The Savvy Senior
UNTREATED HEARING LOSS AFFECTS BRAIN STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION Sooner is always better than later when considering treatment SPECIAL TO THE LOG CABIN
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ecent studies shed light on the importance of timely treatment of hearing loss. Most people believe that hearing loss is a condition that only affects their ears. In reality, untreated hearing loss can affect so much more, including brain structure and function. According to a 2013 John Hopkins University study, hearing loss may increase the risk of cognitive problems and dementia. A 2011 dementia study monitored the cognitive health of 639 people who were mentally sharp when the study began. The researchers tested the volunteers’ mental abilities regularly, following most for about 12 years, and some for as long as 18 years. The results were striking: The worse the initial hearing loss, the more likely the person was to develop dementia. Researchers say that there are plausible reasons for why hearing loss might lead to dementia — the brain’s hearing center, called the auditory cortex, is very close to the regions where Alzheimer’s first starts. Hearing loss also has a noted link to brain shrinkage. Although the brain naturally becomes smaller with age, the shrinkage seems to be fasttracked in older adults with hearing loss, according to the results of a study by Frank Lin, M.D Ph.D. through Johns Hopkins University and the 2 Savvy Senior 2016
National Institute on Aging. The report revealed that those with impaired hearing lost more than an additional cubic centimeter of brain tissue each year compared to those with normal hearing. Those with impaired hearing also had significantly more shrinkage in par-
ticular regions, including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri, brain structures also responsible for processing sound and speech. When a person is affected by untreated hearing loss, their auditory cortex becomes “impoverished” due
to the lack of sound stimulation. Treating hearing loss in a timely matter, however, can help offset this. These studies indicate the urgency in which hearing loss should be treated. “If you want to address hearing loss well,” Lin says, “you want to do it sooner rather than later.”
thecabin.net 3
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* Conway’s population is projected to be 100,000 within 20 years, which includes at least 25,000 seniors. 4 Savvy Senior 2016
The Savvy Senior
HEAR BETTER FOR LESS How to save big money on hearing aids
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t’s unfortunate, but millions of Americans with hearing loss don’t get hearing aids because they simply can’t afford them. Hearing aids – typically sold through audiologists’ offices – are expensive, usually costing between $1,000 and $3,500 per ear. What’s more, traditional Medicare doesn’t cover them and private insurance typically hasn’t either.
But, depending on your circumstances, there are numerous ways to save on hearing aids if you know where to look.
PRIVATE HEALTH INSURANCE If you have health insurance through an employer or spouse’s employer, on your own, or through the health insurance marketplace, your first step is to check with your provider to see if they offer a hearing aid benefit. While most insurers do not cover hearing aids there are a few that do. United Healthcare, for example, offers cus-
tom-programed hearing aids through hi HealthInnovations (hihealthinnovations. com) for $599 to $899 each to beneficiaries enrolled in their employer-sponsored, individual or vision plans. Some other insurers may pay a specified amount toward the purchase of hearing aids, like $500 or $1,000, or give you a discount if you purchase hearing aids from a contracted provider. And due to state law mandates, three states – Arkansas, New Hampshire and Rhode Island – currently require private insurance companies to provide hearing aid coverage for adults, and 20 states require it for children.
MEDICARE If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you may already know that while original Medicare (Part A and B) and Medigap supplemental policies do not cover hearing aids, there are some Medicare Advantage (Part C) plans that do. Many of these plans, which are obtained through private insurers, include hearing aids and hearing tests in their coverage along with hospital and medical insurance. Many Medicare Advantage plans also cover dental, vision and prescription drugs too. To find a plan that covers hearing aids, call 800-
633-4227 or go to Medicare. gov/find-a-plan.
FEDERAL HEALTH BENEFITS If you’re a current or retired federal employee enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program, some plans provide hearing aid coverage, including the Blue Cross Blue Shield plan that covers hearing aids every three years up to $2,500.
MEDICAID If you qualify for Medicaid, most state programs cover hearing aids, but requirements vary. To find out if you qualify, contact your state’s Medicaid program or visit Medicaid.gov.
