The Folsoms
The Eldercare Challenge:
Twenty years into their retirement, the Folsoms are facing health care and residence needs that are substantially different and more complicated, requiring them to have an advanced understanding of Social Security and Medicare programs and benefits. In spite of having planned well for their retirement and living frugally since retirement, the Folsoms and daughters Anna and Karen feel more vulnerable than ever.
Accountable Aging Answers With:
- Detailed, concise information in clear language (no "government-ese") that takes into account the range of potential future circumstances for the couple.
Outcome:
The Folsoms know that whatever the future holds for the two of them, or the surviving one of them, they and their daughters now have a better ability to respond to their changing life circumstances.
This Family's Story:
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Mr. and Mrs. Folsom, now in their 80s, were drawing their Social Security benefits. Their health problems were increasing and Mr. Folsom was fearful that his wife had Alzheimer's disease. Neither they nor their daughter felt sufficiently knowledgeable about the Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid benefits they will have if either Mr. or Mrs. Folsom lives for years in poor health. Specifically, they needed to know how to use their benefits to pay for or partially offset residence facility costs. They were also unsure of the couple's survivor benefits. Their daughter Anna knew that the staff of Accountable Aging had helped other elders and their children make sense out of the government benefit programs and could explain the rules and policies in layperson's English.
After talking with Anna, Accountable Aging provided an overview of the benefits available to the Folsoms based on the three possible life circumstances for the couple: (1) he survives her; (2) she survives him; (3) they both live several more years with one or both spouse's health requiring residence in a nursing facility. For each possible situation, Accountable Aging provided information about the income and resource limitations for Medicaid qualification, and outlined ways the Folsoms might be granted exclusions to these limitations. In addition, Accountable Aging recommended a choice of eldercare attorneys to assist the Folsoms and their daughters with establishing trusts, if needed.