Winter Brings More Difficulty for Independent Seniors

Add comment December 23rd, 2009

The winter months can be a difficult time for senior citizens – coping with bitter cold, falling snow, and icy roads.  Those seniors who own houses must worry about freezing pipes and blocked driveways, and those in cities have to concern themselves with slippery sidewalks and suspended public transportation.

Winter is especially difficult for seniors living in rural communities, who are often isolated and have less services conveniently available to them, as illustrated in a recent New York Times article, “For Elderly in Rural Areas, Times are Distinctly Harder (December 10, 2009).”

While the difficulties of growing older and living independently are more pronounced in rural areas, it is also important to address these issues for seniors residing in cities and suburbs.  Seniors living in the New York-Metropolitan area should know about the many resources available to them, including food and meal delivery, transportation services, assistance paying energy bills, and more.  Many of these services can be found on the Department for the Aging website, http://www.nyc.gov/html/dfta.

In addition, because winter can be a toilsome time for independent seniors and the hazardous weather can lead to unpredictable consequences, having a valid and up-to-date  power of attorney and health care proxy can be of tremendous help when seniors need assistance managing their affairs and making health care decisions.  Talk to an elder law attorney today about advance planning tools that can make difficult situations as manageable as possible.

David Cutner Appears on Health Talk Radio Show at WMCA 570 AM December 12th

Add comment December 8th, 2009

David Cutner has been invited again to appear on the “Health Talk” radio show at WMCA 570 AM, on Saturday, December 12th, from 9:00 am to 10:00 am. This is a live, talk radio program, during which Mr. Cutner answers listeners’ questions on the air. The questions and answers always result in a lively and informative discussion about issues of real importance to the elderly and disabled, and their families.

For example, during the recent November 14th show, one listener called in with a very interesting question about “spousal refusal.” Since this is a topic of great importance to married couples when one spouse is receiving or applying for Medicaid benefits, Mr. Cutner provided listeners with an in-depth discussion about it.

It is anticipated that the December 12th show will include further discussion about how married couples can protect their life’s savings from being wiped out by the ruinous costs of long term care, including a discussion of the rules regarding transfers of assets, the “look back” period, and Medicaid penalties. These rules will be compared to the rules affecting single persons, and there will undoubtedly be some discussion about the strategies used for them as well.

Tune in to David Cutner on “Health Talk” at WMCA 570 AM, or you can listen to live audio on the Internet at www.nycradio.com.

Gay Marriage Bill Fails in New York State Senate

Add comment December 8th, 2009

On Wednesday December 2nd the New York State Senate voted down a bill that would have legalized gay marriage in the State of New York.

The bill was rejected by a 38-to-24 vote, which was a much greater margin than most advocates and supporters expected.  The 30 Republican senators unanimously voted against the bill, and were joined by eight Democrats.

The bill had passed the Assembly and was supported by Governor Paterson, who promised to sign it into law if approved by the Senate.

Gay rights advocacy groups are expressing frustration but are continuing their efforts to win passage of a bill in 2011 when a new Legislature will be put into office.

Currently, when one or both partners in a gay relationship are in need of long-term care, they cannot benefit from the rights and options available to married couples.  However, planning options do exist for gay couples.  For a discussion of these options, click here.