BENEFITS FOR VETERANS If you’re a veteran, the VA provides a hearing aid benefit if your hearing loss was connected to military service or linked to a medical condition treated at a VA hospital. You can also get hearing aids through the VA if your hearing loss is severe enough to interfere with your activities of daily life. To learn more, call 877222-8387 or visit VA.gov.
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS If your income is low, there are various programs and foundations that provide financial assistance for hearing aids to people in need. Start by calling your state vocational rehabili-
tation department (see parac. org/svrp.html) to find out if there are any city, county or state programs, or local civic organizations that could help. You can also find a list of state and national hearing aid assistance programs on the Sertoma/Hearing Charities of America website at Sertoma. org/hearing-aid-resources. Or, you can the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at 800-241-1044, and ask them to mail you their list of financial resources for hearing aids.
CHEAPER BUYING OPTIONS
DID YOU KNOW?
If you are unable to get a third party to help pay for your hearing aids, you can still save significantly by purchasing your hearing aids at Costco or online. Most Costco stores sell top brands of hearing aids for 30 to 50 percent less than other warehouse chains, hearing aid dealers or audiologists’ offices. This includes an in-store hearing aid test, fitting by a hearing aid specialist and follow-up care. And websites like EmbraceHearing.com and Audicus.com, sell quality hearing aids directly from the manufacturer for as little as $450 or $500. But, you will need to get a hearing evaluation from a local audiologist first, which can cost between $50 and $200.
This past year, CNN Money Magazine rated Conway in the Top 25 Best Places to Retire.
* A person’s brain has the capacity to change and improve even into their 70’ and 80s. thecabin.net 5
BRAIN SCANS FIND PROTEIN A MARKER OF
ALZHEIMER’S DECLINE
ASSOCIATED PRESS
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cientists are peeking inside living brains to watch for the first time as a toxic duo of plaques and tangles interact to drive Alzheimer’s disease — and those tangles may predict early symptoms, a finding with implications for better treatments. It’s not clear exactly what causes Alzheimer’s. Its bestknown hallmark is the sticky amyloid that builds into plaques coating patients’ brains, but people can harbor a lot of that gunk before losing memories. Now new PET scans show those plaques’ co-conspirator — the tangle-causing protein tau — is a better marker
of patients’ cognitive decline and the beginning of symptoms than amyloid alone. That’s especially true when tau spreads to a particular brain region important for memory, researchers reported Wednesday in the journal Science Translational Medicine. “It’s a location, location, location kind of business,” said Dr. Beau Ances of Washington University in St. Louis, who led the work. The plaque “starts setting up the situation, and tau is almost the executioner.” The new study is very small and more research is required to confirm the findings. But it highlights the importance of developing drugs that could target both amy-
loid and tau buildup, something researchers hope one day could help healthy but atrisk people stave off the earliest symptoms of Alzheimer’s. “This is exactly the type of information we’re going to need” for better treatments, said Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer Maria Carrillo, who wasn’t involved in the new study. “It’s cool to see the utility of this new imaging technology actually being deployed and used.” About 5 million people in the U.S. are living with Alzheimer’s, a number expected to more than double by 2050 as the population ages. Today’s medications only temporarily ease symptoms, and finding new ones is complicat-
ed by the fact that Alzheimer’s quietly ravages the brain a decade or two before symptoms appear. Doctors have long known that many older adults harbor amyloid plaques that increase their risk of developing Alzheimer’s but don’t guarantee they’ll get it. The latest theory: Amyloid sparks a smoldering risk while tau pushes patients over the edge. Only recently have scientists developed a way to perform PET scans to see tau deposits like they can see amyloid buildup, so they can test that theory. Currently, the expensive scans are used only for research — doctors don’t know enough yet to use them for routine patient care.
The Savvy Senior
FINDING DR. RIGHT Tips and online tools to help you find and research a new doctor
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hanks to the Internet, finding and researching new doctors is a lot easier than it use to be. Today, there’s a wide variety of websites you can turn to that provide databases of U.S. doctors, their professional medical histories, and ratings and reviews from past patients on a number of criteria. Here are some of the best sites available, along with a few additional tips that can help you find a good doctor.
