A MOLST (Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment) form is a medical order form that tells healthcare providers a patient’s medical orders for life-sustaining treatment. The form includes medical orders and patient preferences regarding resuscitation instructions when the patient has no…
Over the past couple of years, when on social media, I have seen more and more crowdfunding and personal fundraising efforts. Crowdfunding sites such as GoFundMe and Kickstarter cut out the middleman of fundraising, allowing the person or organization in need to appeal directly to the general public.
In many cases, crowdfunding takes place when a family member or friend has a medical emergency and needs help with paying the bills. Unfortunately, many do not take into account other contributing factors or benefits some people may already be receiving. For example, if a crowdfunding site is established for a person with special needs who is receiving disability or medical benefits, negative repercussions can be seen.
Many years ago, there were certain restrictions for home care. It used to be that, in a home care setting, if somebody wanted to hire help outside of an agency to care for mom and dad, that hired person could…
If you are an agent under a healthcare proxy for a loved one, you may be faced with some difficult questions and issues from time-to-time.
As the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Sandy approaches, it is important to remember the loss of life and brutal destruction that was left in the wake of its path—in order to be more prepared for the future.
Before the next devastating storm hits our shores, it is crucial to make sure we are ready to provide the appropriate relief to all residents, especially those within our most vulnerable populations, such as residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
Recently, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized a new rule establishing emergency preparedness requirements for healthcare providers participating in Medicare and Medicaid. The new rule is aimed at increasing patient safety during emergencies and establishing a more coordinated response to natural and man-made disasters.
If a patient has been determined to lack capacity, then an agent under a Health Care Proxy can complete a Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (MOLST) on their behalf.
Hospitals will soon be required to provide information to caregivers about their loved one’s discharge and instructions for administering medical aftercare.
Thanks to the Caregiver Advise, Record, Enable (CARE) Act, patients in New York hospitals will be allowed to designate a caregiver in their medical record. Once the caregiver is designated, the hospital is required to inform the caregiver when the patient is to be discharged and provide the caregiver with education and instruction of the medical tasks the caregiver will need to perform for the patient at home.
The truth is, nursing homes are full of people who did not want to be there and whose families thought they never would.
As an elder law attorney, I often hear: “My mother will never end up in a nursing home,” or “I would never put my dad in a nursing home.”
It is all nice in theory. No one (myself included) wants to see their parents in a nursing home but, in most cases, the reasoning behind the decision is either financially driven or care-driven.
Yesterday, Congress passed the Achieving a Better Life Experience Act of 2014 (ABLE Act). The ABLE Act will create tax-favored accounts for children and adults whose disability occurred before the age of 26; a step in the right direction to helping…
A big congratulations to Vincent J. Russo who has yet again, been named the Best Lawyers' Elder Law “Lawyer of the Year” for the Tri-State Area (New York, New Jersey and Connecticut). Vincent has been honored in the Best Lawyers…