The fiscal cliff crisis dominated the last month of 2012. Even though an agreement was reached on New Years Day, the compromise is far from the end of partisan political battles and confusion. Observers are already making predictions about the possible implications of the looming “debt ceiling” fight between the…
One aspect of the “compromise bill” passed last week to avert the fiscal cliff may eventually have impact on planning for New York long-term care costs. While it does not have any immediate effects for local residents, it is important to discuss as it could lead to proposals down the…
Earlier this week we shared information on the new guide from ElderCare Locator. The brochure (available here) provides helpful tips for all New York families to ensure theft from seniors is stopped. As noted, the problem is widespread, affecting as many as one in ten elderly community members. Unfortunately, there…
Hurricane Sandy brought with it many preparedness lessons. Everyone leads a busy life, and it is easy to procrastinate on matters that do not have immediate ramifications. Update the will or drive Mom to her doctor’s appointment? No contest. Often it is only when something is barrelling down on us–like…
In recent years there has been a push to alter care for seniors with dementia. Most arguments about superior elder care focus on limiting medication-only treatment options. These “chemical restraints” are still overused, with seniors in many nursing homes lulled into a near-stupor as a result of antipsychotic medication. In…
Estate planning takes time. Unfortunately, considering the daily time stresses faced by all local residents, our New York elder law estate planning attorneys appreciate that there is often not a sense of “urgency” with this planning. It is usually a task that gets pushed to the side while day-to-day choeres…
The Star Tribune recently profiled Hubert Humphrey III–a former favorite son of Minnesota–who is now in a new role in Washington D.C. helping to enact national senior care policy that might affect older Americans across the country. Humphrey was recently chosen to lead the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s Office of…
Some mistakenly dismiss elder law issues as something with which they need not concern themselves until they personally need help getting by each day. However, our New York City elder law attorneys have worked with many local residents on these issues decades before they need care themselves. That is because…
Nursing homes can be intimidating places. The traditional model for these facilities is institutional, with facility designs and procedures based on mass efficiency instead of individual concern for the well-being of each resident. Our New York elder law attorneys appreciate that this “regimented” lifestyle is feared by many local residents…
Advisor One reported his week on a push by a variety of national legal associations to support the “Older Americans Act of 2011.” The Older Americans Act (OAA) was first passed over 45 years ago, in 1965, to support seniors nationwide with a range of community planning and social services.…