LOCATING TIPS To help you locate doctors in your area, a good first step, and one that doesn’t require a computer, is to ask for a referral. Contact some other doctors, nurses, or health care professionals that you know, for some names of doctors or practices that they like and trust. You should also call your insurance provider, or visit their website directory to get a list of potential candidates. If you are a Medicare beneficiary, you can use the Physician Compare tool at Medicare.gov/physiciancompare. This will let you find doctors by name, medical specialty or by geographic
location that accept original Medicare. You can also get this information by calling Medicare at 800-633-4227. Once you find a few doctors, you need to call their office to verify that they still accept your insurance, and if they are accepting new patients.
RESEARCH TOOLS After you find a few doctors you’re interested in, there are lots of free online resources where you can turn to help you evaluate them. Healthgrades.com: This comprehensive easy-to-use site provides doctor’s information on education and training, hospital affiliations, board certification, awards and recognitions, professional misconduct, disciplinary action and malpractice records, office locations and insurance plans. It also offers a 5-star ratings scale from past patients on a number of issues like communication and listening skills, wait time, time spent with the patient, office friendliness and more. Vitals.com: Provides background information on doctor’s awards, expertise, hospital affiliations, and insurance as well as patient ratings on measures such as bedside manner, follow-up, promptness, accuracy of diagnosis, and average wait time. There’s also a patient comment section.
SAVVY TIP If you want to find out how many times a doctor did a particular service and what they charge for it, go to data.cms.gov and click on “Medicare Physician and Other Supplier Look-up Tool” at the top of the page.
RateMDs.com: Provides information on training as well as patient ratings on staff, punctuality, helpfulness and knowledge. Patients can also post questions and answers about doctors, and get doctor’s ratings based on patient reviews. SurgeonRatings.org: This tool that allows you to type in your ZIP code and search for the top-performing surgeons in 14 types of major surgery, including heart valve and bypass surgery, total knee and hip replacement, gastric (stomach), hernia, and spine fusion surgery. The ratings are based on an analysis of federal government records of more than 4 million surgeries performed by more than 50,000 doctors. Surgeon Scorecard (Projects. ProPublica.org/surgeons): Provides surgeons’ complication rates for eight elective procedures in Medicare including hip and knee replacements, gallbladder removal, cervical and lumbar spinal fusion and prostate removal.
* It is proven that socially active people run a lower risk of strokes, Alzheimer’s and types of dementia. thecabin.net 7
FINDING A LOCATION FOR REHABILITATION FOR PATIENTS WITH MEDICAL CONDITIONS Defining acute inpatient rehabilitation facilities SPECIAL TO THE LOG CABIN
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n Acute Inpatient Rehab Facility is a hospital devoted to the rehabilitation of patients with various neurological, musculo-skeletal, orthopaedic and other medical conditions following stabilization of their acute medical issues. The goal of these hospitals is to help patients who are experiencing a loss of function from injury or illness to become as independent as possible in the activities of daily living so that
they may return home and reenter the community. Acute rehab patients often experience limited ability to care for themselves because of: • Impaired mobility, balance and coordination • Limited strength and range of motion • Sensory loss or visual/perception problems • Cognitive problems (issues with memory, problem-solving etc) • Speech and communication problems • Swallowing disorders
These facilities are independent hospitals that operate either in a standalone facility or within acute care hospitals. Rehabilitation hospitals were created to provide a higher level of professional therapies such as speech therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy than can be obtained in a “skilled nursing care” facility. The acute Rehabilitation Hospital provides comprehensive rehabilitation for patients across a wide variety of diagnoses, including but not limited to: • Amputations • Brain Injury • Burns • Cerebrovascular Accident
(Stroke) • Hip Fractures • Major Multiple Trauma • Neurological Disorders (including Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, Polyneuropathy, Guillain-Barre and others) • Orthopaedic Conditions • Arthritis (Rheumatoid and multi-arthritis syndromes) • Spinal Cord Injury • Conditions made worse by illness (including COPD, Heart Disease and others) Additionally, a medical doctor will see patients in an acute rehabilitation facility within 24 hours of admis-
sion and a minimum of three days each week. In most inpatient rehab facilities patients are seen daily by a physician. The medical director specialized in rehabilitation medicine facilitates the individual rehabilitation plan for each patient. Patients can be admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation facility directly following a hospital stay without a minimum day requirement The rehabilitation hospital will evaluate the patient to determine if the patient will benefit from rehabilitation services and if admission criteria can be met. Patients referred will be assessed using a preadmission screening tool. Appropriate candidates are patients who are medically stable and able
to participate in and benefit from at least three hours of physical, occupational and/ or speech therapy per day. The treatment plan will include daily therapies except on weekends. Patients may also participate in recreational activities/therapy as indicated or desired. Acute Rehabilitation Hospitals take a interdisciplinary team approach to successful rehabilitation. Team members are dedicated to meeting patients’ physical, psychological and social needs in an environment that promotes wellness, confidence and independence. Team members participate with the medical director and physicians to develop individualized treatment plans to
maximize each patient’s functional abilities. They also provide information about the community resources to help smooth the transition to home and community which can include an onsite, in-home evaluation with the patient prior to discharge. Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation care is covered under Medicare and by most all other insurance providers based on specific criteria for approved diagnoses. In central Arkansas, only three such facilities exist. Baptist Rehabilitation Institute (BRI) in Little Rock, CHI St. Vincent North in Sherwood and Conway Regional Rehabilitation Hospital right here in Conway.
