Elder Care ABC

Dementia is the progressive decline in cognitive function due to damage or disease in the brain beyond what might be expected from normal aging. Particularly affected areas may be memory, attention, language and problem solving, although particularly in the later stages of the condition, affected persons may be disoriented in time, not knowing what day, [...]

Are you worried about your parent’s ability to maintain independent living? While many factors determine whether living alone is safe, a recent study indicated that those with early-stage Alzheimer’s disease show such rapid declines in financial skills that this can signal a need for senior assistance sooner rather than later. The study, conducted at the [...]

Since I live over 2,000 miles from my own parents, I often wonder how I will manage eldercare responsibilities if and when they begin to need more help. I know I won’t be alone in this predicament. Families are spread farther and farther apart these days and it is less likely that adult children will [...]

When your parent finally agrees to home care, it can come as a great relief.  A key question is will you employ a caregiver yourself or will you work with a full service home care agency? When you start investigating the cost of home care, it can be tempting to hire a private caregiver to [...]

How do elder law regulations affect helping your parents with their finances? A power of attorney (POA) for finance allows your parent to appoint a trusted person as his agent to make financial decisions.  Financial POAs are often created as part of an estate planning package by an elder law attorney.  If your parent has [...]

Men who are caring for parents are a growing group.  Forty percent of all family caregivers are men, up 19% from 1996.  The common perception is that caregiving is relegated to sisters, wives and daughters. Many more men are caring for parents as society and family roles change. Men face the stress of trail blazing [...]

As we age, the tasks associated with daily living become more onerous. This has resulted in the creation of a variety of living options for seniors that reduce some of that burden. Assisted living is one such option, one that is becoming very popular these days.  Assisted living is a form of senior accommodation that [...]

As a society, we are growing older. This means many more people must care for the elderly in their family. Fortunately, some of the expense associated with the care is deductible. If you have taken charge of any elderly member of your family or friends, you may be eligible for tax deductions. Care of the [...]