Keystone Blog
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...
Medicare Policy & Presidential Hopefuls
Medicare Policy and Presidential Hopefuls Medicare policy has been the backbone of health care for older Americans since this program was introduced over 50 years ago. It has continued to evolve, but not all changes result in better care:...
Aging Considerations and Presidential Hopefuls
The beginning of state primaries/caucuses recently kicked off in Iowa. As the Democratic candidates continue to tout their agendas and seek votes, what influence are aging considerations having on these presidential campaigns? One of the interesting aspects of the...
Estate Plan: Must Children Be Treated Equally?
You have known for a while that every responsible adult should have an estate plan (https://keystoneelderlaw.com/estate-planning/estate-planning-missteps/ ). Determined not to leave your family with burdensome court proceedings and an expensive tax bill, you finally...
