The cases discussed here make clear the importance of making health decisions in advance and communicating them. Too often, decisions are put off, sometimes because people fear an advance directive is a license to kill; if individuals took time to examine the document, they would find that its simply an expression of individual values, whether […]
Georgia law (O.C.G.A. § 31-39-1 et seq.) defines a candidate for non-resuscitation as a patient who, based on a determination to a reasonable degree of medical certainty by an attending physician with the concurrence of another physician: (A) Has a medical condition which can reasonably be expected to result in the imminent death of the […]
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) administers a number of programs to assist low-income families, older adults and individuals with special needs to secure safe and affordable housing. One of those programs is the Section 8 Rental Certificate Program. The Section 8 Rental Certificate program increases affordable housing choices for very low-income […]
The procedure commonly referred to as a “1013” is governed by O.C.G.A. Title 37, Chapter 3 (§ 37-3-41 et seq).* The procedure applies to individuals who present a substantial risk of imminent harm to himself, herself or others, as manifested by either recent overt acts or recent expressed threats of violence which present a probability […]
An attending physician, treating physician, or other physician licensed according to the laws of the State of Georgia, after having personally examined an adult, may certify in the adult’s medical records the following: (1) The adult is unable to consent for himself or herself; and (2) It is the physician’s belief that it is in […]
News Sources: Elder Law Attorney Daniel Tully has 9 questions you should ask before you or a loved one goes into a nursing home Elder Law Attorney Janet Colliton answers “Where is home when you have more than one?” Social Security proposal would raise revenue and temporarily enhance benefits Nursing homes can now lift most […]
Many people have questions about guns and gun rights, especially as they relate to the elderly. The general answer is that in the United States, guns are poorly regulated. EZ Elder Law has no opinion regarding gun ownership generally, but guns and dementia are a poor mix. It is estimated that 9% of older Americans […]
When someone visits an elder law attorney, he or she is often in the middle of a crisis. Sometimes the crisis is real. Other times it is perceived due to insufficient information (or information overload). Yes, elder law attorneys do mundane, run of the mill work, but more often than not it’s a crisis that […]
A nursing home resident’s room is considered the resident’s home. That’s why people in nursing home are called “residents” instead of patients. In a nursing home, the resident controls, among other things, when visitors can come and who can visit. Generally, it’s legal to film or record in your own home without the consent of […]
As Psychiatric Advance Directive allows an individual to designate who would make mental health decisions for the patient in the event the patient cannot speak for himself or herself and mental health treatment is required. Currently, 25 States have statutes recognizing the validity of psychiatric advance directives, but other States such as Georgia, are considering […]
The VA’s National Center for PTSD recently announced creation of two demonstration video series to help familiarize health care professionals with its mobile applications designed to help mental health professionals integrate the apps into their clinical work. Announcement link with links to videos What is PTSD?
News Sources: Covid-induced life changes leave millions of Americans worried about money IRS Continues Focus on Cryptoassets Georgia Attorney General Recognizes National Cyber Security Awareness Month Georgia Attorney General Supports Congressional Hearings Addressing Youth Social Media Use Dental coverage for Medicare recipients divides parties Federal auto-IRA program would be a big step forward in expanding […]
On July 1, 2021, the Biden-Harris Administration, through the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Labor, and Treasury, and the Office of Personnel Management, issued “Requirements Related to Surprise Billing; Part I,” an interim final rule that will restrict excessive out of pocket costs to consumers from surprise billing and balance billing. Surprise billing […]
Selected articles from Current Awareness in Aging Research E-Clippings: Staff Shortages Are Hammering Long-term Care Facilities, Home Care Agencies, and Families Pandemic-inspired retirement may be short-lived for many More than 41million dementia cases globally are undiagnosed – study Signs of Early Alzheimer’s May Be Spotted in Brain Stem The quality, not quantity, of cardiovascular fat […]
Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Georgians about the latest version of the grandparent scam. The scam still starts with a phone call from someone pretending to be your grandchild, one of his/her friends, a lawyer or a law enforcement officer. The caller then describes an urgent scenario requiring that thousands of dollars be sent immediately, […]
CMS Press Release 9/21/2021 The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is making it easier to check COVID-19 vaccination rates for nursing home staff and residents with a new feature on Medicare.gov. Today’s announcement makes vaccination data available in a user-friendly format to help people make informed decisions when choosing a nursing home for […]
News Sources: ThinkAdvisor, 4 Signs your Client is Ready for a Roth IRA Conversion Morningstar, The ABCs of Estate Planning for IRAs Under the Secure Act Financial Advisor, Gray Divorce and Avoiding Retirement Ruin Health Affairs, Care for Elders, Prices and More (September 2021 issue) KHN, Telehealth’s Limits: Battle Over State Lines and Licensing Threatens […]
On September 1, 2021, the Administration for Community Living posted a guest blog titled “BE WITH: Combating Social Isolation, Loneliness, and Suicide Risk. The blog post describes “how one project is helping build capacity within the aging network to help address social isolation and loneliness and prevent suicide amongst older adults.” Contributors include Laura Shannonhouse, […]
