by Jill Burzynski | Jul 10, 2015 | Caregiver Issues
After a quiet June and July, the tropics are starting to become more active. Forecasts call for a LESS active hurricane season this year, due in part to El Nino in the Pacific. However, it is always a good idea to check your hurricane preparedness at this time of the...
by Jill Burzynski | Jul 10, 2015 | Caregiver Issues, End of Life Planning, Health Care Advocacy
The local Hospice providers are facing a crisis. Since the inception of Hospice in 1983 Medicare regulations have included a cap limiting the average annual payment per patient a hospice can receive. If the average payment exceeds the cap amount, the hospice provider...
by Jill Burzynski | Jul 10, 2015 | Alzheimers and Dementia, Caregiver Issues, Guardianship
Guardianship is a protective legal proceeding for incapacitated persons who are unable to manage their own affairs. Through the process of guardianship certain or all of an individual’s rights are removed. The law provides extensive procedural safeguards to...
by Jill Burzynski | Jul 10, 2015 | Caregiver Issues, End of Life Planning, Estate Planning, Health Care Advocacy
It is important to discuss your beliefs and wishes with your health care surrogate. When instructing your health care surrogates about your wishes in the event you become incapacitated and they need to make health care decisions, you should consider the following...
by Jill Burzynski | Jul 10, 2015 | Caregiver Issues
By Barbara A. Miller, R.N. What is a care plan meeting? When an individual is admitted to a skilled nursing home, the staff has regularly scheduled meetings (within fourteen days of admission and then quarterly) regarding the care and progress of a patient. Who...
by Jill Burzynski | Jul 10, 2015 | Alzheimers and Dementia, Caregiver Issues, Estate Planning
Last week, I began to answer a reader’s question about the liability of a person acting under the authority of a durable power of attorney. Specifically, the reader was concerned about the liability of the agent (also called the “attorney-in-fact”) when acting for an...