Keystone Blog
Death & Dying: Talking to Your Loved Ones
Death & dying are not common topics of family conversation in American culture. Even when a loved one is critically ill, many families struggle with how and when to share their thoughts and feelings about death and dying with each other. Hospice workers are in a...
Medicare Complicates Efforts to Age in Place
Last week’s column introduced the concept of frailty and its effect on an individual's ability to age in place https://keystoneelderlaw.com/uncategorized/aging-in-place-and-frailty/. While frailty can be present at any age, it is more common among older adults. ...
Aging in Place and Frailty
Aging in place, or an individual’s desire to live in a location of choice for as long as possible, is currently a popular concept among older Americans. This location of choice is often a person’s private home. Although the desire to remain at home is...
Is PA a Healthy State for Older Adults?
Does where you live affect your health? Environmental factors such as water and air quality may immediately come to mind, however additional community influences also impact the overall health of local residents. The United Health Foundation is a private,...
POLST and End of Life Medical Decisions
Last week’s column discussed Advance Care Directives for end stage medical treatment https://keystoneelderlaw.com/end-of-life/advance-care-directive-promotes-free-will/. The Directive prepares for the possibility that a person’s future state of permanent...
Advance Care Directive Promotes Free Will
How would you want to spend the final hours or days of your life if you become permanently unconscious and are no longer able to communicate? You have the right to choose and express your preferences with an Advance Care Directive. Inaction has consequences. Terry...
Implementing End of Life Decisions
This article is the first of a series that will discuss end of life decisions in light of the status of physician-assisted death legislation, the importance of legal documents such as an Advance Care Directive or Living Will, and how such documents may be used in...
Planning to Protect Yourself and Your Family
Most people would agree that planning ahead for a significant life event makes sense. Preparation increases the likelihood that we will obtain our desired outcomes, such as gaining admission to a preferred college or an enjoyable vacation. It is naturally more...
Reporting Suspected Elder Abuse
In recent years, the mistreatment of older adults has received increased attention from the government, professionals who work with this population, and the public. Our nation’s growing older adult population and the increasing frailty of many of these older adults...
Falling For Fraud Is Easier Than You May Think
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 follow...
