Arizona Senior Law » Long-Term Care

Memory Care

tgranado — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 21:30:40 +0000

Did you know that there are special residential settings for those with a Dementia? Times are hard enough when you are faced with the realization that your loved one needs more care then you add the pressure of finding a setting that has availability, in close proximity to you, which you can afford and that understands mom’s sun downing. Memory Care is available in both the assisted living and nursing home care settings. As a social worker myself, I have visited multiple Memory Care communities. I am comforted in the fact that all the staff have been trained and receive continued education on the many things that make this disease unique. Wandering, aggression, disruptive and resistiveness can all be symptoms of this disease. Memory Care staff will be able to address the issue from a “redirect don’t correct” standpoint. Its okay that “Jim” thinks its Saturday and he needs to get ready for work. Memory Care staff may assist “Jim” in picking out his work gear and prepare his sack lunch for the day. The mere fact that “Jim” was not corrected on the day and reminded that he is retired adds quality to his life. There comes a time when it is more effective for us to join their reality.

So don’t forget to include in your search those communities that offer Memory Care. And don’t forget to explore other possible payer sources such as Arizona Long Term Care (ALTCS). If your loved one is financially and medically approved for ATLCS a portion of their room and board can be covered by the program. For more information on Memory Care options and ALTCS please call JacksonWhite toll free at 1-800-243-1160 and ask to speak with one of our Elder Care Coordinators.

New Health Care Law

tgranado — Fri, 28 May 2010 16:09:46 +0000

Many of you have received a notice from CMS highlighting some of the changes that will occur due to the Affordable Care Act that was recently passed by Congress and signed by President Obama. Better access to primary and chronic care, improved long term care choices and more affordable options in prescription drug plans are just some of the new changes. For more information on benefits that will begin this year be on the look out for the annual Medicare and You Handbook available this fall.

Do I Have to Choose?

kburns — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 23:02:58 +0000

Outreach and education are so important when it comes to identifying benefits for those who may be eligible. ALTCS (Arizona Long Term Care System) and the VA (Veteran’s Administration) Pension program are two benefits that I frequently discuss. Most of the time I get a statement of, “well, I know I can’t have both ALTCS and pension, so how do I choose?” This is when I can surprise the person by asking, “Who told you that you cannot receive both benefits?” Most of the time this is just what they, “heard,” and are not really sure where they heard such a thing. So, if you or someone you know are looking into potential benefits, get the facts first, and know that a person can absolutely receive both a VA pension and ALTCS benefits. If you have questions about either of these programs and how they can work together, please call one of our Elder Care Coordinators at (480) 464-1111.

Watch Out for Group Home Fraud

jpreston — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 00:17:24 +0000

We agree, at JacksonWhite, that there are many wonderful group homes that provide excellent care. They meet a niche in the long term care continuum that is certainly a valued addition. However…

If your loved one is in a group home or you are a social worker referring to group home – beware. If the group home is an ALTCS approved home- this means they agree to accept their contracted rate for payment for care under ALTCS. They CAN NOT ask the family to pay more in order for the client to be in the facility under ALTCS.

Please see our latest addition of the Senior News – there is an article about Medicaid Fraud – it will explain Double Dipping and rules against it.

If the group home does not like their reimbursement provided by the Program Contractor or feel that it does not pay enough, the group home can either renegotiate their contract to better reflect their costs or decide to NOT take ALTCS clients. Please do not be misled, group homes that agree to take ALTCS recipients are agreeing to allow them to stay for their room and board amount, plus the difference of their contracted rate paid by the ALTCS program. It is not the families responsibility to pay extra…. ONLY if the client is paying for something outside of the contract terms ( i.e.; private room) can they pay extra. It CAN NOT be a condition of admittance.

For those Social Workers referring to group homes, please do your clients a favor and check into this before you refer – dont let your clients be misled. It may be that another type of setting may be better financially – and ethically – for the client.

Check out our newsletter or call JacksonWhite if you need more information!!!

Find Time To Plan For Long-Term Care

jallen — Wed, 13 May 2009 17:58:00 +0000

One of the more common mistakes people make when it comes to long-term healthcare is waiting too long before making any plans or preparations. This can cause problems if the person applies for a benefit program such as Medicaid/ALTCS. Making advance preparations can prevent these problems.

You should take steps to plan for long-term healthcare if you have a high probability of requiring future long-term healthcare. For instance, if you are diagnosed with a chronic disease such as Alzheimer’s, you will probably require long-term healthcare at some future time. You can prepare yourself for receiving such care by planning now.

Preparing for long-term healthcare means taking certain steps:

Educating yourself on the health decisions you will face.
Making sure your affairs are in order with your family.
Arranging your assets to maximize protection from the costs associated with long-term healthcare.

Protecting Assets for a Disabled Child

jallen — Fri, 08 May 2009 16:40:42 +0000

A major concern for many ALTCS applicants is the issue of preserving assets. ALTCS applicants can preserve assets to a varying degree depending on their particular circumstances. Whether the applicant is married or has dependent children heavily impacts the amount of assets that can be preserved.

It is generally easiest to preserve assets in cases where the applicant is married to a healthy spouse. Single applicants can still protect some assets when applying for long-term care assistance, but ALTCS requirements for single applicants are much stricter. Single applicants applying for ALTCS who have a disabled child are the exception to this general rule because the law aims to protect such children. An experienced Elder Law Attorney can take steps to protect assets for a disabled child whose parent requires long-term care.

Joint Bank Accounts and Long-Term Care

jallen — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 21:35:17 +0000

Using joint bank accounts when financing long-term care can be beneficial for many reasons. For example, it can be helpful to establish a joint account from which a son or daughter can draw to help an aging parent with shopping or paying bills. Likewise, seniors in nursing homes might find it useful to establish a joint account so that a child can purchase amenities for them outside of the facility.

However, simply placing a child’s name on a bank account does not completely transfer the account to the child. This is true even if the child’s name has been on the account for several years. Assets in a joint account are generally counted for purposes of determining ALTCS eligibility. Generally, ALTCS counts the entire amount unless the applicant can show the child contributed the resources to the account. This rule applies to savings and checking accounts, credit union and share draft accounts, certificates of deposit, and other similar financial accounts.

For more information about ALTCS financial eligibilty requirements, please contact a JacksonWhite Elder Care Coordinator at 1-800-243-1160.