Senior Living
A Blank Slate Media/Litmor Publications Special Section • November 16, 2018
34 SENIOR LIVING • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018
5 things that will impact your will Estate can be affected by factors not always addressed by elder care attorneys help you via a Power of Attorney (see below). Beneficiary Designations: Having a will is an essen- Many assets pass outside of tial part of an estate plan. A your Will because they have will directs how your probate specific beneficiaries. Most assets will be distributed upon retirement accounts (401(k), your passing, designates an ex- 403(b) and IRA accounts, for ecutor to be in charge of your example), life insurance, and estate, and allows you to cre- annuities pass to the benefiate trusts for minor grandchil- ciaries you name when you set dren or disabled beneficiaries. up the account. Bank accounts However, having a will is just and brokerage accounts can part of the story. Here are five also be set up with beneficiathings that impact your estate ries, such as payable on death or transfer on death. For all of beyond your Will. Joint Bank Accounts: these assets, you can designate Most joint bank accounts are both primary beneficiaries and set up as “joint with rights of contingent beneficiaries. It is a good idea to check survivorship,” meaning that if one of the owners passes away, the beneficiary designations the other owner automatically your financial institutions have on file, as they may be outdatinherits the whole account. As such, all assets in the ed. Changes in your family ciraccount will pass to that joint cumstances, such as marriage, account holder, regardless of divorce, deaths, births or adopwhat the decedent’s Will says. tions, will warrant updating If you add a child to an account your beneficiaries. Health Care Crisis: No for convenience or access, you may be unintentionally leav- matter what your will says, if ing more money to that child. you haven’t taken steps to proBetter to let a trusted child tect assets, a health care crisis
BY M A R C U S O ’ TO O L E - G E L O , E S Q .
can wipe out a family’s assets on the cost of care, including nursing home care or home health care. Placing assets into an irrevocable trust will protect those assets once five years have passed. The assets can then be left to your heirs and beneficiaries instead of being spent down on the cost of your care. Many families place their home into a trust as it is their largest asset. This can be accomplished while keeping the right to live in the home during your lifetime, retaining your STAR and Veteran’s exemptions, and even securing capital gains advantages for your heirs. During your lifetime, you will still be able to sell the property, buy a new house or invest the sale proceeds/ cash if you prefer – and all the while those assets will be protected once the five years have passed. Gifts: If you give someone a gift, it is no longer part of your estate and will not pass under your Will. Many people
are familiar with the IRS “annual exclusion” gift, whereby an individual is permitted to make a gift in the amount of $15,000 per year to a beneficiary without incurring any gift tax consequences. However, if you need Medicaid coverage within five years, this gift will trigger a waiting period before you can be eligible for Medicaid benefits. While the gift is permissible for IRS purposes, it most definitely is not for Medicaid purposes. This mistake and its consequences can be quite costly. The better – and safer – plan is to place assets into an irrevocable trust. Power of Attorney: Estate planning is not complete without naming an agent to act for you if you become incapacitated. A durable power of attorney is a legal document wherein your appointed agent has authority to handle banking matters, real estate transactions and other matters of a financial nature on your behalf. A validly executed power
of attorney is an important tool which will allow you to engage in estate planning and asset protection planning even in the event you suffer a debilitating illness. You should sign a health care proxy and a living will as well. Drawing up a will is an important step in creating an estate plan but there are many other factors to be taken into account. Speak to an experienced elder law and estate planning attorney to make sure your wishes are carried out and your family is protected. Marcus O’Toole-Gelo, Esq. is a senior associate at the elder law and estate planning firm of Genser Cona Elder Law. Marcus is a member of the Trust and Estates Department, concentrating his practice in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, probate, tax planning, business succession planning, trust administration and estate litigation.
