Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) and the Need for Care
Most long-term care involves assisting with basic personal needs rather than providing medical care. The long-term care community measures personal needs by looking at whether an individual requires help with basic activities. ADLs Meaning ADLs, or activities of daily...
The Role of Assisted Living Facility Staff
Seven out of 10 people will require assisted living care in their lifetime. In 1995, the National Center for Assisted Living created National Assisted Living Week to shed light on the critical role that assisted living communities play in many older adults’ lives....
Can Life Insurance Affect Your Medicaid Eligibility?
When applying for Medicaid many people often forget about life insurance. But depending on the type of life insurance and the value of the policy, it can count as an asset. This may affect your eligibility for Medicaid. What Is Medicaid? Am I Eligible? Medicaid is a...
Medicare Part D Enrollees May Pay Less for These 10 Drugs
Are you among the roughly 50 million seniors with a Medicare Part D prescription drug plan? You may end up paying less for certain medications come 2026 – and beyond. Negotiating Prescription Drug Costs The cost of brand-name prescription medications has increased...
3 Tips for Prepping for Medicare Annual Enrollment 2023
Medicare’s Annual Enrollment Period (AEP) is just around the corner. In just a little over a month, those of you who are looking to enroll in a Medicare plan will have a chance to do just that. If you want to make the most of AEP, preparing for the event is key....
8 Frequently Asked Questions on Last Wills and Testaments
Starting an estate plan can be overwhelming, and you probably have many questions. You are not alone. Below are eight questions people often ask about last wills and testaments as they begin to think about estate planning. 1. Aren’t Wills Only for Wealthy People? This...
Selling Your Life Insurance Policy to Help Cover Expenses
The National Council on Aging reports that more than 16.5 million adults 65 and older experience economic insecurity, with incomes below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. Rising housing and health care bills can burden seniors on fixed, limited incomes. Life...
Should You Use a Medical Credit Card?
According to the Health System Tracker, individuals in the United States have more than $195 billion in medical debt. Medical credit accounts for a portion of this debt. From 2018, to 2020, people in the U.S. used medical credit cards or loans with deferred interest...
Prior Authorization: Why Is It Holding Up My Medical Care?
You may be in need of a medical procedure, such an MRI, or are due to refill a certain prescription medication. And yet you may find yourself having to wait until your insurer approves coverage for it before you can move forward. At a minimum, this process, known as...
Probate v. Non-Probate: What Is the Difference?
When planning your estate it is important to understand the difference between probate and non-probate assets. What Is Probate? Probate is the process through which a court determines how to distribute your property after you die. Some assets are distributed to heirs...
What Makes a Will Valid?
Movies, television, and books like to present wills in dramatic ways--handwritten notes, videos, deathbed utterances--but what actually makes a will valid? The law varies depending on what state you live in, but there are some basic rules. The legal requirements for a...
What Happens If You Die Without a Will?
Last Will and Testaments determine who gets an individual’s assets upon death. Generally, people can use wills to pass their estate to whomever they wish. Although state laws impose some restrictions, such as preventing married people from disinheriting their spouses...
Your Will (and Other Estate Planning Documents) Can Protect Your Children With Disabilities
August signifies National Make-a-Will Month. For the one in five families who care for children with special needs, estate planning is crucial. Parents of a child with a disability face numerous challenges and concerns. One 2022 study found that getting sick stands...
2023 on Senior Health Report: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The 2023 Senior Report recently issued by America’s Health Rankings sheds light on the latest trends in the health and well-being of older Americans. Highlighting the good news – and the bad – for aging adults in the U.S., the findings call attention to some of the...
What to Do When Social Security Overpays
According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), 69.1 million people benefit from Social Security programs, such as Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Of the $1.1 trillion Social Security payments the SSA made in...