Family conflict over an aging parent rarely starts with a lawsuit. It usually develops through subtle changes, such as a phone call that goes unreturned, a sibling who suddenly handles all of Mom’s paperwork, or a will that gets changed…
Moving into a nursing home or assisted living facility doesn’t mean giving up the right to make informed decisions about your life. Federal law gives residents broad authority over their care, their visitors, their medications, and their right to vote.…
If you have Medicare Advantage and have recently been hospitalized, a doctor may say you need more care after leaving the hospital, whether at an inpatient rehabilitation facility or rehabilitation center, skilled nursing facility, or long-term care hospital. But what…
There was a time when settling a loved one’s affairs meant sorting through a desk drawer, a shoebox of receipts, and perhaps a safe deposit box at the local bank. Those days have slipped away. Today, a person’s life is…
A living trust (usually a revocable living trust) is a legal tool that can help your loved ones avoid probate and can make it easier for someone you trust to manage assets if you become incapacitated (unable to manage your affairs).…
In May, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced what it called an “aggressive nationwide crackdown” on fraud in two corners of the health care system that serve millions of older Americans: Medicare hospice care and home health care. CMS imposed two…
When we’re young, the idea of needing help with everyday tasks such as bathing, dressing, or eating seems so distant that it’s hardly worth thinking about. However, most of us will require this kind of assistance at some point in…
For some time now, families have been warned about scams with familiar advice. Do not give personal information to strangers. Be suspicious of an unexpected request for money. Hang up and call the person yourself. Artificial intelligence is making those…
If you’ve logged into a MyChart account or a bank app recently, you’ve probably had to confirm your identity with a text message or an authentication app. That kind of extra security step, known as multi-factor authentication (MFA), has become…
When your child turns 18, something changes that most families don’t anticipate: you lose automatic access to their medical records and the ability to make financial or medical decisions on their behalf. No matter how much college tuition you’re paying…