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018 • SENIOR LIVING
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National family caregivers month Honoring 44 million people who support family member, friend or neighbor When Elaine finally settles in bed at night, she can still hear the words of the home care professional. “Your mother is doing well overall — it’s you who we are most concerned about.� The fatigue. The high blood pressure. The depression. The dwindling savings. For millions of Americans, being a family caregiver often comes with a price: discounting one’s own health, finances and personal needs. November is National Family Caregivers Month in honor of the 44 million Americans who volunteer to support a family member, friend or neighbor with their health or in managing a disability. In 2014, the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP surveyed 1,248 U.S. family caregivers, individuals age 18 and older who provide unpaid care to an adult or child. The National Alliance for Caregiving is a nonprofit co-
alition of national organizations that helps advance family caregiving, and the AARP is the country’s largest nonprofit organization advocating for Americans age 50 and older. The survey findings are noted in a joint report, “Caregiving in the U.S. 2015. Rewards and Challenges of Family Caregiving Offering support to a loved one who needs help is replete with positive and rewarding experiences such as stronger communication, relationship connections and personal satisfaction in making a tangible difference in a loved one’s life. Yet as enriching as caring for another can be, at times family caregivers can feel overwhelmed and exhausted. “Some symptoms of caregiver stress are more noticeable such as fatigue and body aches, but we need to stay aware of the possible emotional and financial strain to
family caregivers, too,� said Gregg Balbera, president of Right at Home Nassau Suffolk. “Supporting family caregivers is vital to supporting care recipients. If we overlook any area of the caregivers’ overall health and well-being, we put their loved ones at risk.� Economic Impact of Family Caregiving Unpaid caregiving for a family member or other loved one creates a ripple effect on personal finances. Caregivers of older adults and adults with disabilities often face significant financial strain from out-of-pocket costs and long-term effects on savings and retirement accounts. “Many of these dedicated men and women are continually making tough choices as they earn an income to help support their own families and provide care for their loved one,� Balbera explained. “Since in
most states family leave is unpaid, the financial pressure can mount for employed caregivers who are squeezed between work and caregiving duties.� Overall, financial strain on family caregivers leaves the caregivers at risk for reduced wages and retirement and Social Security benefits, and inconsistent savings for their own future. Support Resources for Family Caregivers “Caring for a loved one at home is never meant to be an isolated experience,� Balbera said. “Every caregiver can benefit from accepting help from other family members and community resources. The extra support may be getting assistance with meals and housekeeping, seeking regular respite care, or planning ahead for possible crisis care. It’s encouraging to know that many of us equipped to help are just a quick phone call away.�
Balbera suggests the following support resources for family caregivers: Home care services for personal care, meal preparation, housekeeping, companionship, etc. Home healthcare services for skilled nursing care, physical therapy, etc. Adult day programs. Financial counseling and tax credits for caregiving. Caregiver support groups. Veterans assistance. About Right at Home of Nassau Suffolk The Nassau Suffolk office of Right at Home is a locally owned and operated franchise office of Right at Home, Inc., serving Nassau and Suffolk Counties. For more information, contact Right at Home Nassau Suffolk at www.rightathomeli.com, 516.719.5999/631.352.0022 or by email at gregg@rightathomeli.com
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36 SENIOR LIVING • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018
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ASK DR. CARLSON ANY P O D I AT RY Q U E S T I O N Q: How important is it that seniors visit the podiatrist regularly? A. It is vital for seniors to regularly have their feet examined by a professional. While we routinely check for and treat conditions such as painful corns and calluses (common among the aging), we also examine the feet of seniors for indications of what could be a more serious issue. Certainly many foot ailments cause pain, and those issues tend to drive patients to schedule examinations. It’s important to note though, that pain is not the only indicator of underlying health problems. This is why we strongly urge the elderly population to schedule regular podiatric visits so that we can monitor any changes that would indicate to us another more serious problem. It’s even more crucial to schedule these visits if a person is unable to check their own feet for visual cues of a problem or if they are unable to feel for sensory cues due to numbness. As we age, our circulation diminishes which also hinders the ability to feel pain. This can cause an existing ailment to worsen because it’s not addressed in a timely fashion when it’s less serious. It’s imperative to take proper precautions to avoid
these exams are completely covered by most insurance plans! Dr. Mary Carlson helps