ARKANSAS AGENCY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
ON PLAN TO HELP VETERANS Officials hope to have five regional officers in place by 2020 ASSOCIATED PRESS
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The state Department of Veterans Affairs is ahead of schedule for a plan that places regional veterans service officers around Arkansas to help veterans with filing disability claims and other services. The department has relocated veterans service officers to six regions over the past year. Officials said last year that they hoped to have five regional officers in place by 2020. Officials hope to have an officer in all nine regions of the state by the end of summer 2017. Before the plan existed, the Regional Benefits Office in North Little Rock served as a centralized location for veterans to get help. The change is the first of several initiatives planned by the agency’s new leadership, which took over at the beginning of 2015. Retired Col. Mike Ross, who served in the Arkansas National Guard, said that almost all veterans have praised the change. “It’s a great thing,” he said. “ADVA is showing veterans they’re getting out to
Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs
you.” In addition to helping veterans and their dependents file disability claims, veterans service officers also serve as advocates between veterans and the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to maximize their benefits. Department director Matt Snead compared service officers to attorneys, saying that in the same way attorneys are a great benefit to a defendant, service officers are indispensable for veterans dealing with the federal Veterans Affairs. The officers can also connect veterans to other programs, like education, workforce training and treatment programs. They are currently located in Fayetteville, Mountain Home, Jonesboro, Forrest City, Monticello, North Little Rock and Fort Smith.
Faulkner County Veterans Office 1411 Robinson Ave. Conway, AR 72034 Phone: 501-329-5945 Fax: 501-450-4972 Email: albert.meyer@faulknercounty. org Office Hours: Tuesday & Wednesday 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Under the supervision of the Arkansas Department of Veterans affairs, is the County Veterans Services Officer, Albert Meyer. He was appointed by, and operates at the pleasure of the County Judge. A portion of his salary is paid by the county and a portion by the state. The main function of the County Veterans Service Office is to advise and council with the claimant in the assistance of the preparation of forms, and securing the necessary supporting evidence to complete such forms. thecabin.net 9
RESOURCES CONWAY
EMERGENCIES (911) ■ Conway Fire Department (501) 450-6148, conwayfd.com ■ Conway Police Department (501) 450-6120, conwaypd.org
CITY SERVICES ■ Conway Convention & Visitors Bureau 900 Oak St., (501) 327-7788, conwayark.com ■ Conway City Hall 1201 Oak St., (501) 450-6110 cityofconway.org
Faulkner County Senior & Wellness Center
705 East Siebenmorgen Conway, AR 72034
What They Do ■ Transportation ■ Congregate Meals ■ Home Delivered Meals ■ Senior Center Activities ■ Complimentary Services
Contact Faulkner Senior Centers: ■ Conway 501-327-2895 ■ Greenbrier 501-679-3103 ■ Mayflower 501-470-3350 ■ Mt. Vernon 501-849-2323 ■ Twin Grover 501-335-7733 ■ Vilonia 501-796-4680
Conway Regional Senior Support Groups http://www.conwayregional.org/ SupportGroups Phone: 1-800-245-3314
■ Alzheimer’s Support Group - meets the first Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in Room 128 of the First United Methodist Church. For more details call (501) 513-9578. Diabetes Education ■ Type 1 Diabetes Support Group — meets the third Tuesday of each month at 7pm in the Conway Regional Women’s Center Classroom 3
■ Type 2 Diabetes Support Group — meets the last Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Conway Regional Women’s Center Classroom 1 ■Fabulous You Boutique & Look Good ... Feel Better - offers free support services for female cancer patients in relation to hair loss, skin care and complexion in a party format. Support group parties are held monthly. ■ Parkinson Disease Support Group — meets the second Wednesday of each month at 1:30 p.m. at the McGee Center, located at 3800 College Avenue. The group’s mission is to provide education and support to patients, families, caregivers and friends of those affected by the disease. For information, call Bronnie Rose at (501) 329-6282.
