New rules for disaster readiness

Tens of thousands of American health care providers and suppliers – including hospitals and nursing homes – will have to comply with new federal disaster preparedness requirements. The new rule is aimed at preventing the breakdown in patient care that followed disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, while also strengthening the ability to provide services during… Read More »

Memory loss not enough to diagnose Alzheimer’s

A study says memory loss is not enough to diagnose Alzheimer’s. The study, posted on sciencedaily.com, says relying on symptoms of memory loss may miss other forms of dementia caused by Alzheimer’s that don’t affect memory right away. There is more than one kind of Alzheimer’s, the study says. It can cause language problems, behavior… Read More »

Becoming a caregiver

When you become a caregiver to an aging parent, you will find that you are taking on many of the duties they had when raising you. The job is physically, emotionally and financially draining, but can be rewarding. A survey found that about half of caregivers spend $5,000 or more annually. If you are preparing… Read More »

Don’t drop the ball when planning your estate

Many people make serious errors in estate planning — or fail to plan at all. Here are five of the most common mistakes, according to a story on cnbc.com. * Not having a will. A survey showed 64 percent of Americans don’t have one. * Failing to update your will. If your life changes, your… Read More »

Tube feeding for dementia patients on the decline

Many dementia patients who have trouble eating are put on feeding tubes. The tube is surgically inserted through the abdominal wall. But a growing number of family members are refusing to allow it. In fact, the proportion of nursing home residents with advanced dementia who get a feeding tube has dropped by 50 percent, according… Read More »

Weirdest wills of all time

Wills can do more than delineate how one wants to distribute assets after death. Sometimes, they are used to settle scores or send messages. Comedian Jack Benny’s will called for a single long-stemmed rose to be sent to his widow every day after his death. Another will left $12 million to the deceased’s dog. That… Read More »

How to help your children without giving them money now

  Some wealthy individuals don’t want to leave their children anything. They don’t want their kids living off their inheritances. So they want to give everything to charity. But there is no reason why people have to give their children money right away. A story on wealth.kiplinger.com advises such people to give their inheritances to… Read More »

Drug may help Alzheimer’s

  A new study suggests that a new drug, Aducanumab, may help in the fight against Alzheimer’s. The drug not only decreased the plaques that have been thought to cause Alzheimer’s in most patients but may also contribute to mental recovery. Only 165 patients were involved in the preliminary study, but the FDA has authorized… Read More »

One firm to offer paid elder care

More employers are offering paid leave for all caregiving, including elder care. The latest is Deloitte LLP, a professional services firm. It said last week it will offer up to 16 weeks paid leave for a wide range of caregiving, including maternity and paternity leave, elder care and aid for other sick family members. The… Read More »

Long life for our parents, healthier lives for us

The longer our parents live, the longer we are likely to live. Not a surprise there. But a new study also says that if our parents live long lives, we are likely to live not only long lives, but healthy lives. The study, which appeared on sciencedaily.com, concluded that having longer-living parents means we have… Read More »

Treating children differently in will can be fair

Children crave equal attention from their parents. So when it comes to their inheritances, if they aren’t treated the same, there may be some hurt feelings. According to a story in the New York Times, there are times when inheritances can be uneven and still be fair. The story says parents never treat their children… Read More »

Keeping the elderly at home

A number of private firms are getting into the business of keeping older Americans in their homes and out of nursing homes. Until recently, only non-profits were allowed to run programs aimed at doing this. But a year ago the government opened a little known Medicare program up to private for-profit firms. The question is… Read More »

Too much light can hurt bones and muscles

A new study suggests excess exposure to light can take its toll on muscles and bones. This may be troubling news for those in hospitals and nursing homes where people are exposed to hours of artificial light each day. The study, reported in the New York Times, was done on rats so it must be… Read More »

Prince estate fate a cautionary tale

The future of the multi-million dollar estate of music superstar Prince remains unclear four months after his untimely death. A story on realtor.com noted that last week the trust managing the singer’s estate sought court permission to be able to sell his Minneapolis compound known as Paisley Park as well as his other 19 properties…. Read More »

Long-term care insurance rates rising

Long-term care insurance rates continue to skyrocket. This is a story from Massachusetts, but similar increases are being seen elsewhere. In a story in the Boston Globe, people who bought long-term care coverage under group plans saw their rates rise nearly 100 percent over two years. The story pointed out that there is no regulation… Read More »

New Medicare law notifies patients of nursing home loophole

A new Medicare law now requires hospitals to notify patients that they may incur huge out-of-pocket costs if they stay in the hospital more than 24 hours before being officially admitted. Some hospitals have kept some patients in limbo — for “observation” without having them officially admitted. Sometimes, they are kept overnight for days without… Read More »

Nursing home residents still vulnerable to abuse

Federal rules soon to be finalized fail to hold nursing homes truly accountable to patients, their families or the law when it comes to abuse, according to an editorial in the New York Times. At issue are arbitration clauses in nursing home contracts that require consumers to settle any disputes through private arbitration rather than… Read More »