Indiana's first nursing home for Alzheimer's patients

Indiana's first special care nursing home dedicated to Alzheimer's disease, which is called Auguste's Cottage at Harrison Terrace, is named after Auguste D. (The first person that was recognized as having this disease) had its grand opening just recently.

Dementia affects four out of eight people over 85; Elder law Attorneys Cohen and Oalican Boston, Raynham and Andover Massachusetts

Dementia affects one out of eight people that are over 65 . Dementia affects four out of eight people over 85. More than 120,000 Indiana nursing home residents have Alzheimer's disease.

Special care nursing home planning for elderly with dementia is offered at Auguste's Cottage

Auguste's Cottage is operated by American Senior Communities which operates over 50 nursing homes in Indiana. The home has 90 residents already and has room for 22 more residents. Residents will benefit from this nursing home by the special services offered. They focus on making their residents feel at home and comfortable, not as if they are in a hospital.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Part 3

 

4.      Financial Status

Use this week to ask tough questions about your parents financial status. Be sure that their finances are appropriately managed after their diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or Dementia. Find the location of safety deposit boxes, bank accounts, investment or brokerage accounts, outstanding debts or other assets unknown to the family. If you don't have these hard discussions, funds that could be used to cover the costs of long term care could be lost and forgotten when memory loss ultimately occurs.

5. Contacts and information

Ask now, while memories are still sharp. Begin to work with your elder parents to compile a list of important contacts and other information that will be useful to the family if memory loss occurs. Get information on doctors, professional advisors (ie. accountant, attorney, financial advisor) and important passwords for online accounts.

“These conversations are NEVER easy. Having these talks though can ease every member of the family's transition into living with Alzheimer’s or Dementia.” says Steve Cohen. “Plan Ahead, if at all possible, don't leave these things till it is too late and you have to react instead of plan. Your parents will appreciate your care and concern that their wishes be followed and honored ”.

 

For further information contact our elder law attorneys at Cohen & Oalican, LLP.

Alzheimer’s and Dementia Part 2

 

According to the law firm of Cohen and Oalican, elder law attorneys in Boston, MA, there are 5 specific conversations adult children should have with their parents as soon as the opportunity presents itself. They comprise the following:

1. Long-term care preferences

Would your parents prefer nursing home, long term care, or in-home care if there had to be a choice?  If they prefer a long term care or nursing home facility, what amenities and activities are important to them? Asking these questions early can smooth the moving to an assisted living facility or a home-health care program far simpler should the need ever present..

2. Legal Documentation

What good is a living will if no-one knows where to find it?  It is critical that you know what legal documentation your parents have before incapacity occurs. This includes making sure their parents have a power of attorney, health care directive and HIPAA forms so someone can easily step in to make financial or medical decisions on their behalf.  In absence of this documentation, the family can be forced into petitioning a court for control over their parents.  This can be expensive, time consuming, and may not result in what your aging parent wanted with their lives.

3. Medical Preferences and Wishes

Please discover what type of, and how much care your aging parents want as soon as possible after their initial diagnosis of Alzheimer’s or Dementia. Understand their desires about life support and  other end-of life medical treatments. Who do they want to make these decisions for them if and when they can’t?  This will help your parents' security in knowing that their desires in this area will be carried out, despite the family trauma that enfolds itself around Alzheimer’s and Dementia.

to be continued….

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.