My parents sent me this message in an email and I thought it was worth sharing: As we were reading last night with your brother in John chapter 11, we started thinking of the number of minutes in a day, and then that led into the number of days we have lived. Psalm 139:15-16 (ASV) […]
The “August” 2021 issue of Alzheimer’s Today (Vol. 16, Number 1), includes an article titled “A guide to Creating a Dementia-Friendly Home.” The article states that most homes are built for young, active, individuals, .. not for the changing needs of older adults. “Dementia-friendly design is about creating a living space that improves the well-being […]
Currently there are nearly 54 million Americans 65 years of age or older. By 2060, that number will exceed 98 million. To keep seniors and special needs individuals at home, the home must be accessible and safe. An article reviews.com posted on July 28, 2021 covers this topic. See T. Williams, Home Modifications for Seniors […]
The National Institute of Nursing Research announced an upcoming webinar: On September 14, 2021, Dr. Mi-Kyung Song will present “Addressing One of the Most Enduring Challenges in Health Care: End-of-Life Decision Making” from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. (ET). In this NINR Director’s Lecture, Dr. Song will present her intervention research to develop and test an […]
National Institutes of Health (NIH): Tips to Make Mealtimes Easier for People with Alzheimer’s Decoding Heart-Brain Talk to Prevent Sudden Cardiac Deaths Researchers identify a cellular defect common to familial and sporadic forms of Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) Device allows paralyzed man to communicate with words Scientists uncover how decisions about what we see are […]
WFSU Public Media reported that Group Homes For Those With Developmental Disabilities Face A Growing Worker Shortage. Developmental disability service providers are the latest to join a list of employers who say they’re facing a worker shortage. Advocates say direct support professionals who left the industry because of health concerns surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic aren’t […]
The following links can be used to research health care providers and, if necessary, to file a complaint with State licensing boards and boards of certification: Complaint and Discipline Process for Nurses (Powerpoint by Georgia Board of Nursing) Contact Information For Filing a Complaint with the State Survey Agency (CMS.gov) Do your research about your doctor or […]
Frontline posted a new podcast regarding a race-related murder in Chicago in 1955. That murder resulted in a bill named for the victim that would wind up in the halls of Congress. It was aimed at bringing justice to unsolved killings from the civil rights era. Around the same time, the Department of Justice and […]
New Interactive Tool Provides Social Determinants of Health Data on Internet Access A new online data visualization tool from AHRQ gives analysts access to social determinants of health (SDOH) data related to people’s access to the internet. Internet access is essential for obtaining home-based telemedicine and is increasingly important for healthcare needs such as making […]
Webinar on Developmental Promotion, Early Detection, Referral, and Linkage to Services Wednesday, June 16, 2021, 1:00 – 2:30 PM ET Webinar Registration The National Center on Early Childhood Quality Assurance presents this webinar on increasing access to developmental screenings for children and families. The early childhood community has an opportunity to work together to build […]
Nicole T. Jorwic, J.D, Senior Director of Public Policy at The Arc and an expert on the topic of home- and community-based services (HCBS) will provide an overview of the HCBS program and describes how it helps people living with paralysis access the supports and serves they need to live independent lives. Nicole will also […]
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeking comments through July 1, 2021 on its report regarding Malnutrition in Hospitalized Adults. The objective of the report was “To review the association between malnutrition and clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients, evaluate the effectiveness of screening for malnutrition on clinical outcomes, and assess the effectiveness of […]
The CDC recently published its Covid 19 One Stop Shop Toolkits. Click here for its page on Older Adults. Click here for its page on People with Disabilities. Find more information at: https://www.coronavirus.gov/ https://www.usa.gov/coronavirus/ https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html https://www.who.int/health-topics/coronavirus#tab=tab_1 The CDC indicates that a wide range of symptoms have been reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe […]
The National Institutes on Health reported, in a post by Dr. Francis Collins, that “One of life’s greatest mysteries is the brain’s ability to encode something as complex as human behavior. In an effort to begin to unravel this mystery, neuroscientists often zoom in to record the activities of individual neurons. Sometimes they expand their […]
The following Stats and reports were released on June 1, 2021, by the National Center for Health Statistics: In recognition of Alzheimer’s and Brain Awareness Month (June 2021), we present estimates from the 2015–2016 National Study of Long–Term Care Providers (NSLTCP). (Note that starting in January 2020, NSLTCP was renamed the National Post-acute and Long-term […]
Self-care while serving as a caregiver is essential to reduce the risk of burnout. Learn the common symptoms of compassion fatigue and caregiver burnout. This video covers how to set boundaries and expectations. Related Videos:
FRONTLINE and NPR investigate the growing inequities in American healthcare exposed by COVID-19. The documentary examines how pressure to increase profits and uneven government support is widening the divide between rich and poor hospitals, endangering care for the most needy.
