What items in your home have stories behind them that bring a good memory to mind? It is nearing my twenty-first anniversary and even if I was someone who was bad at remembering dates, I could not help but remember this one because my peonies tend to bloom around now. You see, 21 years ago, when my husband and I were scrapping together a “barn-raising” marriage in Chatham County—I call it that because everyone who [...]

Aging is often framed in only negative terms, yet research suggests that as we age, we become happier. For the month of May, we will be tackling "what MAY be," and some of the ways, we can bring a little more lightness to the last years of life. As a photographer, I know that a single scene can be shot in a variety of ways—even if you’re standing at the exact same vantage point. One [...]

Over 50% of people do, however, with the right planning and contingent on specific requirements, your loved one may qualify for governmental support with Assisted, Memory or Skilled Nursing costs. Worried Mom Will Run Out of Money? Who isn’t—given the costs of assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing? And what happens if she does? With the right planning and contingent on specific requirements, she might be able to stay in the same facility with [...]

It can be daunting, in the midst of a loss, to consider the costs and steps for dealing with the body. Here's what you need to know about cremation. Death is expensive, in case you don’t know. In short, it seems to range from $1000 (for a bare bones cremation) up to over $10,000 (for a bells-and-whistles, bring in a quartet from the Symphony, casket funeral affair). While I won’t go into all the funeral [...]

When funds are needed quickly, accessing value you've built in your home might make better financial sense than withdrawing from your 401k during a bear market. Few people want to leave home when they start to need help, but feel they must if they do not have the resources to bring some help in. I myself have been weary of reverse mortgages until recently, when Shelley Giordano, Chair of the Funding Longevity Task Force at the [...]

Did you know that sometimes Assisted Living communities run specials or are open to some negotiation? The majority of people who call me call in desperation and usually after a fall that has landed them or their parent in the Emergency Room. If they are admitted, it is only for a few days (like two or three) and suddenly (and I mean front-burner, drop everything else) we need to find an available bed in either [...]

Sometimes the only thing you have control over under very trying circumstances is your response. To read the entire article, visit: https://www.wral.com/no-insurance/17484715/

Overwhelmed by a recent medical bill? You're not alone. Here are some ways that insurance advocates say can help you save big. Anyone who has seen a hospital bill knows how utterly unbelievable costs can be, not to mention financially devastating. I know this first-hand. Last October, after a kitchen accident requiring 12 stitches in the emergency room, I received a bill for $3,796 for less than an hour's work. You can extrapolate and imagine [...]

Sometimes an elderly patient will only be given one to two days notice to find an Assisted Living placement after discharge from the hospital or rehab after a bad fall. Here are two ways to buy time. **** Mom took a bad fall, broke her hip and after a brief hospitalization for surgery, landed in rehab, where she has been getting physical and occupational therapy for two weeks. The doctor has just told you they’re [...]

This month, because its tax season and money is on everyone's mind, I am going to tackle the most pressing questions my clients ask me, as well as those they don't know to ask. At a potluck recently, a woman leaned over the table when she found out I was an elder consultant to say, “We pay over $14,000/month for my husband’s parents’ care. She’s in Enhanced Assisted Living and he’s in Memory. Can you [...]