GREENBRIER ■ Greenbrier City Hall 11 Wilson Farm Road, (501) 679-2422, cityofgreenbrierar.com ■ Greenbrier Fire Department (501) 287-0175 ■ Greenbrier Police Department (501) 679-3105 MAYFLOWER ■ Mayflower City Hall 2 Ashmore St., (501) 470-1337, cityofmayflower.com ■ Mayflower Fire Department (501) 470-1200 ■ Mayflower Police Department (501) 470-1000 VILONIA ■ Vilonia City Hall 18 Bise St., (501) 796-2534, cityofvilonia.com ■ Vilonia Fire Department (501) 796-2534 ■ Vilonia Police Department (501) 796-8170
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ALSO AVAILABLE AT © 2016 Consumer Cellular, Inc. New service activation on approved credit. Cellular service is not available in all areas and is subject to system limitations. Terms and Conditions subject to change. †Based on interpretation of Nielsen’s Mobile Insights survey data, which uses respondents’ self-reported rating (1 to 10 scale) of overall satisfaction with their carrier from a national survey of approximately 90,000 U.S. mobile phone users during Q4 ’15. AARP member benefits are provided by third parties, not by AARP or its affiliates. Providers pay a royalty fee to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. Some provider offers are subject to change and may have restrictions. Please contact the provider directly for details.
* There are 16,000 seniors over the age of 60 in Faulkner County, and 8,000 of those are in Conway. thecabin.net 11
HEARING LOSS TIED TO DEMENTIA Take charge of your brain health
SPECIAL TO THE LOG CABIN
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or years, health professionals have known that people with cognitive decline (a reduction in functions like memory, language and information processing) also often had hearing loss. But recent research has provided solid data showing that people with hearing loss are actually more likely to develop dementia than those with normal hearing. A 2011 study led by Johns Hopkins professor Frank Lin, M.D. Ph.D. found that even a mild hearing loss increased an individual’s risk of developing dementia, while a severe hearing loss increased the risk fivefold. In a 2014 look at MRIs of the brain by Dr. Lin’s team, they further found much more rapid rates of brain tissue loss in individuals with hearing loss. The reason hearing loss and dementia are connected is not yet clear. The answer may be as simple as social withdrawal, a common factor in both hearing loss and dementia. Another theory suggests the effort required to process sounds un-
12 Savvy Senior 2016
der hearing loss taxes the brain in a way that makes it vulnerable for dementia. There could also be a common pathology in either the shrinkage of brain structures related to sound processing or cardiovascular problems, a risk factor for both hearing loss and dementia.
Taking Charge of Your Brain Health
Before you panic, remember: Not everyone with hearing loss will develop dementia. Taking charge of your health now can reduce your risk. Following are key strategies you can take to protect your cognitive health. • Have your hearing tested. If you’re under 50, you should have your hearing tested at least once to provide a baseline. After this age, get your hearing tested at least every three years to catch any changes fast. Schedule a free hearing evaluation now for the most accurate results. • Treat any hearing loss that is found. Initial research shows that being fit for a hearing aid when hearing loss is first detected makes those with hearing loss no
more susceptible to dementia than those without. • If you already have them, use them! Wearing your hearing aids the majority of the time is a critical step missed by many. If something is preventing you from doing so, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with a Hearing Care Professional to talk about how you can make your aids work better for you. • Care for your cardiovascular health. Exercise regularly and follow a heart healthy diet. If you have diabetes, manage it. If you smoke, work on quitting. • Keep your brain active. Education, cultural activities and brain games like puzzles provide critical cognitive stimulation. • Stay social. Strong personal ties have been shown to have a protective effect against dementia. So if you suspect you might not be hearing as well as you used to, it’s recommend having a Full Hearing Evaluation with a trained Hearing Care Professional. The consultation is usually free of charge and might just help give you the peace of mind you’ve been looking for.
