Colorado - Denver South

Dealing with our elderly loved ones in the hospital and understanding what to do next is more confusing than ever. First you have the stress of dealing with the event that led to the hospitalization. That alone makes things difficult for everyone. But then you must try to figure out the confusing maze that our health care system has become. Not only are you trying to deal with your emotions, but then you are trying to absorb information and make rational choices.After being in the industry for over 16 year, and having to deal with a parent constantly in and out of the hospital, the following tips are created to make your life easier so you can focus on what is really important, spending time with your loved one.Don't publicly panic. When visiting your loved one in the hospital, stay calm. Being in the hospital is stressful enough. Your loved one does not need to see or feel your pain and stress. This will bother them more than you know.Find your spokesperson. Larger families need to find that one point of contact that will work with the hospital. It can create challenges if the hospital staff has to deal with multiple family members. Especially if the there is a difference of opinion among the family members.Get help for yourself. In any city, you can easily find local experts that can help. Whether its the local senior center, a home care agency, or somewhere else, an expert not connected to the hospital can help. Many of these experts are free. For example, Certified Senior Advisors (CSAs) are here to be your advocate and help you plan for what's next. Best of all, many care management services are also free and they can advocate for you and help you plan for what's nextEditors Note: This article was submitted by Jake Rankin, CEO Talem Home Care & Placement Services, MBA, Certified Senior Advisor (CSA) and may be reached at720-789-8529 or by email at jake@talemhc.com

Assisted Living at Home offers a unique solution for family caregivers, combining professional elder care with the comfort and familiarity of the senior's own home.When You Cant Sleep as a Family Caregiver, Assisted Living at Home Could Give You the Rest You NeedThere are plenty of things that can rob us of our sleep. Stress over finances, relationship troubles, and even the loss of a close family member or friend can be significant factors. When you are a family caregiver for an aging loved one, such as a parent or grandparent, your worries can multiply, leading to many sleepless nights.The unfortunate aspect of family caregivers is that most who take on this incredibly important and grave responsibility dont always see themselves as such. They often view it as their duty or job due to their relationship with the senior.In truth, there are numerous types of elder care available, and you dont have to shoulder this burden alone. You dont have to become a family caregiver to the point where youre struggling to get even a few hours of sleep each night.Assisted Living at Home as a Respite Care OptionWhile many consider assisted living primarily as a long-term elder care solution, Assisted Living at Home offers a flexible alternative, especially for respite care. This innovative approach involves professional home care providers coming to the seniors house to take over caregiving duties. This service provides temporary relief to family caregivers from the daily challenges of caring for an elderly family member or close friend, all in the comfort of the seniors own home.Assisted Living at Home provides a unique blend of professional care in familiar surroundings, making it an ideal respite solution. Caregivers can take necessary breaks, knowing their loved ones continue to receive personalized, professional care in the most comfortable and familiar setting their home. This option is particularly beneficial for seniors who thrive best in their own environment and for families seeking a balance between professional care and maintaining the normalcy of home life.Respite Care at Assisted Living FacilitiesRespite care at assisted living facilities offers a short-term solution for family caregivers needing a break. Depending on the facility, options can vary. Some facilities may allow seniors to stay for a week or two at a time, providing a chance for family caregivers to recharge. Other facilities might offer midrange options, such as a month or two for the senior when family caregivers or support systems are away on vacation, business, or dealing with other critical matters.Finding Respite Care OptionsWhen feeling run down and worn out as a family caregiver, reaching out to local quality assisted living facilities to inquire about their respite care options is a practical step. Care navigation services can also assist in finding available options near you.Knowing that your loved one is in good hands, surrounded by experienced staff members, and safe can provide the peace of mind you need to relax, unwind, and sleep well. Just a few nights of quality rest can be all you need to wake up feeling refreshed, energized, and ready to tackle lifes next challenges. If you or an aging loved one are considering Assisted Living at Home in Broomfield, CO please contact the caring staff at Talem Home Care & Placement Services today. Call (720) 789-8529

Trusts are useful estate planning tools that can accomplish a variety of goals. They can help avoid probate, minimize taxes, and be used to give property to minor or disabled loved ones. Trusts can be created during a persons lifetime (living trusts) or at the persons death (testamentary trusts). Some different types of trusts from both categories are discussed below.Living Trust A person can transfer their assets to a living trust and, as trustee, continue using their assets as they always have. If the trust is revocable, the person can amend or terminate the trust. If they become incapacitated or die, the successor trustee of their choice will continue to manage their assets the same way and will distribute the property remaining in the trust at their death to whomever they choose without the need for court involvement. Tax Planning Trusts Several different types of living trusts provide flexible alternatives for minimizing capital gains and estate taxes, including the charitable remainder trust (CRT), irrevocable life insurance trust (ILIT), qualified personal residence trust (QPRT), grantor retained annuity trust (GRAT), and grantor retained unitrust (GRUT). The specific type of trust involved determines how it is funded, used during the persons lifetime, and distributed at the persons death.Testamentary Trusts A person can create a trust under a will, called a testamentary trust, which does not take effect until they are deceased. A will can contain a marital or family trust for tax planning. A person can also create a testamentary trust for the support and education of a beneficiary who is a minor. Finally, a person can create a testamentary special needs trust (TSNT) for a disabled beneficiary to pay for special needs that are not covered by public benefits programs, such as Medicaid, without affecting the beneficiary's eligibility for programs like Medicaid.Disability Trusts A disability trust is a type of living trust that allows a disabled person under the age of 65 to use her own assets for her special needs, other than food and shelter, and keep public benefits, such as Medicaid and Supplemental Security Income (SSI). The trust can be established by the persons parent, grandparent, legal guardian, or a court. If there are any funds remaining in the trust at the persons death or when they no longer require medical assistance from the state, those funds must be used to pay back the state medical assistance program up to the amount of assistance provided for the person. Similar to a disability trust, a third party discretionary trust (TPDT) allows people to give money to a disabled person without jeopardizing the persons Medicaid or SSI. The difference is that the assets remaining in the TPDT at the beneficiary's death do not have to be paid back to the state medical assistance program. Instead, they are distributed however the person who created the trust desires.Conclusion These are just a few of the trusts that can assist in accomplishing specific estate planning goals, including minimizing taxes, qualifying for public benefits, or avoiding probate administration. Trust planning can be complex, and an attorney can help you choose the right kind of trust to meet your needs. Marco Chayet is a partner, and Dawn Hewitt is an associate, in the law firm Chayet, Dawson & Danzo, LLC, (303) 355-8500. Their practice emphasizes elder law, guardianships, conservatorships, public benefits, probate, estate planning, and long-term care planning. They can be reached online at www.ColoradoElderLaw.com or by e-mail at Marco@ColoradoElderLaw.com or Dawn@ColoradoElderLaw.com.

