotional trauma may occur […]
We have all witnessed friends and family members die slowly as a result of Alzheimer’s disease. In the final stages of this and other dementia diseases, there comes a time when your loved one can no longer speak, recognize family members, or move purposefully. A Question of Quality of Life With poor quality of life, […]
Before seeking medical care, imagine if you were ill and had to decide if you could afford it. Unfortunately, for many Americans, seeking medical care hinges on affordability rather than medical necessity. About half of US adults have gone without or delayed medical care in the last year due to a lack of affordability. Even with insurance […]
People with disabilities simply refer to travel as “accessible travel” or “disabled travel”. There is a lot to consider when traveling with a disability. Proper research, planning, and preparation are crucial. In the past, traveling as a disabled person seemed like an overwhelming and sometimes impossible task. However, with travel agencies specializing in disabled travel, […]
During the process of planning your future, both financially and medically, you may wonder what the difference between estate planning and elder law is. Estate planning and elder law also have some similarities. Even though these two types of law are for different stages in life, they are often handled at the same time. This […]
One of the hardest challenges in life is contemplating one’s own death. Yet it is very important to think carefully about the medical treatment we would want for that challenging time. Medical technology can now keep us alive long after we have ceased to enjoy meaningful quality of life. A series of legal rulings around […]
In order to qualify for Medicaid assistance for nursing home care, assisted living, in-home care, or adult foster care, an individual must meet certain income and asset criteria. As a result of these rules, many candidates give away their money and resources to qualify. However, there is a “look-back period” before the individual’s application acceptance, […]
Federal and state Medicaid programs provide comprehensive health coverage and financial protection to millions of Americans. The program helps low-income families, individuals, and people with disabilities receive adequate health care and provides nursing home or community long-term care services. As of August 2022, more than 90.5 million individuals were part of the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance […]
A Living will is also called an advance health care directive. It specifies what decisions you want medical professionals to make if you are incapable of making them due to accidents or illness. A living will is crucial for all adults because accidents or a sudden onset of severe or terminal illness can happen at […]
Recently, a federal court decision gave some Medicare beneficiaries the right to appeal previous decisions regarding their patient status. The Underlying Issue When Medicare patients go to a hospital, they often enter through the emergency department. The physician who attends to them must decide whether to admit them into the hospital as an inpatient, discharge […]
Trusts set up for loved ones with disabilities are typically supervised by the grantor (the individual who creates and funds the trust). However, it is crucial to choose a successor trustee who will continue properly managing the SNT to benefit the individual with special needs. When selecting a reliable, honest, and capable successor trustee, there […]
More than 6 million Americans suffer from dementia and anxiety associated with Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). It is hard to exaggerate the emotional and financial toll on families afflicted with the disease. People are desperate for therapies to improve the patient’s quality of life and slow the progression. Like all neurological diseases marked by neurodegeneration, the […]