What is human composting, and is it a viable option for end-of-life? As an end-of-life doula, one of my goals is to bring awareness and intimacy back to caring for loved ones at the end of life and after they have taken their last breath. Steering away from the “traditional” way we have been dealing…
Once, during a client meeting, I was attempting to explain to a client’s family why part of the client’s income must be placed into a trust to become eligible for Medicaid assisted living coverage in New Jersey. As I was explaining something that I knew did not make sense to a reasonable person, I asked…
What a great few weeks it has been for Philadelphia sports fans. Baseball was and will always be the number one sport for me. I mentioned to my wife Sunday, October 23rd, 2022, was one of the top three days for sports in my life. The first was in October 1993, watching the Phillies win the…
In the Fall 2022 edition of the Rothkoff Quarterly, we take a trip to Portugal with Jerry as part of an elder law delegation, prepare you for Medicare’s annual enrollment period, and welcome the newest member to our team, Jessica O’Neill, Esq.
Additional Medicare nursing home ownership data is being made publicly available by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) through the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). This effort may help improve nursing home transparency, safety and quality, and accountability by providing more information about the ownership of all Medicare-certified nursing homes….
Navigating a successful life care plan is much like a puzzle. Every step must be correct to progress and complete the plan. I love puzzles. Crosswords, sudoku, cryptograms, almost any puzzle. My friends and family poke fun at me for casually glancing at a puzzle on the NY Times iPhone app when I should be…
I have been a geriatric social worker for eight years and a care coordinator with Rothkoff Law Group for over three. I knew I wanted to work with the geriatric population when I was completing an internship at a long-term care facility in South Jersey during my senior year of college. I fell in love…
When speaking with families, I am often asked, “What is the difference between hospice and palliative care?” These two terms are often used interchangeably, but it is important to understand there is a distinction between the two. Both hospice and palliative care are available for an individual who is suffering from a chronic disease, such…
A few years ago, when I first heard country artist Jay Allen’s song, “Blank Stares,” it struck a chord with me. Every word explained exactly how I was feeling and what I was experiencing caring for my mother living with Alzheimer’s disease. The song even begins with a snippet of a voicemail message that his…
Francis Bacon once said, “It is as natural to die as to be born.” Does the thought of that make you uncomfortable? If it does, you are not alone. Death is a very uncomfortable subject for many people. The fact that we will die someday is one thing we all have in common, so why…
