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Brighton Office:  10299 Grand River, Suite N  |   Brighton, MI 48116  |  (810)229-0220
West Branch Office:  2116 M-55 | West Branch, MI 48661 | (989) 418-3500
 www.nawrockilaw.com 

May, 2021

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A special message from Nancy Nawrocki of the Nawrocki Center:

Nursing Home Cameras—a good idea?
The Michigan Legislature is currently wrestling with the issue of having cameras and audio monitoring equipment record activities in the rooms of nursing home residents.    Michigan is a one-party consent state which means that if one person on the phone or video consents, then a recording is allowed.  If a third party becomes the “recorder” and the subjects of the video or recording does not consent, then the recording is illegal based on Michigan Law

Nawrocki Center Offers FREE Webinars
To help keep or clients and friends appraised of the latest developments in Elder Law, we are offering FREE Webinars on Elder Law topics of interest, at specific scheduled times...

Medicaid Recipients Have a Little More Time to Spend Down Their Stimulus Money
The one-year deadline for nursing home residents on Medicaid to spend down their first round of stimulus checks is here, but they may have a little extra time.

IRS Announces That Face Masks and Related Purchases Are Tax Deductible
The IRS has announced that the tax deduction for medical expenses includes amounts spent on face masks, sanitizer and other products purchased to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Can an IRA Affect Medicaid Eligibility?
For many Medicaid applicants, individual retirement accounts (IRAs) are one of their biggest assets. If you do not plan properly, IRAs can count as an available asset and affect Medicaid eligibility.

Finding the Right Hospital Bed Rental
If you are caring for a loved one at home, you may need to rent a hospital bed. Here are the ins and outs of hospital bed rentals.

What to Do With Your Stimulus Check if You Are in a Nursing Home
As the second (and maybe third) round of stimulus checks go out, it is important to know that nursing home residents are not required to turn their checks over to their nursing home.

Long-Term Care Benefits for Veterans and Surviving Spouses
Long-term care costs can add up quickly. For veterans and the surviving spouses of veterans who need in-home care or are in a nursing home, help may be available.

Help Paying for Medicare
Medicare is not free; there are premiums and deductibles. If you don't qualify for Medicaid and can't afford a Medigap policy, you may be able to get help paying for the costs of Medicare.

What is Long-Term Care and Who Provides It?
Long-term care is the care you need if you can’t perform daily activities on your own for an extended period of time. There are a number of different ways that this kind of care can be provided.

Congress Fixes Some, But Not All, Medicare Enrollment Problems
Tucked into the federal spending bill that passed at the end of December 2020 are some changes aimed at simplifying Medicare enrollment and addressing coverage gaps. But Congress chose not to deal with the biggest problem.

Medicare Beneficiaries May Be Eligible for an Extra 100 days of Skilled Nursing Coverage Due to Pandemic
Medicare beneficiaries who qualified for skilled nursing facility (SNF) coverage may be eligible for an additional 100 days of coverage. Whether beneficiaries can actually get the extended coverage is another question.

The Ins and Outs of Guardianship and Conservatorship
Every adult is assumed to be capable of making his or her own decisions unless a court determines otherwise. If an adult becomes incapable of making responsible decisions, then the court will appoint a substitute decision maker.

Reverse Mortgages: A Way to Remain at Home Longer
Reverse mortgages make it possible for house-rich but cash-poor elders to use their housing equity to pay for home care while they remain in the home, or to use the money for anything else.

Will Restrictive Immigration Policies Cause a Shortage of Caregivers for the Elderly?
As the population ages, the need for caregivers is growing, but restrictive immigration policies, whatever you may think of them, could have a negative impact on a caregiving industry that is already facing workforce shortages.

Movement Grows to Add Dental Coverage to Medicare
Medicare does not offer much in the way of dental benefits, but advocates for Medicare beneficiaries are arguing for that to change.

Most Are Taking Social Security at the Wrong Time
A new report finds that almost no retirees are making financially optimal decisions about when to take Social Security and are losing out on an average of more than $100,000 per household in the process.

Tips for Preventing, Detecting, and Reporting Financial Abuse of the Elderly
Reports of elder financial abuse continue to increase, and the elderly are particularly vulnerable to scams or to financial abuse by family members in need of money.

What to Look for When Buying an Annuity
An annuity can be a useful tool for long-term care planning, but annuities are also complex financial products that are hard to understand. If purchasing an annuity, you need to consider your options carefully.

How to Plan Your Funeral
Thinking about your funeral may not be fun, but planning ahead is helpful. It both lets your family know your wishes and assists them during a stressful time.

How Parents Can Provide for a Caregiver Child
Taking care of a parent can be a full-time job. Parents who want to compensate a child who takes on the burden of caregiving may do so in one of several ways.

Medicare's Different Treatment of the Two Main Post-Hospital Care Options
Hospital patients who need additional care after being discharged from the hospital are usually sent to either an inpatient rehabilitation facility or a skilled nursing facility, and Medicare offers very different coverage for each.

Tips on Creating an Estate Plan that Benefits a Child with Special Needs
Parents want their children to be taken care of after they die. But children with disabilities have increased financial and care needs, so ensuring their long-term welfare can be tricky.

Guns and Dementia: Dealing With A Loved One's Firearms
Having a loved one with dementia can be scary, but if you add in a firearm, it can also get dangerous.  To prevent harm to both the individual with dementia and others, it is important to plan ahead for how to deal with any weapons. 

Be Careful About Putting Only One Spouse's Name on a Reverse Mortgage
A recent case involving basketball star Caldwell Jones demonstrates the danger in having only one spouse's name on a reverse mortgage.

Brighton Office:                      West Branch Office
10299 Grand River, Suite N     2116 M-55, Suite B

Brighton, MI 48116                   West Branch, MI 48661
Phone: 810-229-0220             Phone: 989-418-3500
               Website: www.nawrockilaw.com

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