During National Stress Awareness month this April, we want to call attention to a serious and often overlooked byproduct of caring for elderly relatives: stress. Why is Caring for Elderly Loved Ones So Stressful? Looking after the older adults we care about can be rewarding, yet the challenges are real. Here's why: Emotional Strain Witnessing a loved one's decline in health or cognitive abilities can be emotionally taxing. It can be distressing to see someone who was once independent become increasingly reliant on others for their daily needs. Physical Demands Depending on the level of ca ..read more

In early February, ACL released a final rule to update the regulations of its Older Americans Act programs — the first significant update in 36 years. First passed in 1965 and last reauthorized on March 25, 2020, the Older Americans Act (OAA) authorizes a wide range of programs and services, most of which focus on helping older adults age in place. These services include home-delivered and congregate meals, support for family caregivers, preventive health services, personal and home care services, transportation, legal assistance, elder abuse prevention, and so much more. In addition, the ..read more

Making the decision to move an older person from their home to a place where they can live safely is a tough choice for all involved. A move to an assisted living facility is one option. These facilities provide care for people who need services such as medication reminders, meals, transportation, and some assistance with activities of daily living, like bathing and dressing. Why might a person resist moving to a place where they can get help with daily activities? Fear is a common reason. Home has a deep symbolic meaning for most people, representing safety, security, and identity. People ..read more

More than 41 million Americans have a chronic health condition that limits their daily activities in some way, according to the Institute for Health & Aging at the University of California, and 12 million are unable to live independently. Of the one out of five elders who have reached age 85, more than half are impaired and need long-term care — that is, the personal assistance that enables them to perform daily routines such as eating, bathing, and dressing. Most people want to continue to live in their own homes for as long as possible. For those who are elderly and have disabilities, t ..read more

Do you want quick access to your Power of Attorney documents in emergency situations? Would you like to have a convenient way to watch and share informative videos? Electronic copies of all the memos included in your binder? We have an app for that: the Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law app! The app allows you to store all your important estate planning-related documents electronically on your phone. Share documents easily with your family, your agents, healthcare professionals, and others who need them. Having these important documents at your fingertips can come in handy for doctors' visits, t ..read more

How well do you know the attorneys who lead Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law? Now is your chance to get to know them a little better. Barbara McGinnis Barbara joined the firm in 2011 after earning her Juris Doctor degree from Nashville School of Law and being admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 2010. She was named partner in 2017. Law is Barbara's second career, but it was the logical next step given her background and work experience. She had a successful career in nursing and healthcare administration before making the decision to go to law school. She spent more than two decades as a Registered ..read more

In this issue, we celebrate an accomplishment--and a new addition to our staff. Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law Named to 2024 Best Law Firms List Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law has been named to the 2024 Best Law Firms list created annually by Best Lawyers®. The firm received a ranking in Nashville in the field of Elder Law. This is the ninth year that Takacs McGinnis Elder Care Law has received this prestigious distinction. Firms included in the 2024 Best Law Firms list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tie ..read more

Have you ever wondered where the tradition of setting a New Year's resolution came from? We did too, so we did some digging. According to an excellent article on History.com, the practice started some 4,000 years ago with the ancient Babylonians. In addition to pledging continuing loyalty to their king, they made promises to the gods to pay their debts and return any objects they had borrowed. If the Babylonians kept to their word, their (pagan) gods would bestow favor on them for the coming year. If not, they would fall out of the gods’ favor—a place no one wanted to be. Today, most New Year ..read more

Fellow Caregivers! It’s 2024. All the holiday festivites are over and we’re getting back to our normal routines. It’s a few weeks into the new year, so I must ask…are you sticking to your New Year’s resolution, or has it fallen by the wayside already? I’m happy to report that I’m sticking to my resolution but, in the spirit of full disclosure, my resoluon is to not make resolutions! Honestly, it’s the only resolution that’s stuck with me. I’ve tried and tried over the years to make resolutions. I've made all sorts of promises to myself – to lose weight, exercise more, give up bad habits, be m ..read more

If you are aging on your own without the support of family members, a daily check-in practice will help you feel more secure, connected, and self-reliant. This simple routine involves reaching out to a trusted friend, community member, or a professional service each day for a brief interaction. This interaction could be conversation via phone, Zoom, FaceTime or similar platform, or even a text message. Benefits of a Daily Check-In Practice How does adopting a daily check-in practice benefit you? More Safety: A daily check-in gives you a safety net of sorts. If you need help with an issue, yo ..read more