Houston Elder Law Blog

Having Trouble Finding Nursing Home Costs?

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in blog on Sunday, October 15, 2017.

Searching for a nursing home is not easy. You want a facility that will provide the care your elderly loved one needs, but you also want to make certain it fits your budget.

While you can search online to find all the amenities a nursing home offers, you may have noticed that very few facilities reveal their price on their website. To find out how much the facility will cost often requires a visit, a tour and a discussion. Hours may be lost only to find that the price is out of your budget. This can be very frustrating.

How Important Is Medicaid?

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in blog on Thursday, August 17, 2017.

Many people are under the impression that Medicaid is only for poor people. The truth is that Medicaid helps cover costly nursing home care and other forms of long-term care, not only for low-income individuals but for the middle class as well.

In fact, an article from Salon argues that Medicaid is important to every American, simply because everyone will get older, deal with elderly parents or be part of a community with older people.

Will Medicaid Cuts Make Aging More Difficult?

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in blog on Saturday, June 17, 2017.

The American Health Care Act, with it's proposed cuts to Medicaid, could have a major impact on elderly people's ability to get much-needed care.

According to an article from Forbes, Medicaid has a wider reach than many people believe. While it is often seen as an insurance program for low-income individuals, the reality is that more than 2 million elderly people rely on this program for help covering the high cost of long-term care. It is not just poor people receiving Medicaid. Many members of the middle class get help through this program.

If You Do Not Have An Estate Plan, You Are Not Alone

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in blog on Saturday, April 15, 2017.

A recent study from Caring.com revealed that 58% of adults in America do not have a will or a trust, critical estate planning tools. The study also revealed that the percentage is even higher among people who could benefit from estate planning the most: parents of minor children. A total of 64% of them have no formal estate plan.

Not surprisingly, the study reveals that the older a person is, the more likely they are to have an estate plan in place. However, even among people 72 and older, almost 20% have not done the estate planning needed to protect their hard-earned assets and more.

Is Alzheimer's Prevention A Possibility?

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in Medicaid Planning on Friday, February 24, 2017.

Despite Alzheimer's being a serious problem, up until now much of the medical efforts have been toward treating the condition. Unfortunately, while some medications may address some of the symptoms of the disease, none have proven effective in slowing its progression. Now, according to an article from Newsweek, some researchers have shifted their focus from treating the disease to preventing it.

How Much Do Texas Nursing Homes Cost?

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in Medicaid Planning on Thursday, December 29, 2016.

There is one detail that is absolutely necessary for proper nursing home planning, and that is the actual cost of staying in a nursing home. Unfortunately, this is both a high cost and a frequently underestimated cost. Thankfully, there is data available that comes in handy when planning for a future in a nursing home.

How to choose a nursing home for your parent with Alzheimer's

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in Care Planning on Tuesday, September 27, 2016.

We know all too well that Alzheimer's is a disease that progresses to the point that the person suffering from it will no longer be able to live their life independently. They will need special care around the clock. Because patients lose their memory and cognitive ability at different rates, their care needs may change slowly or quickly. And because it can be hard to predict at what point they will need a certain type of care, choosing a nursing home that is capable of handling all stages of the disease is crucial to the wellbeing of your parent who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's.

Choosing a good place for your mother or father can also help put your own worries at ease. It can be heartbreaking enough knowing there will be a point when your parent may not be able to recognize you, so you want them to always feel like they are in good hands, regardless of whether the people who are caring for them are recognizable or not.

Will Medicaid Cover Nursing Home Expenses?

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in Medicaid Planning on Wednesday, August 10, 2016.

Many people in need of nursing home care simply do not apply for Medicaid because they think they are ineligible. They think that Medicaid is only for poor people and they do not understand that Medicaid may actually provide them with coverage.

Many more people apply for Medicaid to cover nursing home care and get denied on their first attempt. Instead of trying again and appealing the denial, they simply give up and take it for granted that they are not eligible. In reality, they may be able to appeal successfully.

5 Warning Signs Of Alzheimer's

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in Care Planning on Thursday, March 17, 2016.

There is a misconception that Alzheimer's is untreatable. While a cure has not yet been developed, there are medications and other treatment strategies that may help a person stay independent for a while longer and relieve some of the symptoms of the disease. The sooner you recognize the warning signs, the sooner you can get treatment and take steps to protect yourself or your loved one.

Here are some of the signs to watch for:

Estate proceedings can be more complex without a will

On behalf of Wright Abshire, Attorneys, A Professional Corporation posted in Probate & Estate Administration on Monday, March 7, 2016.

When people die without a will in Houston or Harris County, then heirs typically have to go through the probate process before an estate can be settled. The absence of a will can make the entire process more difficult and lengthy.

One way that the probate process in Harris County is more difficult without a will than with one is that work has to be done to locate all possible heirs. Even after heirs have been identified and listed, the court assumes that there is a possibility that unknown heirs might exist. It will appoint an attorney to represent those heirs, but the person applying for probate must request that an attorney ad litem be appointed for this purpose.

Having Trouble Finding Nursing Home Costs?

How Important Is Medicaid?

Will Medicaid Cuts Make Aging More Difficult?

If You Do Not Have An Estate Plan, You Are Not Alone

Is Alzheimer's Prevention A Possibility?

How Much Do Texas Nursing Homes Cost?

How to choose a nursing home for your parent with Alzheimer's

Will Medicaid Cover Nursing Home Expenses?

5 Warning Signs Of Alzheimer's

Estate proceedings can be more complex without a will

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