Elder abuse is a crime. It can occur whether your loved one is at home, attending adult day care, or living in a senior living community. And like any other crime, you have an obligation to report it. This month, I have asked one of my trusted partners, Mike and…
There are approximately 44 million Americans who are caring for an elderly loved one. Between one and two million people over the age of 65 have been abused by someone who cares for them. During the eleven years that I have owned my senior living consulting business, I have…
Many seniors have a tendency to keep private their financial realities. However, if your senior loved one purchased long-term care insurance to cover the costs of a stay in a community or to hire non-medical home care, you will want to ask if you can look at it. I say…
If you are considering non-medical home care for your loved one, you should be aware of some changes in this segment of the senior living industry. When I started in the senior living industry over 15 years ago, things were very simple. “Assisted living” meant nothing more than “stand by,”…
My clients are a couple ages 78 and 80. The couple’s daughter had called me and tearfully related the story of how her parents were looking at senior living options, most of which would not fill their long-term needs. Like many of my clients, they had lost a significant amount…
During the past several months, several of my clients considered taking their loved one home rather than placing him/her in a long-term care community. After reviewing the costs of stair lifts ($2,500 to $16,000) and refurbished bathrooms, all of them opted to place the loved one in a community. That…
My client whom I will call “Marie” for the purposes of this story, was a 71 year old woman who had serious respiratory issues. Until recently, Marie lived at home with her mother. They had spent their entire lives together. A sudden illness caused Marie’s mother to be hospitalized and…
A friend and I were having a casual conversation regarding the costs of hiring a 24 hour caregiver. Her sister was having difficulty caring for a spouse with dementia. I told her that in the western suburbs of Chicago Illinois, the figure I was quoted was somewhere in the area…
Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones! While the holidays can be a time of joy, they are also a time when extended family gatherings may provide us with occasion to notice that an older loved one’s health is deteriorating. As families reunite, celebrate the season, and take stock…
I know the above question addresses a topic that is not too popular. When my Father passed away due to a stroke and Alzheimer’s disease, my Mother was in her seventies and independent. She will be ninety-two on Tuesday, and she is still pretty independent. However, I am in an…