If you have ever been to a funeral, you know how downright depressing many of them can be. After all, mourners tend to dress in black, shed buckets of tears and listen to outdated dirges and hymns. While there is certainly nothing wrong with wrapping up a life with a...
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Pittsburgh Elder Law Blog
3 reasons not to let your elderly parents get too lonely
Like most Americans, you feel busier than ever nowadays. In addition to working a full-time job, you have a family to raise. You also have social, cultural and religious obligations you must fulfill every single week. All of this leaves you with precious little time...
What are the limitations on decision-making when dealing with dementia?
Dementia is a degenerative disease that limits an individual's ability to solve problems, think critically or use language effectively. As the condition progresses, the loss of cognitive function increases to the extent that an individual is generally incapable of...
Explore what goes into the usual funeral costs
When talking with your family about your estate plan, it is important to cover as many aspects as possible — including your funeral arrangements. Doing so gives you a chance to talk over your preferences and get your family's input. Pre-planning can make matters much...
Do advance directives belong in an estate plan?
Having your affairs in order before you die is a way to protect your family and heirs. A complete estate plan, however, should also contain tools that keep you safe as well if you become disabled or incapacitated. Comprehensive planning includes more than a will. The...
How can you talk to your loved one about long term care?
When you begin to notice a decline in an elderly relative's ability to take care of their own life and body, you may wonder what to do next. Talking to them about moving into a personal care home or a nursing home is often intimidating at first. By following a few...
How to pay for your long-term care needs
Long-term care is usually most affordable for the extremely wealthy who have significant resources or the very poor who rely on their state's Medicaid benefits. However, middle-income people often deplete their savings or sell their homes to cover their care costs....
Are you legally liable for your parents’ long-term care bills?
With long-term care costs averaging $12,000 to $14,000 per month, many seniors run out of savings to pay these expenses. In some cases, when parents are unable to pay long-term care costs, facilities may pursue their adult children for payment. Are you legally liable...
What are your duties as the guardian for your elderly parent?
Age, illness or a combination of the two sometimes cause people physical or mental incapacity. If your elderly parent reaches such a point, you may consider stepping in to take control of his or her affairs. Although some things you will have the ability to handle...
What to consider when buying long-term care insurance
Helping your parents plan for their future can involve different kinds of estate planning. You may want your parents to have a mechanism in place to provide for their long-term care. One option is to have your parents take out a long-term care insurance policy. Having...