By Brandon Schettler My grandma Carmyn once told me a story about her childhood. She was in the woods with her younger sisters when they saw a woman with tattered clothing and nightmare-black hair running toward them. Remembering the infamous stories of the Wild Woman of Borneo told by her brother, Carmyn grabbed her sisters and sprinted the whole way home. Moments after they returned, the Wild Woman herself came into the house, laughing hard enough to cry. Carmyn realized she was none other than her oldest sibling, nicknamed Sister. She reminded Carmyn that she had told her not to go into the woods, but since she had gone anyway, Sister decided to scare her away. Carmyn looked Sister in the
On this Memorial Day, we offer a tribute to the men and women who gave their lives fearlessly defending the freedoms we all enjoy. God bless them.
by Teepa Snow, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA As the US and Canada have opened the door to recreational and medical use marijuana, those who are caring for someone living with dementia are considering using some form of cannabis to help with one of more of the following symptoms: Distress – emotional or physical Sleep disturbances or insomnia Social discomfort or anxiety Appetite loss Anger about situation, care, or options being provided by life or care situation Fear or sense of isolation due to changes in social support, availability of social support, or limits of those around to respond to requests or demands Confusion about where the person is or where they should be or what they should be doing Con
Did your parents plan for their old age or did you end up scrambling at the last minute to make arrangements for their care? If you've neglected to plan for your own elder care because you were so consumed with your parents' needs, you could end up putting the same burden on your children as your parents did to you. Attorney Bayli Fields explains more about this uncomfortable reality. View more educational videos on Kimbrough Law's YouTube channel.
If you’re over 60 years old or you're looking after an elderly loved one, be careful. Criminals take more than $36 billion from older Americans every year through financial abuse and outright fraud. Part of the problem: elderly identity theft. The number of victims increased from 2.1 million in 2012 to 2.6 million in 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. The FTC reports that 35% of fraud complaints and 18.9% of ID theft complaints impacted Americans over 60 years in 2017. Seniors can fall victim to scammers if they trust the wrong person, who may develop a relationship over time by preying on them over the phone or via email. Tax-related identity theft occurs when a thief uses s
Why are family meetings such an important part of caring for an elderly loved one? What are some of the obstacles to success and how do you overcome them? Elder Care Coordinator Bre Simmons draws from her years of experience guiding families through the elder care process to offer these tips. View more educational videos on Kimbrough Law's YouTube channel.
At Kimbrough Law, we talk a lot about the importance of planning ahead for long-term care costs. Yet many people don't plan for their future elder care expenses the way they might for their retirement or for their children's college education. Many people--especially middle and lower income people--assume that Medicaid will be there to pick up the nursing home tab. And today, for many people, Medicaid is there to pick up the tab. But what happens if Medicaid goes away? If Medicaid doesn't pay, what happens to all the older adults who don't have the resources to pay for their own nursing home care? Who pays? Would adult children be forced to foot the bill? As the annual cost of a private room
How does Kimbrough Law help people care for their elderly loved ones? One of our clients explains the value of the guidance she received from the Kimbrough Law team.
Did you know that the number of Georgians dying from Alzheimer’s disease is growing at a pace that far exceeds the national average? A new study released by the Alzheimer’s Association last month confirms this unsettling fact. The financial burden is also soaring as more people struggle to provide care for loved ones. Alzheimer’s disease is a debilitating illness that progresses over time. Early signs include problems with memory, sense of direction, and communication. There is no cure. No medication can prevent or slow down the process of the disease. In 2017, 4,298 residents of Georgia died from Alzheimer’s disease, up from 1,235 in 2000—a 248 percent increase. Nationally, the number of de
