If you’re part of the “sandwich generation,” you’re likely balancing the needs of your own children while also beginning to care for, and support, aging parents. It’s a season of life that can be both rewarding and overwhelming—and one of the most impactful steps you can take right now is helping ensure your parents have...
Summer is fading into fall here in Minnesota and that means the industrious squirrels are busy outside our office windows. On a well-worn path, our furry friends race up and down the walkway, their pace slowed only because of the black walnuts shoved into their tiny mouths. They are preparing for the winter to come....
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] According to the U.S. Surgeon General, the United States has a loneliness epidemic, with about fifty percent of Americans adults “experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.” That’s a sobering statistic. Even more sobering are the serious physical consequences that can happen because of this lack of connection. From increased...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] In her recent memoir, author and therapist Amy Bloom discusses her heart-wrenching decision to travel with her husband to Switzerland to end his life at Dignitas, a clinic that prescribes life-ending medication to terminally ill patients. Brian had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and wasn’t able to find the...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] The month of May is a special one at Schromen Law, LLC. First of all, it’s Elder Law Month. We are proud of the legal services we are able provide to our elderly neighbors. Beyond legal services, though, May is also Older Americans month, and our firm wants...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] Henry (named change to protect client confidentiality) contacted me about a year after his wife was first diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. In the year leading up to our first meeting he had provided her full-time care and watched as her condition progressed. Not only was Henry dealing with...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] Many have become aware about upcoming changes that will limit the availability of Medicare Cost Plans in 66 Minnesota counties. Starting in 2019, health insurance companies will no longer be able to offer Medicare Cost Plans in several counties in Minnesota including the Twin Cities, metro area. This...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] It is not uncommon that family members, predominantly female family members, have provided a majority of care to their aging loved ones. Today, middle-aged adults, known as the “Sandwich Generation,” are those who are caught between the demands of caring for their children and providing care to their...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] Sarah cries when she relays the story while preparing lunch for her frail, elderly mother who suffers from dementia. A year ago, Sarah and her sister hired a young woman to help care for their mother on Mondays while the sisters both worked. Things seemed to be going...
[column width=”1/1″ last=”true” title=”” title_type=”single” animation=”none” implicit=”true”] The idea of discussing your parent’s finances and estate planning can seem overwhelming and incredibly intimidating. After all, this is oftentimes the type of questions parents ask their children – not the other way around. However, as challenging as it can be to initiate this conversation, it is...