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Category Archives: For Caregivers

Medical Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) v. Do Not Resuscitate (DNR)

Massachusetts has a few forms that people need to be aware of that affect their health care and the treatment that they want. When to use the forms can be confusing.  Below is a summary of each one and when you would want to consider filling it out. A health care proxy is a form [...]

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Home for the Holidays? Checking In With Aging Parents

If you are returning home this holiday season to spend time with aging relatives, take a few minutes to check things out and make sure they are still safe at home.  You don’t need to make a big production out of it, but here are some things to keep an eye out for: Is there [...]

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More Options For Seniors at Home

“I’m never going into a nursing home.” “I’m never putting my mom in a nursing home.” “Please don’t let them put me in a nursing home.” These are the things I often here from my clients or their family members. As someone starts to falter, they fear ending up in a nursing home or fear [...]

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Gifts for Aging Parents (and other people who don’t need more stuff)

I remember when I was little trying to figure out a gift for my nana at Christmas. My mother used to to tell me that my grandmother didn’t want more stuff, but rather something from our heart.  A picture, a sleepover (where she let me cheat at go-fish and eat chocolate chips) or some help [...]

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You Are Not Alone

Many times when I’m meeting with clients or families, as they tell me their stories I can see in their eyes that they feel like they are the only ones going through this particular issue.  I listen to them, and when I say “you are not alone. I see this quite frequently.” their spirits lift, [...]

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Alcohol & The Elderly: Legal Consequences

The elderly in Massachusetts face the same penalties for drunk driving as any adult over the age of 21. For a first offense OUI charge, if you refuse the breath test you lose your license for 180 days (6 months). If you fail the breath test, you lose your license for 30 days.  Additional penalties [...]

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Staying Healthy (and Keeping Others Healthy) When Visiting Nursing Homes or Hospitals

It’s almost winter, which means colder days, preparing for snow and an increased risk of colds and other illnesses.  While most of us can recover after a couple days of rest, common illnesses can take a toll on the elderly and infirm.  Illnesses can spread rapidly throughout a patient population even in the best and [...]

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Resources for Senior Drivers & Their Families

Are you concerned about your driving skills as you get older? AAA offers resources to test your reflexes and help you improve your driving skills.  They also have tips for buying a vehicle that will remain accessible as you age and what to look out for when driving if you take medications.  Check out their [...]

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Links of Interest: Dementia

The New York Times had a recent article on money issues and Alzheimer’s disease. New research shows that one of the first signs of impending dementia is an inability to understand money and credit, contracts and agreements. It is not just families who are affected — financial advisers and lawyers say they are finding themselves [...]

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Links of Interest

Here are some recent estate planning articles from around the web. Links will open in a new window, so you can read the articles without losing this page. …[I]f an individual dies intestate (without a will) the probate courts will determine how to distribute that person’s assets. And although the court system may ultimately decide [...]

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