Rhythms Home Care Prepares to Receive COVID-19 VaccinePriority distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to healthcare workers who are at the most risk of contracting the virus is welcome news. Rhythms Home Care is ready to receive the vaccine to protect associates. We remain in constant communication with state health department, the CDC, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) as details of the distribution process continue to develop.We want to share with you what we know now about the vaccine, how it will be distributed, what we are doing to keep associates, clients, and families informed about the process, and our continued commitment to testing, virus mitigation, and the overall quality of life for clients.Vaccine BenefitsCOVID-19 is a serious, life-threatening virus that has impacted the entire world. Protecting the most vulnerable Americans has been the top priority and vaccines have been developed at unprecedented speeds. The U.S. vaccine safety system has procedures in place to ensure the vaccine is as safe as possible. Clinical trials must show a vaccine is safe and effective before it can be approved for use. The National Association for Home Care & Hospice is actively advocating for the CDC to explicitly name homecare workers to prevent any confusion with local governments.The FDA will meet in mid-December to discuss both the Pfizer and Moderna 2-dose vaccines which have reported to be 95% effective. Once approval is given, the federal government will distribute the vaccine to the states for inoculations. Each state has its own specific timeline and process for distribution and administration. We anticipate all of the states we support will follow the CDC tier guidelines for distribution but that has not been confirmed.Having early access to the vaccine to protect associates is the first step in being able to lift restrictions. Combined with current safety measures such as face masks, physical distancing, and testing the vaccine will significantly reduce the spread of the disease and chances of exposure to the virus.Pharmacy Partnership for DistributionAll Rhythms Home Care communities are registered with Colorado for Human and Health Services, Home Care and Home Health for pharmacy partnership with the Pharmacy Partnership Program. We will work with an assigned local pharmacy, who will store, distribute, and administer the vaccine which is free of charge to team members. The pharmacy will also: Order vaccines and associated supplies (e.g., syringes, needles, personal protective equipment). Ensure cold chain management for the vaccine. Report all required vaccination data to the local, state, and federal jurisdictions within 72 hours of administering each dose. Adhere to all applicable Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) COVID-19 testing requirements.We anticipate the pharmacy will set up clinic dates and times for vaccinations and the pharmacy teams, working closely with our clinical teams, and will come to our communities and designated locations to administer the vaccines to associates. Three visits over approximately two months will likely be needed to administer both doses and vaccinate new team members.Some of the details of how and when and who will get the vaccine first are still being worked out. At the moment, we believe team members will be included, and that the first tier to receive the vaccine will also include residents of skilled nursing and assisted living communities. We are waiting to hear where residential (independent) living clients and those living in their own homes receiving services will fit into the distribution tiers.Keeping Team Members, Clients and Families InformedWe know many clients, team members and families have questions about the vaccine benefits and side effects, what options, if any, will be offered to clients or team members who decline the vaccine, etc. We will share more information as soon as it is available. We will continue to share resources from the CDC that answer questions specifically around vaccine development, safety, and why getting the vaccine is beneficial. Read more about the safety of the vaccine here and, answers to questions about vaccine administration in our communities here. Learn more about the benefits of the vaccine from the CDC below:For vaccine-specific questions, please refer to the CDC handouts,8 Things to Know About Vaccine PlanningBenefits of Getting a COVID-19 VaccineIn addition, we anticipate we will hold Family Town Hall Webinars as more information becomes available and throughout the process, giving team members, clients, and families an opportunity to ask questions and feel comfortable with the process. We are also providing hand-out materials to communities as they become available.Continued DiligenceWe are excited to add the vaccine to our arsenal of tools that will help eradicate the virus from our community, and eventually, assist in a return to normalcy. We also understand that many are experiencing COVID combat fatigue, growing weary from restrictions and isolation. While the vaccine will help control the virus, it will not completely eradicate it for quite some time, so we must continue to take precautions to stay healthy and protect ourselves and each other from this virus. We will continue with our robust infection control and testing program, and we ask for your continued diligence and patience as we all do our part to stop the spread of the virus.