TOO MANY ARKANSAS SENIORS ARE HUNGRY SPECIAL TO THE LOG CABIN
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ith more than 40 percent of the Arkansas’s population age 60 and over suffering from food insecurity. Blaze a Trail is the motto of the 2016 awareness month. Food insecurity among seniors is primarily due to financial hardship, lack of transportation, mobility limitations and the shortage of food stores in the area. Malnutrition can lead to chronical diseases and depression. For the elderly, this is an especially serious threat, as the immune system is also weaker. Arkansas has the highest rate in the nation of food insecurity among seniors. In deed, 33 percent of all households with elderly or disabled persons in Arkansas
receive SNAP benefits and 10.6 percent of the senior citizens in the state live below the poverty line. Sadly, not all seniors who qualify for nutrition assistance are receiving benefits. The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance SNAP Outreach team works to help seniors apply for and receive the benefits they need. Blaze a Trail during Older American’s Month. Here’s how: • Become a SNAP Outreach Volunteer. The Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance is looking for SNAP Outreach volunteers to help seniors file SNAP applications. Contact Tomiko Townley at ttownley@arhungeralliance.org • Local senior centers have various opportunities for volunteers. Find a center in
your community. • Donate funds or household items to a local food pantry. Easy-use kitchen utensils are always needed, just as they welcome suitcases or rolling backpacks, which serve as handy helpers for seniors who go to pick up food.
DID YOU KNOW? Last year the local senior center logged over 98,000 miles on their vehicles.
thecabin.net 13
MANAGAGING THE LEGAL PROCESS By Mary Nash ATTORNEY AT LAW
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fter thirty (30) years of being an Elder Law Attorney, people still ask me the question, “Who should do estate planning?” My answer is always the same, “Anyone with $1.00 and two relatives!” You might laugh at that but it is true. Anytime there is money and people who believe that they are entitled to a share of that money, there needs to be a plan (1) to eliminate as much as possible, family fights, (2) to avoid the Probate proceeding which comes about if there is no estate planning or if there is a will, and (3) to move the estate where you want it to go, when you want it to go. In order to speak to each of these issues, we use Living Trusts, either revocable or irrevocable. A Living Trust is one written while the Trustmaker(s) is alive and capable of planning. It is possible to write a Testamentary Trust in a will but it is only activated through the Probate process. We want to avoid probate so we use a Living Trust.
There are three (3) characters acting in this type estate planning, (1) Trustmaker or Settlor or Grantor--the person(s) creating the Trust, (2) the Trustee, the person managing the assets in the Trust, and (3) the beneficiary. Usually the person(s) setting up the Trust will be all three, the Trustmaker, the Trustee and the Beneficiary but they will not always be the Trustee. There will come a time when they are no longer able to act for themselves in managing their assets in the Trust. They will cease to be the beneficiary at death. The children or grandchildren or whomever they choose will then be the beneficiary of the Trust assets. Picture a Trust as if were a box. Your Elder Law Attorney, who practices exclusively in this area of the law, will know how to create the documents to set up your trust. Into this legal entity (box), the attorney will assist you in transferring ownership of your home and other properties, including your brokerage accounts, bank accounts, stocks, bonds and other assets. It’s all in your trust or this fictional “box”, owned and managed by the Trustee (usually the person(s) creating the Trust).