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There is nothing like a friend. Friends accept each other for who they are, provide companionship, and enjoy many of the same activities. We all need someone to laugh or cry with, and who will give us an honest opinion. Countless studies agree that friendship is essential for good health and emotional well-being. When young, most people’s days and nights are generally full with any number of friends, from school pals to kids in the neighborhood. In college, you are placed in another social setting where you interact with people interested in the same things you are. Post college, jobs and married life present still more opportunities to make friends. There is so much to do and so many people to see. Life is full. However, as the years go by, the number of ready opportunities to make new friends declines as children grow older, friends and family members move, and retirement age draws near. The thought of pursuing new friendships may seem daunting but cracking open even one opportunity to make a friend can produce a kind of reverse Pandora’s box eect of joy and connectedness, and yes, hope, too! It’s important to keep an open mind to ďŹ nding and developing new friendships. Get Involved Friendships often develop around shared interests and repeated contact, so whether it’s through volunteer activities, an exercise class, book group or lecture series, there are people out there looking to expand their social circle. Some people choose to go back to school. Many colleges oer courses that can be taken without credit for a small fee. Retirement can be a great time to learn more about music history, English literature or astronomy. Besides learning something new and stimulating your brain, as an added bonus you’ll meet people of all ages who are interested in the same topic. It’s healthy for seniors to interact with people from dierent generations, and a college campus can be the perfect venue for striking up a friendship. Some school districts oer continuing education classes frequented by members of the community. These classes can range from cooking, art appreciation/painting, tai chi, yoga, computer basics and more. For those who have trouble getting out of the house, social media can provide a wonderful way to connect with people. More and more seniors are active on Facebook and other social media platforms. These social media connections can help you reconnect and stay in touch with friends and family who may have moved away, and strengthen a connection with a niece, nephew or grandchild. Sharing photos and live video with your
family isn’t as good as being with them, but it’s a close second. It’s important to be very cautious when interacting with people on social media. Never give personal, bank or credit card information to anyone that you’ve met online, and any suspicious behavior should be reported immediately. Consider Community Living Many older adults ďŹ nd a host of new friends when they relocate to a retirement community. At Jeerson’s Ferry, for example, residents can be as involved in community life as much as they like, with many opportunities to serve on committees, take educational or ďŹ tness classes, volunteer, perform or enjoy dining with friends. Many residents share their knowledge or skills with their neighbors, leading classes and workshops. Jeerson’s Ferry has been selected to take part in a ďŹ ve year Age Well Study that will look at the eects of life plan community living on the long-term health and wellness of residents. Life plan community living allows older adults to age in place with a continuum of care that encompasses independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing as needed in an all-inclusive plan. Jeerson’s Ferry is one of 80 life plan communities across the nation whose residents have volunteered to be surveyed over that period of time. Overall 5,100 life plan community residents are expected to participate. The study will measure the self-reported health and wellness of resident volunteers through a survey administered every year of the study. This data will be compared to data collected from older adults who do not live in life plan communities. Initial results of the survey show that 69 percent of residents reported that moving to a Life Plan Community “somewhat or greatly improvedâ€? their social wellness and healthy behaviors and they tend to have greater emotional, social, physical, intellectual, and vocational wellness than their counterparts outside of Life Plan Communities. If you need further encouragement to get out there and make friends, you should know that socially isolated individuals face health risks comparable to those of smokers, according to the Stanford Center on Longevity’s Sightlines Project, and their mortality risk is twice that of obese individuals. So open your mind to the possibility of new friendships, and stay positive. You may not become friends with everyone you meet, but maintaining a friendly attitude and demeanor can help you connect with others. You might just meet your new best friend! Linda Kolakowski is Vice President of Resident Life at Jeerson’s Ferry Life Plan Community. www.jeersonsferry.org
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018 • SENIOR LIVING
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Medicare open enrollment season BY B A R RY K L I TS B E RG By now, most of us have been inundated with marketing materials in the mail and have seen TV ads for the various Medicare plans to cover prescriptions and other Medicare costs. We are in the middle of the Medicare Open Enrollment Season which runs every year from October 15th through December 7th. It is important to read any materials that come from your existing plan which
spell out the updates for 2019. Some of these revisions may describe premium changes, updates in prescription formularies which include covered drugs, co-payment changes and changes to networks of providers. If you feel that these changes make your plan a less than optimum choice for 2019, you should log onto the Medicare website, which is www.medicare.gov. You can review your current plan and compare it with others that serve Nassau County to see if another plan
works best for you. If you don’t have a computer at home and can’t avail yourself of one at your local library or senior center, you can call the Nassau County Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance Program (HIICAP) at 516-4853754 and speak to one of the counselors who can assist you. This is a free service that has trained counselors who can provide unbiased expertise on how you can navigate the Medicare system. We can help you
switch plans, many times over the phone or in person if you make an appointment. For Medicare beneficiaries who are in a Medicare Advantage Plan (HMO or PPO) and don’t have time to change their plan, they have an additional opportunity to switch Medicare Advantage plans between January 1 and March 31. Barry Klitsberg, Assistant Health Insurance Information Counseling and Assistance (HIICAP) Coordinator
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46 SENIOR LIVING • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018
Easy ways to get more youthful-looking skin formation of wrinkles on the face.
