When faced with a terminal illness or condition, more people than ever are choosing hospice care over starting or continuing expensive medical treatments. Hospice care is for patients who choose not to undergo specific treatments or when they are no longer effective. Instead, the focus is on the patient’s comfort and quality...
Medicare Open Enrollment 101
Know your options and get free help...
Medicare’s open enrollment period is the time for you to review your plan options and make any changes to your Medicare coverage.
Maybe you have a new prescription that is not covered by your current drug plan or you...
Medicare Scam: Genetic Testing
Beware of ‘Free Genetic Testing’ Medicare Scam
Over the past few years, DNA tests have become more popular across the country. However, unscrupulous people are taking advantage of the buzz around these tests to scam Medicare beneficiaries.
Scammers target Medicare beneficiaries through telemarketing calls, booths at...
Giving to the Next Generation
From self-expression to self-direction, there are countless ways for older adults to stay engaged and give back to others at the same time. Some of the most rewarding ways to express yourself and contribute to your community involve passing on experiences, wisdom, and skills to the generations that follow.
Why Everyone Should Plan for Long-Term Care
According to ACL.gov, research suggests that most Americans turning age 65 will need some form of assistance with everyday activities, known as long-term care, as they grow older. The amount of care needed will depend on many variables, including overall health, cognitive functioning, and home environment.
Age is a...
Adult Day Care Primer and Considerations
Adult Day Care Centers are designed to provide care and companionship for seniors who need assistance or supervision during the day. The program offers relief to familymembers or caregivers and allows them the freedom to go to work, handle personal business or just relax while knowing their relative is well cared for...
In-Kind Support and Maintenance Calculations May Soon Exclude Food
The Social Security Administration (SSA) has proposed a rule change that would omit food from the in-kind support and maintenance (ISM) calculations used to determine Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility and payment amounts.
This proposed rule change is intended to simplify the rules by making them less cumbersome to...
What is ISM?
ISM is an acronym used by the Social Security Administration which refers to "In Kind Support Maintenance", which can reduce the amount of a recipient's SSI.
Currently, the SSA considers any in-kind support and maintenance provided to an SSI recipient, such as free or reduced-cost food and housing, as...
Undue influence: what is it and what to watch out for?
Undue Influence is when someone pressures another in such a way that the person being influenced is not acting by their own free will; they are being coerced into taking a certain action. Undue influence often arises when a friend family member falls ill. For example, mom has been diagnosed with cancer...
Surrogate Decision Making in Utah
Have you wondered what would happened if you or a loved one did not have an advance directive which appoints a health care agent and your health care preferences? Is it still possible for a loved one to make health care decisions for you or even make decisions on your behalf...