Paying Your Caregiver Under the Table

Hiring a caregiver is an expense, no question about it.  Some families are lucky enough to be able to find the perfect caregiver among their circle of close family and friends.  When finding a caregiver on their own rather than through an agency, lots of families prefer to pay the caregiver under the table...
Continue reading…

How Not to Sign Documents for Your Parents

Very often, adult children find themselves in the position of signing documents on behalf of their parents.  This could take the form of signing a parent into a hospital or nursing home, signing a Medicare notice, signing the lease at an assisted living, etc. When signing documents for a parent, do not sign just your...
Continue reading…

Elder Care Workshop Series at Norwell Public Library

Getting older? Taking care of someone who is? Come to this series to learn some helpful tips from local Elder Services professionals.   Wednesday, March 15: “Learn to Speak Alzheimereze” Discover tips to work with a person who is changing before your eyes and to learn to speak 'Alzheimereze.' Presented by Alzheimer’s coach Beverly Moore. Wednesday, March 29:  “Hospital to Home” Understand...
Continue reading…

Elder Care Workshop Series at Norwell Public Library

  Getting older? Taking care of someone who is? Come to this three-part series to learn some helpful tips from local Elder Services professionals. Wednesday, March 8: “Who Can Help Me?” Find out how to access elder services in your community. Presented by Susan Curtin, Director at Norwell Council on Aging.   “Elder Law 101” Get to know the basics...
Continue reading…

Are You Caring for Someone Who Wanders?

CMS (the agency that manages Medicare and Medicaid) recently put out this interesting FAQ piece on wandering. The piece is aimed at managers of day programs and assisted livings, but there are a lot of useful nuggets in here for people who are caring for loved ones still at home who tend...

Have You Been Appointed Representative Payee?

If you are caring for a loved one who receives Social Security and who cannot manage the Social Security benefits on her own, then you can ask the Social Security Administration to name you (or someone else) as your loved one's "representative payee." This is not a difficult job, but there are some things...
Continue reading…

The Importance of Caregiver Contracts

A goal that my clients bring up in meetings time after time is that they wish to stay in their own homes for as long as possible. Many people, however, find the cost of bringing help into their homes to be daunting. Elders are increasingly turning to their adult children for in-home care. As...
Continue reading…