Gainesville Florida Estate Planning & Elder Law Blog

Do you have a parent or other family member with dementia? And do you often hear them singing or humming the same tune over and over again?

There’s a reason for that.

Your loved one may be losing cognitive functioning – skills like thinking, remembering and reasoning. But studies are showing they remain tied to their love of music. In fact, the research shows that people with Alzheimer’s and related dementias often can reconnect with family, friends and caregivers through music.

One organization that is

A recent study showed that deaths from fall have increased sharply  for seniors in recent years. The report featured in HealthDay, indicated that almost 25,000 people 75 or older suffered critical injuries from falls in 2016. That number had increased three-fold from 2000.

Experts say that part of the reason for the increase is that we are living longer. The good news is that there are things that can be done to reduce the number of fatal falls.
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Kohl’s has joined a growing list of retailers who are offering adaptive clothing for special-needs children. Locally, Kohl’s now joins Target, which started a clothing line for special-needs children in 2017.

Kohl’s new adaptive apparel was announced earlier this month and includes the retailers three largest private-label kids’ brands, according to a release from the company.

The new apparel provides features that include abdominal access, sensory-friendly and wheelchair-friendly options. Additionally, the new apparel offers flat seams, wider neck and hem lines, longer lengths, abdominal access, two-way zippers, reinforced belt loops and hook and loop closures.
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We recently wrote here about a series of scams plaguing our senior community. But it didn’t take long for an even newer scam to come to the forefront.

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs issued a release last week warning our seniors and their caregivers about a recent rise in DNA/genetic testing schemes.

The release cautioned older adults to be aware of companies offering free genetic testing, cancer screening or DNA testing. Often occurring at health fairs or other events, people are asked to swab their cheeks in order to get DNA samples.
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Scammers are always looking for new and innovate ways to take advantage of anyone but especially our older population.

And AARP is always on the front line trying to bring awareness about the latest scams. AARP focused on phone scams in a recent report.

At the top of the list was a new Social Security scam. Callers try to convince you that there is an enforcement action from the U.
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If you are caring for both parents and children, you are part of the sandwich generation. It is certainly a challenging effort.

There are many aspects of that challenge. Most people think about the emotional toll and the time it takes. But one area, often not considered initially, is the financial burden.
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Having a permanent disability may be limiting in some ways but it opens many other doors as well – including visits to our national parks and federal recreational lands.

The pass is available for anyone with a qualifying disability – physical, mental or sensory. And there are no age limitations.

Included in the pass privileges are more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country – national parks, national wildlife refuges, national forests and other federal recreation lands. And the offer extends to everyone in the vehicle with the pass holder.
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VA hospitals are one of the most important pieces of the overall health care for veterans of any age – and especially our seniors.

That’s why it is so important to stay aware of the level of service of these vital medical institutions.

A recent investigation by USA Today indicated that the issues in medical care in the VA system that started with the news in 2014 that patients died while waiting for appointments at the VA hospital in Phoenix, still need improvement.

The latest investigation by USA Today focuses on a comparisons of 146 VA medical centers to other facilities in a variety of areas and services. In some areas, the VA provides better service but in many, the system is far behind their counterparts.
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USA Today has now written multiple articles about restaurateur and lifestyle guru B. Smith. While she struggles with her Alzheimer’s, her husband has brought a companion for himself into their home.

Many people have reacted negatively to this living situation, and obviously, at this point, it is impossible to know how Smith would have felt about this new living arrangement.

This situation has resulted in new discussions about the importance of families discussing the wishes and desires of older family members or even younger members in the early stages of Alzheimer’s.
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So, the holidays are over. Hopefully, you visited your older loved ones during the holidays and were not too troubled by the changes you may have seen. But now you’re back to being a long-distance caregiver.

Providing care and support for a relative or friend who lives nearby can be challenging enough, but that challenging task seems to become overwhelming when you’re caring for a family member who lives far away.

Being a long-distance caregiver brings its own unique set of difficulties.
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Developing a disability can happen at any age. As things stand today, if that were to happen, Medicaid is the primary payer for any long-term services and supports (LTSS).

And it is most often the case that when this disability occurs, the preference is to receive care at home if possible, rather than going to a nursing home. Any long-term or permanent separation from a spouse brings new problems for everyone involved. Home and community-based services (HCBS) also cost less on average than in institutional care.