Not all Dementia Diagnosis are Created Equal
By Kristin Daugherty
Long-Term Care Planner, Certified Medicaid Planner™, Certified Dementia Practitioner and recognized as a NCCDP Certified Alzheimer’s Disease & Dementia Care Trainer.
It’s a huge misconception that all dementias are the same. This couldn’t be further from the truth. A proper diagnosis is the most important thing you can do if your loved one is displaying symptoms of a cognitive impairment.
Probably the dementia that we hear the most about is Alzheimer’s Disease. Alzheimer’s Disease is the #1 cause of dementia, including 60-80% of people who are diagnosed with dementia and is the 6th leading cause of death in the United States! Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive disease and there are treatments that may be able to help slow the progression of the disease but there is not a cure. Many individuals with Alzheimer’s disease live many years after the diagnosis.
The dementia that is considered the second most common form is called Multi-Infarct Dementia which is probably more well known as Vascular dementia. Many experts believe that vascular dementia remains underdiagnosed.
All About the Asset Protection Trust in Podcast Episode 13
If you're at or near retirement, or even if you still have a few handfuls of years to go, and you've built up even just a modest nest egg in preparation for your golden years, this is a podcast episode you'll want to listen to. Perhaps you've completed basic estate planning documents like a Will and Power of Attorney (and if you haven't, we can help you with that!). But do you also have, or have you considered a trust to protect your assets against things like creditors after you pass or the cost of long-term care while you're alive? Statistically speaking, one in five people will need long-term care in their lifetime, the cost of which isn't cheap (nearly $11K per month in PA in 2020). In the Second Half of Life podcast episode 12, Attorney Landon Hodges and Long-Term Care Planner Kristin Daugherty give this comprehensive presentation on the asset protection trust, which is and can be used by almost anyone that has assets to protect from the cost of long-term care and creditors after they pass away. Believe it or not, trusts aren't only for "rich" people. In fact, "normal," everyday people, not just those of certain asset levels, use trusts frequently to protect their assets. Learn all about how and the process of setting them up in this episode.
This episode is an audio recording of a virtual seminar originally presented on June 25, 2020. This and other episodes of the Second Half of Life podcast can be accessed on the Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak website, as well as on several podcast directories. The podcast is also available on most podcast platforms, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, TuneIn + Alexa, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Podcast Addict, Google Podcasts, Podchaser, Deezer, Listen Notes, Bullhorn, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Castro and Castbox.
SGY in the Community - Spring 2020
Each quarter, employees from Steinbacher, Goodall & Yurchak routinely particpate in community events. Here's a summary of the various activities that SGY representatives took part in during the second quarter of 2020 (April-June). As expected, the extent of our staff's community involvement during this time period was limited to virtual events due to COVID-19.
On April 16, Julie Steinbacher, CELA*, co-hosted a virtual seminar on “End of Life Choices” with Dr. Alexander R. Nesbitt (View replay of seminar). Dr. Nesbitt is a geriatrician at UPMC Susquehanna in Williamsport. Julie and Dr. Nesbitt talked attendees through the tough end-of-life decisions. They stressed the importance of communicating your wishes to your family and trusted health care professionals, such as your family doctor. During this seminar, the seventh annual Dr. Alexander Nesbitt Commitment to Caring Award was presented to Linda Bryant (view replay of presentation). Linda was recognized for her dedication and countless years serving as Heartworks Coordinator at UPMC. A volunteer-based organization, Heartworks, is a support program that meets twice a month on the campus of Divine Providence Hospital. The Heartworks team is committed to giving children a time and a place to express their emotions when dealing with a substantial loss. Heartworks has guided countless children and teens through the grieving process. Linda also helps lead a support group for parents with children with special needs – an area that is personal for Linda as she is the mother of a son with special needs. Linda was more than worthy of receiving such an award and considers herself blessed to be able to join together with children and teens as they embrace their emotions and overcome their grief.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the firm had been looking for ways to support essential workers. In honor of National Nurses Week, May 6-12, the firm donated t-shirts to health care workers at area long-term care communities (in photo at left). The shirts stated, “Healthcare Workers: Fighting the Enemies We Can’t See” and were distributed in “Baskets of Sunshine.” Each “Basket of Sunshine” contained sealed snacks, hand sanitizer, and fun activities for residents. The facilities were encouraged to have their staff wear the t-shirts while engaging with their residents in games such as 1940s era celebrity BINGO. Hopefully, the baskets helped to lift their spirits during these challenging and unprecedented times.
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