Resources for Seniors and Caregivers

March 20, 2023

Multigenerational Vacations: 6 Steps For Planning a Trip Together

There are few experiences more transformational than travel. Visiting new places, whether near or far, has a way of opening our hearts and minds.

And when we travel with people we love, there is the added benefit of being able to share those memorable experiences. From a simple weekend road trip to a month-long journey exploring another country, travel can change your life and your relationships for the better.

Two of the things people missed most during the first two years of Covid were spending time with family and travel. Knowing this, it’s not that surprising that as Covid-related travel restrictions lifted more and more people started booking trips that included extended family. Multigenerational travel was a growing trend prior to Covid, and it has become even more popular now that—hopefully—the worst of the pandemic is over.

February 20, 2023

Green Burial: An Environmentally Friendly Funeral Option

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Death planning is a very personal topic, and one which most people find discomfiting. It’s hard enough to consider your own mortality as an abstract concept. It’s even harder to think in very specific—even graphic—terms about what will happen to your remains after you’ve shuffled off this mortal coil.

A growing number of people are seeking alternatives to the traditional burial, which typically involves embalming, concrete vaults, and other processes and products that are not friendly to the environment. An article in Scientific American put some astonishing numbers to the resource costs of this type of burial:

According to National Geographic, American funerals are responsible each year for the felling of 30 million board feet of casket wood (some of which comes from tropical hardwoods), 90,000 tons of steel, 1.6 million tons of concrete for burial vaults, and 800,000 gallons of embalming fluid. Even cremation is an environmental horror story, with the incineration process emitting many a noxious substance, including dioxin, hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide, and climate-changing carbon dioxide.

January 17, 2023

7 Podcast Recommendations: Health, Wealth, Nostalgia and More

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

It seems like everyone has a podcast these days. From famous actors to world renowned chefs to journalists from every possible outlet to your neighbor from down the street, people from all walks of life have taken up their digital microphones and started broadcasting.

The best podcasts feel like sitting down for a cup of coffee with one or more friends who tell fascinating stories, make you laugh, teach you new things, or are just good company.

The problem is, there are so many options to choose from that it can feel overwhelming!

January 10, 2023

Paying Your Family to Care for You May Not Impact Your Medicaid Eligibility

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Transfers of assets generally raise a red flag when it comes to applying for Medicaid. They can trigger a penalty period, or a period of ineligibility.

The good news is the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) will allow certain types of Medicaid asset transfers. For example, a family caregiver can be compensated for providing care to a loved one if the care they provide is necessary.

The rationale is this: DSS recognizes that when family members pitch in and provide needed care for a loved one, they are helping that person delay or avoid placement in a nursing home.

Making a caregiver agreement

Although your loved one can’t just give away his or her money to qualify for Medicaid, he or she can pay a family member who is providing care without jeopardizing eligibility for Medicaid. An individual must demonstrate a functional need for assistance with one or more activities of daily living. The type of care provided must be spelled out in a caregiver agreement, and certain conditions must be met. Continue reading

November 29, 2022

Buyer Beware: 6 Tips to a Safer Online Shopping Experience

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Browse. Click. Pay. Online shopping is just that easy.

And while there’s a lot to be said for shopping locally and supporting small businesses, there’s no denying that online shopping is super convenient.

After all, where else can you find almost anything you want, place an order in minutes, and have your heart’s desire arrive on your doorstep in a matter of days or hours?

October 27, 2022

How Pet-assisted Therapy Helps Dementia Patients

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

There’s a reason why cats and dogs seem to rule the internet.

Most of us get a little jolt of dopamine when viewing pictures and videos of these furry creatures being charming, silly, and deeply endearing. There’s no denying the age-old connection between our hearts and these lovable animals.

It also turns out that spending time with animals—especially companion animals, but other kinds as well—can help people with Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia lead happier, healthier lives.

October 17, 2022

Staying Connected through Melodies: Music and Dementia

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Music is, quite literally, the soundtrack of our lives.

Music is a vehicle for memories, emotions, and healing. It can lift our spirits, calm our souls, help us fall in love, and bring us to tears. Our favorite songs become part of our emotional DNA. Even long after decades have passed by, we can still sing along perfectly because each and every word and nuance of melody is imprinted on our hearts.

Music also has deep connections with memory. Just consider how hearing the first few bars of a certain song can take you back through time to your first kiss, a high school dance, your best friend’s wedding, a family road trip, or an ordinary afternoon with your toddler. In a way, creating playlists of our favorite music from different phases in our lives is like creating an auditory scrapbook.

September 20, 2022

Ahoy! Charting Your Course to a Perfect Retirement Destination

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

There is something very appealing and kind of romantic about sailing off into the sunset to enjoy the golden years of retirement in an idyllic setting. It is, perhaps, the pinnacle of the American Dream.

However, selecting the perfect place to retire takes more than just dreaming. It’s a process of self-discovery, research, prioritization, due diligence, exploration, and careful planning. Which isn’t to say that it can’t also be fun.

To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of some of the key considerations that you’ll want to keep top of mind as you navigate through where you might want to live.

August 10, 2022

Home Suite Home: Things to Consider Before Building an In-Law Suite

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

According to the Pew Research Center, the U.S. population living in multigenerational households has quadrupled since the 1970s. They also report that, in March of 2021, “there were 59.7 million U.S. residents who lived with multiple generations under one roof.”

One of the most common multigenerational living scenarios is the addition of an in-law suite to accommodate an older person moving in with their grown children and grandchildren. If this arrangement is something you are thinking about, there is some appeal:

Having an aging parent close at hand could reduce your burden by being able to quickly address their needs.

August 4, 2022

Need a Scanner? There’s a Hidden Gem in the Palm of Your Hands

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

By Beth Dance

What happened to user guides?

It wasn’t that long ago when you would buy a brand-new phone, and inside the taut packaging was a crisp and clean instruction guide. It would break down everything you ever needed to know about the device. From how to turn the phone itself on to helpful recommendations on how to maintain the phone to extend its life.