By Jody Gastfriend, LICSW, VP Senior Care | Recently published on Forbes.com As Bette Davis famously quipped, “Old age ain’t no place for sissies.” My...
Caring for an aging loved one is undoubtedly a stressful experience. Add in the stress that caregiving can put on...
Several months ago my sister made a surprising suggestion: Let’s sit down with Mom and figure out how this whole...
By Jody Gastfriend, LICSW, VP Senior Care | Recently published on Yale University Press I often refer to my 89-year-old...
Six in 10 people with Alzheimer’s or another form of dementia will wander away from their care settings, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. Disorientation begins...
Call it the era of American longevity: Currently, approximately 35 million citizens are 65 or older, a tenfold increase over the past...
From the moment we’re born, our parents have the responsibility to watch over and care for us. For most...
If you don’t yet have a last will and testament, you might be wondering if you really need to hire...
By Jody Gastfriend, LICSW, VP Senior Care Clara always had a contentious relationship with her fiercely-independent mother, and things didn’t...
Caught between my dying mother and my teenaged son, I felt as if I couldn’t do anything right. Or could...
According to a recent Gallup poll, 56% of Americans do not have a will. Dying without a will means that state laws will...
Financial planners, family-law attorneys, and medical professionals have long urged people to write advance directives—legal statements that stipulate what sort of...
By Jody Gastfriend, LICSW, VP Senior Care Several months ago my sister made a surprising suggestion: Let’s sit down with...
I first learned about what I call the lanes of parental caregiving when I was 35. That’s when my mother...
Finding the right wheelchair for someone can be a daunting task, as it depends on a variety of factors ranging...
The most harrowing plane ride I’ve ever had was a trip from the East coast to the West coast last...
You might think trust funds are reserved for the super-wealthy, but in reality a trust can be a smart estate-planning...
Determining if you need a trust or a will can get confusing, because on the surface both appear to do...
By Liz O’Donnell I heard about parenting all the time: “Your life completely changes when you become a parent,” my...
A living will is a straightforward, easy-to-complete document that allows you to specify what should happen in the event that you’re...
After a loved one dies, it can be hard to think of anything beyond your immediate sadness and grief. But...
Don’t have life insurance? You’re not alone. Over 100 million Americans don’t have a policy, according to Life Happens, a...
Many aging adults need help with daily personal tasks—things like bathing, dressing, eating, using the toilet, or taking medications. Medicare doesn’t...
It’s no secret that Americans are getting older. According to recent U.S. Census data, the median age in the U.S. is shifting...
When interning at a nursing home, I encountered a patient who was complaining that her medication was causing hallucinations. But...
People with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia can be beset by hallucinations, delusions, and paranoia. Sometimes, these distortions can be directly caused by changes...
Choosing to become a loved one’s guardian or conservator is a serious matter that requires court approval. This role requires...
It is a truth universally acknowledged that probate is a major pain. It requires that an executor or other representative appear in...
Naming an executor is one of the most important elements of a last will and testament. After all, an executor...
The two most common types of trusts are revocable living trusts and irrevocable living trusts. But those are hardly your...
The word irrevocable evokes permanent, set-in-stone arrangements. And that’s exactly what it means in describing this type of trust. Once...
You already know an estate plan can make it easier to transfer your financial assets and physical property after death....
A health care proxy, also known as a durable power of attorney for health care or a medical power of attorney, is...
The multitude of documents required to create an end-of-life plan can feel overwhelming. For health care, there are medical directives...
After a person dies, it can be difficult to know what is to be done with the property and possessions...
When it comes to buying insurance, these days many of us turn to the Internet first. Nearly three-quarters of consumers in the...
Your parents took care of you, and at some point, there’s a very good chance you’ll do the same for...
By Jody Gastfriend, LICSW, VP Senior Care | Recently published on Yale University Press “I’m sorry for keeping my phone...
“I’m sorry for keeping my phone on,” I said as I introduced myself at a recent conference. I was excited...
Navigating life in the sandwich generation is tough enough during the cooler fall, winter and spring seasons, but the challenge...