At death, there are no assets that belong to the person individually. Everything belongs to the Trust, thus there are no assets to go through the Probate Court. The successor Trustee (someone appointed in the Trust document to carry out the distribution of the Trust assets at the death of the Trustmaker without costs or delays). The two different kinds of Living Trusts are Revocable and Irrevocable. The Revocable Trust are written during life but with the ability to amend them, revoke them or completely restate them. The Irrevocable Trust can be written to change the Trustees during the life of the Trustmaker but do not allow for changes in the named beneficiaries, though it is possible to change the amounts going to each of the beneficiaries. The main goal for these types of Trusts is asset protection. Not only do my clients want to avoid probate and set up their distribution to send their assets where they want them to go, when they want them to go, but to avoid future creditors in the case of lawsuits or creditor claims, including Medicaid claims (often the largest creditor in an estate) in case of a nursing home stay. Ir-
revocable Trusts are often written to move assets in order to create eligibility for the V.A. Aid and Attendance Pension. This Pension, for veterans over 65 who served 90-days active duty, one (1) day which fell in a wartime time period with an honorThedischarge Savvy Senior able can pay to a veteran and
spouse $2,000+ tax free per month, or $1,788 to a single veteran or even $1,100 a month to a surviving spouse of a veteran, all tax-free. Living Trusts, if properly prepared can protect the children’s inheritance from their creditors, lawsuits, bankrupt-
cy, divorce or even the child’s own nursing home stay. There are no other vehicles out there that do as much to protect family assets and keep family money in the family as a Living Trust. Everyone with a dollar and two relatives needs a Living Trust to protect the “whole” family.
HOW TO SAVE ON YOUR
FINAL FAREWELL Planning a dignified path peace Low-cost ways to dispose of yourto body after you die
W
ith the average cost of a full-service funeral running over $10,000 today, many people are seeking alternative ways to make their final farewell more affordable. Depending on how you want to go, here are some different options that can save your estate, or your surviving family, a lot of money.
TRADITIONAL FUNERAL If you’re interested in a traditional funeral and burial, your first money-saving step is to shop around and compare funeral providers, because prices can vary. If you want some help, contact your funeral consumer alliance program. These are volunteer groups that offer information and prices on local funeral providers. See Funerals.org/affiliates-directory or call 802-865-8300 for contact information. There are also free websites you can turn to, like Parting.com that lets you
compare prices, and FuneralDecisions.com that will provide estimates from local funeral homes based on what you want. When comparing, make sure you take advantage of the “funeral rule.” This is a federal law that requires funeral home directors to provide you with an itemized price list of their products and services so you can choose exactly what you want. Be sure to ask for it. Another way to lower your costs is to buy your own casket. You can save at least 50 percent by purchasing one from a store or online and having it delivered to the funeral home, and the funeral home providing the service must accept it. Two good casket-shopping resources that may surprise you are Walmart.com and Costco. com, which offer a variety of caskets and urns at discounted prices.
DIRECT BURIAL Another way to cut your funeral home bill is to get a direct burial. With this option your body would be buried shortly after death, skipping the embalming, viewing and use of the funeral facilities. If your family wants a memorial service they can have it at the graveside or at your place of worship with-
out the body. These services usually cost between $1,000 and $2,000, not counting cemetery charges. All funeral homes offer direct burial.
CREMATION An increasingly popular and affordable way to go, cremation can run anywhere from around $600 (for a direct cremation) up to $4,000 or higher depending on the provider and services you choose. To locate funeral homes that offer cremation or cremation providers in your area, look in your local yellow pages under “cremation” or “funeral” or visit Cremation.com.
GREEN BURIAL An eco-friendly green burial is another affordable option that costs anywhere from $1,000 to several thousand depending on the provider. With a green cemetery burial, the body is buried in a biodegradable coffin or just wrapped in a shroud, without embalming chemicals or a burial vault. The Green Burial Council (greenburialcouncil. org, 888966-3330) has a state listing of cemetery operators who accom-
modate green burials, as well as funeral professionals who provide the services.
VETERAN’S BURIAL If you are a veteran, you’re entitled to a free burial at a national cemetery and a free grave marker. This benefit also extends to spouses and dependent children. Some veterans may even be eligible for funeral expense allowances too. To learn more, visit www.cem. va.gov or call the VA at 800827-1000.
BODY DONATION Donating your body to a medical facility for research is another popular way to go, and it’s usually completely free (some programs may not cover transporting your body to their facility). After using your body, your remains will be cremated and your ashes will be buried or scattered in a local cemetery or returned to your family. To locate university-affiliated body donation programs in your state, see anatbd.acb.med.ufl. edu/usprograms. In addition to the medical schools, there are also a number of private organizations like BioGift (biogift.org), Science Care (sciencecare.com) and LifeLegacy (lifelegacy.org) that accept whole body donations too.
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