Senior Planning Services

Hiring family Members as Paid Caregivers

Post author By sps
Post date March 2, 2023

Your loved one is aging and requires assistance with daily living. Thankfully, he or she is eligible for government assistance for a caregiver. Still, you wonder, who could possibly be trusted with the physical care, emotional dignity, and financial responsibilities of your family member?

What if they won’t understand her agitation when someone wears a green sweater, which reminds her of great-aunt Tracy?

How will she get accustomed to being served her nighttime tea, deeply steeped yet lukewarm, by a stranger?

You wish it could be one of you, a loving member of the family. Still, each of you has a job to maintain, and a family to sustain, and becoming a full-time caregiver is not a viable option.

Nothing Like Family

By now, programs in many states allow for family members to receive compensation as the caregiver of qualifying loved ones facing old age. You may no longer have to choose between salary and family.[1]

According to the National Family Caregivers Association, over 50 million Americans provide care to family members in some way, comprising 80 percent of all home care services. The value of this care is estimated at more than $306 billion per year.

Family Member as the Hired Caregiver//The Upside

Medicaid Made Simple

10 Common reasons you may be denied Medicaid

Post author By sps
Post date November 7, 2022

Frustrated Medicaid, a federal and state program that provides health coverage benefits to many people, including senior citizens, covers basic health care costs and long-term care – care provided in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

Many seniors rely on their Medicaid benefits for their long-term care. The prospect of having a Medicaid application denied can induce anxiety as loss of these benefits can be financially devastating.

Below are ten reasons your loved one’s application may be denied and steps to take to best ensure it doesn’t happen.

1. Incomplete Application or Documents.

If you’ve ever applied for anything through a government agency, you’ve heard the refrain – Make sure to bring all your paperwork! That’s certainly true for the Medicaid application which requires the submission of extensive documentation.

Aside from providing proof of age, identity, marital status and citizenship, there are numerous financial documents necessary, including: bank statements, investment account statements, life insurance policy information, asset and other property information, tax returns and retirement income information. These documents are required to determine financial eligibility and are an essential part of the application. Don’t leave home without them!

For a full checklist of required documentation, please refer to the Senior Planning website www.seniorplanning.com/document-checklist

Health and Wellness

Four Fascinating Health Benefits Of Coffee – National Coffee Day 2022

Post author By sps
Post date September 29, 2022

National Coffee Day got me thinking about the health benefits of coffee. After researching a bit I found some fascinating results, which I am eager to share with you.

1. Coffee can help increase one’s energy level and make them less tired. Caffeine is a stimulant in coffee which is responsible for warding off sleep and providing increased alertness.

2. Coffee can reduce the risks of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. There are antioxidants in coffee that may prevent brain cell damage. Antioxidants may also boost the effects of neurotransmitters related to cognitive skills.

3. Coffee also lowers the risk of developing Diabetes. It has not been pinpointed which components in coffee contribute to the decreased risk of Diabetes. Some believe it’s a combination of antioxidants and other nutrients in coffee. However, one should be mindful that drinking coffee should not take away from healthy eating habits and exercise to reduce the risk of Diabetes.

4. Coffee is good for the liver, studies have shown that coffee can prevent people from developing non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as well as alcoholic cirrhosis, which generally comes from a large quantity of alcohol intake.

Coffee may provide many health benefits, however too much of one thing is not good. As my grandfather used to say, “A little bit of everything and not too much of anything will help you live a balanced and healthy life”. I’ll say the same thing for coffee drinking. A moderate amount of coffee each day can boost your energy and have positive health benefits.

Happy National Coffee day 2022!

*Nothing in this blog should be taken as Medical advice. All information in this blog is for reference purposes only. Speak with your healthcare provider before making any medical decisions based on this article.

Caregiving Health and Wellness

Driving as we age

Post author By sps
Post date May 18, 2022

Seniors and unsafe driving

As concerned and well-meaning children, we’re faced with the difficult and unenviable position of broaching a sensitive topic with our elderly parents or loved ones. One of the hardest to navigate conversations is to convey to an older adult that it might be time to retire their Driver’s License and start looking for other means of transportation. The last thing we want to do is procrastinate and push off the important conversation for a different time.

Many signs indicate it’s no longer safe for someone to operate a vehicle, and while the signs will vary significantly from person to person, here are some common ones to look out for:

Caregiving Medicaid Connecticut Medicaid Massachusetts Medicaid New Jersey Medicaid New York Medicaid Pennsylvania Medicaid Rhode Island

Will Mom have to sell our family home to qualify for Medicaid?

Post author By sps
Post date March 5, 2021

As David’s mother Betty aged, her health rapidly declined and David was faced with a slew of new responsibilities. As her primary caregiver, he needed to stay on top of her medical and financial needs. Throughout all these new challenges, one hurdle scared him most — would Mom need to sell her home to qualify for Medicaid?

If Mom won’t be moving to a facility for the next five years, there are asset preservation steps you can take to ensure that her home will be protected. Seek legal advice to determine your options.

Medicaid New Jersey

What are Qualified Income Trusts in the State of NJ? And How Can They Help with Medicaid Eligibility?*

Post author By sps
Post date March 1, 2021

Are you running into an issue where Mom or Dad has an income that is higher than the Medicaid income limit yet insufficient to cover their skilled nursing facility bill? Three letters, Q-I-T may be the answer to this problem.

A QIT otherwise known as a Qualified Income Trust or Miller Trust is a program that allows for Medicaid eligibility specifically for seniors with a high income. It is a trust funded solely for the purpose of Medicaid eligibility with income above the institutional limit- $2,523 in 2022 and fluctuating yearly depending on any federal cost of living adjustments (COLA).

resources

Seniors and unsafe driving