Your elder loved one is in the hospital in a bed but is she an inpatient or an outpatient under observation? It matters. One of the anomalies in our sprawling healthcare system can unexpectedly cost patients and their families thousands of dollars. Here’s how it...
We in the elder care community have much work to do for culture change regarding elders in our country. As a Geriatrician providing house calls in the San Francisco Bay Area, I see many sad cases of elder abuse and many that are missed due to allowing the...
Earlier this week, Dr. Nancy Hoffman, neuropsychologist and I (Geriatrician in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area) presented a talk about undue influence and how to address financial elder abuse. Today, I read that Sumner Redstone, 92, is ousting long time...
Thank you to Bruce Ackermann of Ackermann Money Management for the following financial alert: The 2015 Medicare open enrollment period runs from October 15 to December 7. It’s the time when Medicare recipients can comparison shop and make changes to their plans. It’s...
There is far too little financial help out there. If you Google “financial help” and “cancer,” you will bring up links to hundreds and hundreds of charities, both national and local that will help cancer patients in need. Of course, I don’t begrudge cancer patients...
Recently, I saw an elderly old man who seemed to have Parkinson’s disease, and perhaps Lewy body dementia (see footnote). His family was having a terrible time coping with his behavior. Then, I noticed that he was taking two medications, Reglan (metoclopramide) and...
