Approximately 50% of all Americans who reside in nursing homes receive assistance from Medicaid to pay for their care. This is not surprising, given the extraordinarily high cost of long-term care. The real surprise is that half of all Americans don’t see

Finding the Right Nursing Home: Don’t Rely Entirely on the Five-Star Quality Rating System

May 26, 2022

by Rachel M. Estelle Elder Law Nursing Home

The Five-Star Quality Rating System was created in 2008 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). It has become a popular tool for families to find a quick summary of a given nursing home’s overall level of quality. CMS posts its ratings on

How to Know If It’s Time to Send Someone to a Nursing Home: The Stress of Family Caregiving

September 7, 2021

by Rachel M. Estelle Caregiver Nursing Home

Caregiver burnout is an extremely common phenomenon and one that prompts many family members who are assisting a loved one with advanced medical care needs to think about long term care services like assisted living or nursing home care. Near constant vig

Is It My Responsibility to Pay Nursing Home Bills After a Loved One Passes Away?

December 29, 2020

by Michelle P. Biddinger Elder Law Longterm Care Nursing Home

The loss of a loved one can represent a significant departure from what feels like the course of normal life. Suddenly, there are probate issues to consider and end of life arrangements to address. It can be very difficult to keep track of all of the d

Do Your Research Before Selecting a Nursing Home for Your Loved One

June 23, 2020

by Michelle P. Biddinger Elder Law Nursing Home

Deciding on where to place a loved one in a nursing home is an emotionally difficult and financially challenging decision. Being aware of different research around choosing a nursing home and recent inspection reports that have come out can help you to na