The day your loved one enters a nursing facility is not a great day. Aside from your own emotional strain you will try valiantly to let your loved one know that you will stay close and advocate for his or her needs. And then there’s the paperwork. Lots of it.…
A federal court ruled that hospitals may retain a patient in their building under “observation status” rather than formally admitting them, and that such “observation status” does not count as a hospital stay for nursing home Medicare qualification purposes. Medicare (not to be confused with Medicaid or Title 19) provides…
By Esther Corcoran Alzheimer’s is not a normal part of growing older, as many people seem to think. It is a disease that impairs memory and intellectual abilities to the point where their daily life is being affected. When people notice things in their daily life changing, there are 10…
This is the first in a 3-part series about the process and practice of becoming your parent’s healthcare advocate. In this part one, we talk about how to lay the groundwork for a smooth transition. As Bette Davis once said, “Getting old is not for sissies.” It’s also not something…
Until recently, there was a Catch 22 when it came to getting care in the community. If you are 65 years of age or older, the Connecticut Home Care Program for Elders is available. But for younger people with complex care needs, the options in Connecticut have been limited.…
Few crises are more stressful than those related to health and long-term care. It is hard enough to navigate these complex issues during the best of times. In a world full of uncertainty, they become even more stressful and urgent. As we all wrestle with the day-to-day reality of COVID-19,…
By Brendan Daly As an elder law attorney, I’ve been advocating for my senior clients for twenty years, but I recently discovered that my 78-year-old dad still has a few things to teach me. It was a lesson I maybe should have seen coming. I help many clients navigate the…
More than 8,000 older adults (age 65+) were killed and more than 250,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes in 2019. This amounts to more than 20 older adults killed and almost 700 injured in crashes on average every day. These harrowing statistics were published by The Centers for Disease…
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration and only individuals who have a…
“Promise me you won’t ever put me in a nursing home.” Our parents would make us sign in blood if they could. Fear of losing their independence and way of life is a tremendous concern among Connecticut seniors. And, in today’s COVID-19 environment – knowing how the virus can easily…