The National Institutes of Health recently published its News in Health Special Issue Collecting Popular Stories from past issues that have been reviewed and updated. Topics ranged from healthy eating to parenting and seniors. The articles relating to seniors include: Coping with Caregiving: Take Care of Yourself While Caring for Others Osteoporosis in Aging: Protect […]
FRONTLINE and NPR investigate the growing inequities in American healthcare exposed by COVID-19. The documentary examines how pressure to increase profits and uneven government support is widening the divide between rich and poor hospitals, endangering care for the most needy.
The head-to-toe assessment in nursing is an important physical health assessment that nurses perform. In a nursing home, 42 CFR § 483.21 requires development of a baseline care plan within 48 hours of admission. A comprehensive care plan must be developed within 7 days. 42 CFR § 483.20 provides that a facility must make a […]
From Registered NurseRN: Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious bacterial infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis symptoms can include coughing that is persistent for 3 weeks or more, night sweats, fever, chest pain, weight loss, coughing up blood, and chest pain. See here for other videos from RegisteredNurseRN or visit registerednursern.com.
Among other headlines, today’s updated from AHRQ included a link to a report on Costs of Emergency Department Visits in the United States, 2017. Highlights from the report included the following conclusion: “Average cost per ED visit increased with age, from $290 for patients aged 17 years and younger to $690 for patients aged 65 […]
On April 26, 2021, in a letter to Senators Brown, Casey, Hassan, and Representative Dingell, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) commented on the Home and Community-Based Services (HCBS) Access Act. Among other comments, NAELA supported the proposal’s expansion of the criteria for being medically eligible for Medicaid HCBS. One suggestion was including […]
The following is reposted from Hamilton Medical Center’s podcast site. Dr. Aubrey Cawthon is a board-certified hospitalist at Hamilton Medical Center in Dalton, Georgia. Listen here. For more information about Hamilton Medical Center, call 706-272-6000 or visit HamiltonHealth.com. This program in no way seeks to diagnose or treat illness or to replace professional medical care. […]
The Administration for Community Living announced that it will host a Medicare Virtual Fair on Wednesday, June 23, 2021 Open 3:00-7:00 PM ET. Agenda and Registration (available in English and Spanish) This virtual fair is for people turning 65, retiring, or joining Medicare because of a disability. Learn about Medicare and all its parts to help […]
The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America recently announced its newest educational initiative: The Apartment–a full scale model studio residence designed to showcase ways individuals can make a home “dementia-friendly.” The preview occurs at 1pm ET on April 30, 2021.
On April 28, 2021, the National Institutes on Health published a news release titled Brain’s waste removal system may offer path to better outcomes in Alzheimer’s therapy. Enhancing the brain’s lymphatic system when administering immunotherapies may lead to better clinical outcomes for Alzheimer’s disease patients, according to a new study in mice. Read more.
The RAISE Family Caregivers Act, Public Law 115-119 (January 22, 2018) directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to develop a national family caregiving strategy. The strategy will identify actions that communities, providers, government, and others are taking and may take to recognize and support family caregivers, and will include: Promoting greater adoption of person- […]
April 20, 2021 ATLANTA, GA – Attorney General Chris Carr is warning Georgia consumers that a number of sellers of over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids are making deceptive and misleading claims about the safety and effectiveness of their products. “When it comes to your health, cheaper is not always better,” cautions Attorney General Chris Carr. “We […]
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