Understanding Nursing Homes Part 1 [Episode 85]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur detail the ins and outs of nursing homes. Joe breaks down the different types of facilities that exist and the different types of services that each of them offers.

Joe talks about the standards and requirements of skilled care and long-term care facilities. These facilities have a specific standard that they are expected to maintain, and Joe addresses major concerns that historically do exist in the quality of care and meeting the expectations of the senior and their family members.

Joe details the federal and state activities of daily living and highlights their importance in deciding what type of facility is best for the senior in question. He also talks about what law reforms have come to pass, in regards to any possible safety issues that can arise. Joe details the issues surrounding wandering and elopement at the skilled care or long-term care facility.

Common Questions Regarding Your Plan [Episode 84]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur answer listener questions, regarding issues that those facing the aging process would find helpful. These questions answer topics surrounding protecting assets, when you are attempting to qualify for Medicaid,  whether payments to third-parties are subject to the five-year look-back rule of Medicaid, whether or not writing the wrong address or wrong last name on a Power of Attorney document requires getting a new one, how competency can play a factor in determining whether or not someone is fit to live on their own, utilizing the legal maneuvering involved in creating a new Power of Attorney, in order to override the decision-making of someone named in the original one, the time that it takes to settle an estate, and so much more.

Joe and Susan discuss what the best way is to give money to your grandchildren, what a 529 plan is, the benefits of a trust, and how insurance policies can affect qualifying for Medicaid.

Learning About Elder Orphans [Episode 83]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur discusses the challenges that come up when you are an elder orphan, and Susan explains that an elder orphan is an aging adult who does not have adult children close by or at all, a spouse, or family members that are close by.

Joe and Susan discuss the impact that not having family members in the area has, as well as the need to create a familial-type unit in communities. They also talk about churches and the various organizations that exist, in order to take care of seniors who find themselves in these difficult situations.

They talk about the necessary steps that family members who live far away from their aging family members have to take, in order to allow them to stay in their home while they can. However, Joe and Susan highlight taking the necessary steps before emergencies arise. Joe also discusses durable Power of Attorneys and who you could potentially choose to represent your best interests.

Making Realistic Resolutions for 2019 [Episode 82]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur kick off 2019 by discussing practical New Year’s resolutions, so that you can be benefit from the changes you make in the new year.

In no particular order, Joe and Susan discuss having important estate planning documents located in a place where other people know where they are, having a plan for asset transfer, having conversations with your family members about what you have decided, making sure that you have Powers of Attorney and health care directives created, so that your wishes regarding financial and medical decisions can be realized by a loved one, having a reliable emergency alert tool, joining a walking program, so that you can get the exercise in, and getting a physical, committing to a social club or activity, so that you can gain the physical benefits of social interaction with others.

The Rules and Application Process of Medicaid [Episode 81]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur continue their discussion on Medicaid, how to qualify for Medicaid, as well as the important dates involving Medicaid. Joe breaks down the form that is used in the division of assets involved in the Medicaid qualification process, as well as the importance of coming prepared with all of your records and established values.

Joe cautions against cutting corners in this process, detailing how the applications process comes under penalty and could result in criminal prosecution if done incorrectly. He talks about the snapshot date and how the community spouse has a range of value of assets that they can keep, in order to stay qualified for Medicaid.

Joe explains the Name on the Check rule, as well as what minimum monthly maintenance is. He offers several examples involving real life issues that can affect Medicaid and the assets available to the community spouse. He also details the economics of the Medicaid industry regarding facilities and beds for those in need of long-term care.

Dissecting Medicaid [Episode 80]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur continue their ongoing discussion regarding Medicaid. They discuss how Medicare, as a form of health insurance, and how it is not a method of paying for long-term care. They explain the difference between rehabilitative and custodial care and how Medicare and Medicaid play a factor in paying for care.

Joe explains how many of the facilities that provide care eventually may have to reevaluate whether the care is rehabilitative or not after 100 days and how those who have substantial financial assets can qualify for Medicaid. Joe talks about the importance of choosing a lawyer for a Medicaid issue who has experience in this area.

Joe describes how a snapshot date is the first day of the first continuous 30-day period of hospitalization or institutionalization and how that date can define what assets are available to the community spouse. Joe also describes the difference between the snapshot date and the application date.

Grandparenting During the Holiday Season [Episode 79]

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Back by popular demand, attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur are rejoined by Larry Fowler, of Legacy Coalition, as they discuss the complications surrounding grandparenting during the holiday season. He talks about the joys and challenges that surround the logistical side of the holiday experience, as well as the pitfalls surrounding grandparents offering parenting advice to their own children.

Larry emphasizes the act of grandparenting, as opposed to parenting, which means leaving issues of disciplining children to the parents themselves and support the decisions of your children in those types of matters. He says that influence comes from relationships and not from control and highlights the counterproductive nature of attempting to control situations during the holiday season.

He also talks about the importance of one-on-one time between a grandparent and a grandchild and how that time can benefit a grandparent-grandchild relationship. Larry highlights how asking questions can help you relate to your grandchild.

Selecting Senior Housing and Care [Episode 78]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur are joined by Jeannie Krause Taylor MSW, LCSW, C-ASWCM, senior care manager, president for Pathway for Aging and a 20-year professional in social work. She also is the present of the Board of Directors for Housing Options Provided for the Elderly (HOPE).

They discuss the issues that seniors face that force family members to address a senior’s level of independence, as well as the ins and outs of caregiving. Jeanie recommends ways for seniors to stay in their homes longer, depending on the unique circumstances of an individual’s situation.

Jeannie also brings up various options that seniors have within the St. Louis metropolitan area. She highlights how money plays a factor in some of the decision-making and how budgets affect the recommendations she gives to senior clients and loved ones.

Jeannie discusses balancing the needs the senior with the needs of the family members and how amenities can play a factor in the decision of the senior.

Snapshot Dates and Timelines When Applying for Medicaid [Episode 77]

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Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur discuss the ins and outs of Medicaid on this episode of ElderTalk with Joe Cordell. They break down the necessary steps in planning as we age. Susan talks about how emergencies can incite the need for Medicaid.

Joe and Susan clarify the income qualifications necessary for Medicaid, as well as how having a family member help with some of the care can be beneficial to your living arrangement and costs. They discuss how rehabilitation can affect issues surrounding Medicaid and eligibility.

Susan asks Joe what lawyers need to know when discussing qualifying for long-term care through Medicaid, and Joe explains the need for timelines and snapshot dates. He also explains how specific laws have been passed, in order to make sure that those in the nursing home, as well as the community spouse, can be covered.

They also talk about the importance of asset division, as of the application and as of the snapshot date, when applying for Medicaid.

Protecting a Spouse’s Assets When Planning for Long-Term Care [Episode 76]

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Mark Werner, owner of Cornerstone Advisors and certified financial planning professional, returns to ElderTalk with Joe Cordell to discuss the financial planning necessary for long-term care and how to preemptively prevent problems from occurring when you get older.

Attorney-CPA Joe Cordell and co-host Susan Arthur ask Mark about the how cashflow can affect long-term financial planning for long-term care. Joe talks about how Medicare will not pay for long-term care, and Mark recommends the use of a reverse-mortgage to prevent the need for Medicaid and assist in the payment for long-term care.

Mark talks about the sides of the problem involved in paying for long-term care costs: the spouse that is dealing with the health issue and the spouse that can find themselves left behind and in need of maintaining their standard of living.

Joe talks about how chronic disease management can factor into the call to action that should occur before an emergency does. Mark also talks about his experiences involving constraints and qualifications with Medicaid.