F
ew people would pass up the opportunity to look younger. But men and women who want to look a little more like their younger selves without resorting to surgery can still have younger, healthier-looking skin without going under the knife. The following are a handful of natural ways to keep skin vibrant and youthful.
• Quit smoking. Quitting smoking can add years to your life and improve your appearance. Smoking damages collagen and elastin in the skin, which are the substances that help keep skin flexible and firm. Also, smoking decreases blood flow to the skin and makes it difficult for it to receive enough oxygen to stay healthy. The act of smoking also can contribute to olderlooking skin. Pursing the lips to draw on a cigarette, as well as squinting to avoid smoke in the eyes can lead to the
• Steer clear of the sun. Excessive exposure to ultraviolet light damages the skin and can cause it to age prematurely. Also, inadvertent UV exposure, which can happen when running errands or sitting in front of an open window, also can affect the skin. Sun exposure is the top cause of uneven skin tone and dark spots. Always wear sunscreen to protect the skin from the sun. Applying sunscreen should become as automatic as brushing your teeth each day. • Drink more water. A dehydrated body will divert water to the organs that need it the most, including the liver and heart. When that happens, skin pays the price by not receiving adequate hydration for skin cell renewal. By drinking the recommended six to eight glasses of water per day, you can ensure your body is getting the fluids it needs to fuel natural functions, including skin cell production. • Exercise. By working out you’ll promote good cardiovascular health, which in turn will deliver blood flow and nutrients
to the surface of your skin. Skin cells are pushed to the surface of the skin, helping to create a younger appearance and glow. Exercise also can help banish stress, which can contribute to an older appearance and frown. • Avoid alcohol. Drinking alcohol in excess can damage blood vessels over time. This can cause burst capillaries at the surface of the skin, which are highly visible. Drinking also may lead to flushing, which can affect appearance. People who have damaged their livers from drinking too much or abusing medication may develop jaundice, a medical condition characterized by a yellowing of the skin. • Avoid stressful situations. It’s impossible to avoid all the stressors in life, but taking steps to reduce stress can improve your psychological outlook and appearance. Stress can lessen your body’s ability to function properly, and that can affect the appearance of your skin. Stress-related insomnia can lead to under-eye bags and a tired appearance. And according to the Archives of Dermatology, stress can increase your risk of skin diseases and may cause
wounds to take longer to heal. • Eat a healthy diet. Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it makes sense that healthy foods will benefit the skin. Omega-3 fatty acids found in walnuts, flax and fish oil are important for skin health because they support healthy cell membranes. Antioxidants like vitamins A and C also are beneficial because they fight the effects of cell oxidation and combat free radicals that can lead to illness. • Take care of your skin at night. Moisturizers and serums with concentrated blends of vitamins, antioxidants and botanicals are most effective at night. That’s because, when applied at night, such products are in contact with the skin for several hours without being wiped off. Just be sure to apply any products to clean skin for maximum effect. A dermatologist can recommend the right products for your skin type.
There are various ways to get more youthful-looking skin, many of which can benefit the rest of your body as well.
Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018 • SENIOR LIVING
By Mark Schwartz, MD, FACS, ABPh, RPVI
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48 SENIOR LIVING • Blank Slate Media Newspapers, Friday, November 16, 2018 ADVERTORIAL
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