The lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community is garnering a lot of national attention in recent months following the United States Supreme Court decision to recognize same-sex marriage. Advocacy groups have been working for years to recognize the unique needs of a growing sample within the community—LGBT elders. The Richmond Times-Dispatch recently profiled Bonnie […]
A recent court decision from the Nebraska Supreme Court shows the perils of not planning for long term care before there is a problem. For example: a now divorced 94-year-old must pay so much alimony that it brings his income below the poverty level and the only purpose of the alimony is to pay his […]
Witnessing the struggles of a loved one living with dementia is tremendously difficult. Emotions run high when experiencing the changes in a loved one as they move through the progressive stages of the disease. These are very relatable experiences among a growing community of caregivers. Another very relatable experience that most humans share is being […]
One advertising campaign that has impacted our society is summarized in the exclamation, “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” What image does that sentence call to mind? An elderly woman, alone in her home and frightened by a sudden need for emergency services. Falls can happen to any of us, but the elderly, especially […]
The experience of growing older is different for us all. Our health, history, and support systems can all have significant impacts on the aging process. As we age, there is an increased likelihood that we will endure the death of a loved one and need to cope with chronic health conditions. Depression is one chronic […]
Can an individual suffering from dementia legally divorce his or her spouse? Or to put it another way, can someone with dementia possess the legal right to divorce and initiate a lawsuit yet at the same time to lack the capacity to manage property or drive or be employed? To what extent should the present-day […]
Being the executor of an estate is not a task to take lightly. An executor is the person responsible for managing the administration of a deceased individual’s estate. Although the time and effort involved will vary with the size of the estate, even if you are the executor of a small estate you will have […]
When creating an estate plan, an important decision is who to name as your fiduciary. A fiduciary is a fancy legal term for the person who will take care of your property for you if you are unable to do it yourself, such as the executor of an estate, the trustee of a trust, or […]
When two or more individuals own property — whether it’s a condo, a home, or a piece of land — the relationship between the owners is very important. The form of ownership of the property affects how property is transferred to someone else. It is important to make sure you have the right form of ownership […]
If you are in the hospital, the last thing you want is for a family member or a trusted friend to be denied information about your condition or prognosis. But this could happen if you haven’t already given authorization about who can receive details of your medical condition. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act […]