Alzheimer's and Dementia

 

While most of the country is involved in Valentines activity this week, those who care for elders with special needs are more than aware that this is also Alzheimer’s and Dementia awareness week (February 14th –21st).  This week is the perfect time to show your love for those you care for by having the “tough love” hard conversations with elderly aging parents about their wishes and plans should the disease ever strike.

“Does Dad want to be in an assisted care facility, or a nursing home?”

“Does Grandma look at life with Alzheimer’s or Dementia to be quality of life?”

“Do you have, and where do you keep legal documentation ensuring someone can act financially on mom or dad’s behalf  if they are no longer able to act on their own behalf?”

These are many questions that experts in all fields urge adult children to ask of their parents during this year’s Alzheimer’s and Dementia Awareness Week (February 14th- 21st).  These answers help family’s build a plan, and know how to execute their parents’ wishes in the tragic event that mental illness strikes.  Don’t leave the decisions to when it becomes a battle between siblings, or until there isn’t enough time to financially prepare.  Have these heartfelt conversations now.

“We see so many families that waited on important conversations, that come to us in crisis mode, instead of planning mode regarding Alzheimer’s or Dementia  - Crisis mode is expensive, and results too often in knee jerk, and expensive decisions.” says Boston elder lawyer, Stephen Cohen. “Legally, if an adult child doesn’t know  their parents’ wishes, or can’t put their hands on instruments like a durable power of attorney, they can be left with a legal, financial and tax quagmire, while simultaneously dealing with the physical and emotional needs of this debilitating disease”, adds elder law partner Eric Oalican.

 

to be continued…

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for Veterans - Part 3

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for Veterans -
US Department of Veteran Affairs -
Part 3

Question: My father was a veteran of World War II and my widowed mother is afflicted with Alzheimer’s disease. Is she entitled to any VA facilities or services?

Answer: Certain VA health services are available for spouses of veterans. The websites given below can be looked at for more detailed information on these programs.

1. 1-800-827-1000: You can get information on VA benefits that are not medical.

2. CHAMPVA and CHAMPVA for LIFE (CFL), These sites give information on the health services available for the spouses and other dependents of veterans.

3. TRICARE and TRICARE for Life (TFL): The site provides information on the health services available for retired military personnel, their families and surviving dependents.

4. This site has the complete list of VA Medical Center locations and the contact details.

5. State Veterans Home Program: Owned and managed by the various states of the country, the admission criteria are also decided by the individual states. Care and services provided may sometimes be chargeable. The State Veteran’s Home offers a range of services, including day care, domiciliary, nursing home care and others. Some of these Homes take in the spouses of veterans, but there is no funding given by the particular state or the VA for the spouses or other family members of veterans. Your mother therefore would have to pay for all the services provided at the State Veteran’s Home, while the admission application would have to be made to the state authority concerned.

6. This site has information on the Aid and Attendance Benefit


Call one of our Elder Law attorneys at the offices of Cohen & Oalican, LLP, and let us guide you through the government requirements and available programs.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for Veterans - Part 2 Application Procedures

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for Veterans -
US Department of Veteran Affairs

Part 2

Application Procedures

1. The person (veteran) must be enrolled for VA medical services. You can call 1-877-222-VETS (1-877-222-8387) toll-free or apply online by filling in the enrollment application form. You may also contact the enrollment coordinator at your nearest VA Medical Center or the VA Community-Based Outpatient Clinic.
2. At the VA facility, you can have a detailed discussion with the patient-care coordinator to understand and choose the suitable services that are available and appropriate for the medical condition of the veteran. The enrolled veteran’s priority status would matter in the payment for certain services. The services could be provided free of cost or may need some co-payment for some part of the services. The coordinator could help you with the different options available, offer you the specifics that you are looking for and also explain the co-payment terms and conditions. The prescription benefits are also part of the medical care provided by the facility. The veteran must go through a medical checkup by an authorized VA physician to obtain the medication from a VA pharmacy. The medication according to the prescription would be given as per the veteran’s priority group and income. There could be co-payment for this as well depending on the status of the veteran.

State Veterans Home Program:

The various states own and operate the Veteran Homes and establish their terms for admission and care. A variety of extended-care services, including adult day care, domiciliary and nursing home services are provided, though there may be charges for some of them.

The Department of Veteran Affairs pays a portion of the daily expenditure (per diem), which does not exceed 50% of what the state provides, for the veterans who are admitted to a State Veteran’s Home. The admission for application to the Home is made directly to the state concerned and the veteran need not be enrolled with the VA health care system to do this. He should however be eligible to get the VA per diem payments. The State Department of Veterans Affairs should be contacted for all the details on the Veteran’s Home services, including the procedures for admission and residency. The department would also be able to provide guidelines for the specific services provided for Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. The National Association of State Veterans Homes have a list of the State Veteran’s Homes, which is useful for knowing the locations of the different centers.

To discuss your Medicare and Long Term Care planning needs call Cohen & Oalican, LLP elder law attorneys in Boston, Andover and Raynham.

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for Veterans : Part 1

Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care for Veterans -
US Department of Veteran Affairs

There are misconceptions about the care provided for veterans afflicted with Alzheimer’s or Dementia. There are some usual queries that people usually ask us about this assistance.

Question: My father has been diagnosed recently with Alzheimer’s disease and he was a veteran of World War II. What kind of care and support does the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) provide for people with dementia and what is the method of application for such services?

Services offered by VA: Veterans who qualify and are eligible for care, can avail of the range of services offered by the VA, which includes in-house care, community, outpatient care, inpatient and extended-care services.

The entire ambit of VA services includes the following:

• Primary Care/Home-based: This would be focused on support for the homemaker and home-health aide, with respite being an important area. It would also include adult day health care, visit to the outpatient clinic and related services.

• Extended/Inpatient care: Veterans with dementia are entitled to general care in the VA outpatient and inpatient facilities. Along with this, some care infrastructure has been developed for specific dementia services, which includes Dementia Clinics for outpatient treatment and extended care in a Dementia Unit for inpatient services.

There are no special eligibility conditions for veterans with dementia. The normal procedures for eligibility and applications must be followed.

To discuss your Medicaid and long term care planning needs call Cohen & Oalican, LLP elder law attorneys in Boston, Andover and Raynham.