Keystone Blog
Executor of an Estate? Now What?
The death of a loved one comes with grief that is compounded by the stress of end-stage medical decisions and planning a funeral. What follows – the administration of the estate by the executor – requires patient attention to details regarding money, real estate,...
National Healthcare Decisions Day
Are you one of the 92% of Americans who believe that discussions regarding end of life issues are important? This statistic is from a 2018 study by The Conversation Project, an organization formed in 2010 to help transform American culture in relation to the...
Hope Amidst COVID 19
During last Monday evening’s daily COVID 19 briefing, Vice President Mike Pence said that “this will be a week of heartache and hope.” By the grace of God, we all hope this proclamation is true on more than one level. Isn’t it profoundly surreal that COVID 19 is...
Older Americans Act Reauthorized
The reauthorization of the Older Americans Act (OAA) was quietly signed into law by President Trump last week. Officially known as H.R. 4334 – The Supporting Older Americans Act of 2020, it moved fairly quickly through Congress before reaching the President’s...
Health Preparedness Concerns?
Health concerns are at the forefront for many people right now. I heard a news story on the radio recently about an emergency room doctor who woke up in a cold sweat thinking about how long it had been since he updated his will. His panic is understandable. The...
Nursing Homes and Visitation Restrictions
Having a parent or other loved one in a nursing home or personal care facility can stir up many difficult emotions. Family members frequently express guilt over placing their loved one in a facility, even when they know that their loved one requires a higher level of...
Trust Planning: Should Your Estate Plan Include It?
Trust planning can be beneficial in a variety of situations. Consider the following examples. The Donovans raised four wonderful children, three of whom are out of college and off to promising starts with their careers. One of their children, Daniel, has Down’s...
Fraud and scams – Avoid These Traps
Older adults are prime targets for fraud and scams for a variety of reasons. For example, they may be lonely and more willing to speak with strangers, have assets available after years of saving for retirement, and/or may have been taught since childhood to...
The Love of Family Caregivers
Family caregivers of older adults demonstrate extraordinary love despite the challenges of this role. Some people fall into a caregiving role gradually, for example an adult child who begins to occasionally assist a parent with tasks such as household maintenance and...
Aging After the Election
Aging is often defined by stereotypes, but has an individual look and feel for every person. The changing demographics of American society should be leading to a stronger focus on the direction of social policy related to aging and older adults. Previous columns...
