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Choosing a Tax Professional
Although Punxsutawney Phil declared a delay for spring this year, there’s one date he can’t put off: April 15. The dreaded income tax deadline. It’s March, and the countdown has begun. According to the IRS, about 60% of taxpayers hire a tax professional to prepare and file their tax returns, even in the wake of…
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Concerned about your elderly parents’ driving?
I’m sure you remember the day when, freshly armed with your first driver’s license, you stood before your parents and anxiously asked for the keys to their car. Now, many years later, you may find yourself in that same position. And it isn’t any easier. The “car keys conversation” with an aging parent is one…
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Having “The Talk” with Your Aging Parents
So, perhaps you followed the advice in my last blog, and used your visits over the holidays to assess how your aging parents are doing. You identified a couple of areas where they obviously need help. Now what? For most of us, the answer seems easy. We’ve identified a problem, now let’s fix it. After all, that’s what…
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Spending the holidays with aging relatives?
The holidays present a great opportunity to check in on your aging loved ones to assess whether they need additional help. If you only see your parents a few times a year, you may, in fact, notice more changes than someone who sees them on a regular basis. Here are some specific things to look…
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Household Finances Too Much to Handle?
According to the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, nearly 44 million Americans – 1 in 5 adults – are caring for an aging loved one. Many of those caregivers live at least an hour away from the family members who need their help. This presents a significant burden to those distance caregivers, who often…
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Hiring a Caregiver through an Agency or Privately
Most seniors say that they would prefer to live at home as they age. In fact, according to the AARP, more than 90% of seniors want to age in place. Fulfilling this wish, however, can be a challenge for their adult children. How do they help their aging loved one stay at home while ensuring…
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Skilled Nursing Stays – Not Always Covered by Medicare
If your aging loved one spends three days in the hospital and then transfers to a nursing facility for continued recuperation, you may be under the false impression that Medicare is going to cover it. It’s not necessarily so; and the devil is in the details. Medicare beneficiaries must spend three consecutive midnights in the…
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Medicare Now Covers Chronic Illnesses
According to a revised Medicare policy that went into effect in January of this year, Medicare beneficiaries who suffer from chronic illnesses can now receive coverage for physical therapy, nursing care and other services even though their condition has “plateaued” or is no longer showing improvement. Previously, patients with conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s…
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Caring for an Aging Parent: Jennifer’s Story Part 3
This is the third in a series of “client” stories focused on providing information and resources to those who are caring for aging loved ones. Keep in mind that I’ve changed names and mingled some details to honor my clients’ confidentiality and protect their privacy. This is next chapter in a story about Jennifer, a…
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Caring for an Aging Parent – Jennifer’s Story, Part 2
This is the second in a series of “client” stories focused on providing information and resources to those who are caring for aging loved ones. Keep in mind that I’ve changed names and mingled some details to honor my clients’ confidentiality and protect their privacy. Last month I introduced you to Jennifer, a client of…
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