Special Needs, Medicaid, SSI

Most parents are conflicted when their children reach their 18^th birthday.  For many families, that means their child will soon be leaving home for college, a new job, or the military.  For parents of children with developmental disabilities, it can be very scary when that child turns 18, because the law presumes an 18-year-old is an adult with the legal rights and responsibilities that come with adulthood.  When a child turns18, the parent no longer has the legal authority to make decisions for that child.

Joshua, a good-looking young man with a developmental disability, turned 18 six months ago.

Joe, an 89-year-old veteran served in WWII.  He and his wife, Mary, have been living in an assisted living facility for three years and Joe has been receiving VA Pension with Special Monthly Pension for Aid and Attendance.  Joe recently fell, and his physician has decided Joe cannot return to the assisted living facility.  Joe is now in a Nursing Home and needs to apply for Medicaid to cover the cost of his care.   

VA Pension Benefits can be a lifesaver for veterans or their surviving spouses who need home care or assisted living facility care.

Come join us at the Tapestry House of Alpharetta Tuesday, March 26th at 6:30pm.

Patti will be speaking about the difference between being housebound with a  caregiver vs moving into an Assisted Living Facility. 

All are welcome!

Featured Article by Thom Corrigan, MSW, CMC

Each March we are asked to celebrate Social Work month. For some, this means sending a note or an e-mail to a social worker we may know. For others, it may be treating a social work colleague to lunch or bringing them a plant or some flowers to show our appreciation for them.

But this year, I invite you all to celebrate what social workers do, in addition to who they are. Social workers possess many traits and skills. These include being trained to serve as advocates and brokers for our clients. Social workers have developed skills in the areas of empowerment, resourcefulness, problem solving and helping people with transition. They help people to learn new skills while at the same time, helping them to regain confidence, self-esteem, self-determination and resilience. Social workers do this in part by modeling, teaching, empowering, counseling and developing in a person the traits and characteristics that will lead to better outcomes and create a heightened sense of accomplishment and independence.

Each year, the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) creates a theme as part of its celebration for social work. This year's theme is "Weaving Threads of Resilience and Advocacy: The Power of Social Work."   Lastly, did you know that Social Work is the only profession that has the word "WORK" in its name? I find that interesting-

Happy Social Work Month to all my professional peers and colleagues and thanks for all that you do to help people with their everyday needs and challenges!

Thom Corrigan, MSW, CMC
Certified Care Manager

Last fall the Social Security Administration quietly released the text of changes to the Program Operations Manual System -- the POMS. Though described as "clarifications" by Social Security, they were actually far-reaching changes that would have driven up the cost of trust administration, complicated the lives of beneficiaries and provided no additional protection for anyone involved.

Lawyers, trustees and advocates raised objections, and thankfully Social Security listened. Last week another set of changes were announced and the news is entirely good for everyone.

First, a word about POMS.

Administering a "special needs" trust can be a challenge. The rules often seem vague, and they occasionally shift. What may seem like a simple question might actually involve layers of complexity. Sometimes expenditures might be permissible under the rules of, say, the Social Security Administration, but not acceptable to AHCCCS, the Arizona Medicaid agency -- or vice versa. Trustees work in an environment of many constantly-moving parts.

http://www.daily-tribune.com/view/full_story/8961920/article-The-Georgia-Special-Needs-Scholarship-Program-is-changing-lives

It is a new strategy for Georgia, one of several states responding to mounting pressure from the Justice Department, which in recent years has threatened legal action against states accused of violating the civil rights of thousands of developmentally disabled people by needlessly segregating them in public hospitals, nursing homes and day programs.

For a family with a loved one who is mentally disabled, one of the hardest decisions they will have to face is determining the proper care for their loved one. Until recently, many mentally disabled persons have been placed in hospitals to live for the rest of their lie. While they are under constant care, there are social elements that are missing when living in a hospital. These social elements, such as sense of community, friendships, and activities like dancing, are essential for personal growth.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is increasing the amount taxpayers can deduct from their 2013 taxes as a result of buying long-term care insurance.

Premiums for “qualified” long-term care insurance policies (see explanation below) are tax deductible to the extent that they, along with other unreimbursed medical expenses (including Medicare premiums), exceed 7.5 percent of the insured’s adjusted gross income. This threshold is rising to 10 percent on January 1, 2013, although it will remain at 7.5 percent for taxpayers 65 and older through 2016.

Just like with most things in life, salt is best in moderation. Salt has been around for thousands of years and has served multiple purposes from being a means to preserve meats to adding flavor to a dish. But did you know that too much salt can create health problems including high blood pressure and heart disease? It is not just the french fries or the potato chips that we have to watch out for, but items that are packadged and heavy card-based.  On National Eating Healthy Day, the American Heart Association developed a list of six items that we should be mindful of consuming because of their above average levels of sodium. Please click the link to find out what are the 'Salty Six'.