Resources for Seniors and Caregivers

January 10, 2023

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

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.

July 5, 2022

Letting Go: 5 Tips to Declutter Your Home

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

By Beth Dance

Human beings are not, as a rule, good with change. Even life’s most joyful milestones and transitions tend to cause their share of stress. And when you add in difficult emotions, things get intense pretty quickly.

One life experience that is often underestimated in terms of its emotional impact is moving. I’ve recently experienced saying goodbye to my childhood home, and it wasn’t easy. Even though my brother and I spent the last several years encouraging our parents to sell their home, I wasn’t ready.

June 7, 2022

Protect Yourself from Cybercrime and Identity Theft

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

Technology and the internet provide a lot of speed, access, and convenience to our everyday lives. Unfortunately, they are also a virtual playground for a lot of bad actors who are always finding new ways to take advantage of the unwary and unprotected.

Hackers and cyber thieves can truly wreak havoc. According to the Harris Poll, the majority (59%) of Americans report having experienced cybercrime. That’s 152 million people who have had their data security compromised!

Leading security company Symantec organizes cybercrime into several categories, including computer viruses and malware, online credit card fraud, identity theft, outright scams, and others. And, in another report, Symantec found that over the course of just one year, 60 million Americans were victims of identity fraud. In dollars and cents, that translates into a consumer loss of $16.8 billion! And, sadly, according to FBI cybercrime statistics, people older than 60 are the most likely to become victims of online cons.

June 1, 2022

Making the Right Move: Understanding the 6 Senior Living Options

by Czepiga Daly Pope & Perri LLC

By Jill Brightman

Buying a home can be the most expensive and life-altering purchase we will ever make. It is where we plant our roots, grow our families, try our hand at home improvement tasks, decorate and re-decorate again to our tastes, and mostly, it’s where we make cherished memories.

However, there often will come a time when we need to decide (or in some circumstances, the decision will have to be made for us) if it’s time to downsize, move on to new surroundings, or re-think if our family home can be made safe and comfortable as we age.