Elder Care ABC Created by caregivers for caregivers

by Joy Loverde
I received so many emails from people who are seeking ways to be paid for family caregiving that I felt it was important to offer some of the strategies from my book, The Complete Eldercare Planner.
To begin, first review your own financial situation. This is an important step in the process. Shelling out [...]

Many Medicaid advisors are elder law attorneys. When your parent owns property and has investments then a Medicaid advisor can guide you and your parent through options to preserve your parent’s estate.  In a recent post, I discussed the importance of planning for your parent’s smooth transition to Medicaid.
A Medicaid advisor will guide you through [...]

On average, the cost of elderly health care is $5,531 annually. Family members not only provide hands-on care but often dig into their own pockets to pay other expenses which include groceries, drugs and medicines, medical equipments such as wheelchairs, toilet seat risers and transportation. Many times family members have to miss work and lose [...]

by Janice Wallace
Protecting your parent from financial elder abuse is an important parent care responsibility.  This type of abuse robs your parent of her money and her freedom because money equals choice when it comes to elder care services. Financial elder abuse is defined as a person taking an elder’s money or property for his/her [...]

by Mary Jane Stern
The Medicare Prescription Drug program gives you a choice of different plans with different coverage and cost.  Medicare estimates that the extra help can be worth up to $3,900 per year.
The extra help can help you pay for:

Monthly premiums
Annual deductibles
Co-payments

But, you must be enrolled in the Medicare Part D program to get [...]

If you are enrolled in Medicare Part B, you are probably aware in 2008 premiums were adjusted based on your income.
Medicare generally uses your most recent tax return that you have filed with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).  If you are enrolling during 2009, they will use your 2008 return and sometimes they can provide [...]

Paying for senior care stretches everyone’s budget.  Mary’s mom was running out of money.  Her Alzheimer’s disease meant that a caregiver stayed with her all day while her son was at work.  This was using up her money at a rate of $4000 per month, not to mention normal living expenses.  Mary heard about a [...]

Your careful planning can make for a smooth transition from your parents paying their care costs to using Medicaid.  Medicaid begins paying long term care costs when your parent has “spent down” his own money to the Medicaid asset caps.
It can be hard to face that money is running out.  Caregiving is so time consuming [...]