Caring for an elderly parent or loved one can be incredibly stressful. Although it’s rewarding, it’s caregivers who are responsible for the day-to-day activities of a senior, while all the time being a witness to the changes that someone they love is undergoing. The physical and emotional burden of caregiving can really take a toll on caregivers, so the last thing that they need is to struggle to find resources that can help them and their loved ones leave more satisfying lives. Here are 3 ways seniors can access San Francisco senior resources:

1. Find out what local eldercare services are available in your area – contact the Eldercare Locator at 800-677-1116 so you know what’s available near your loved one’s San Francisco home and how you can get in touch to arrange services.
2. Know which services your senior qualifies for – NCOA has developed an online questionnaire which allows caregivers and seniors to take a survey that helps them determine which services and benefits that they may qualify for. Visit www.benefitscheckup.org to learn about eligible benefit programs for prescriptions, utilities and health care.
3. Understand seniors rights and know how to get assistance – whether you are helping a parent or senior loved one prepare a will, dealing with a situation where a senior has been abused or neglected, or simply want a professional to help explain the legal rights of seniors, knowing where and how to get legal assistance is crucial. Many organizations provide pro bono legal representation for seniors. Contact the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, the American Bar Association Commission on Law and Aging or use the Eldercare Locator to find other resources.

Via: The University of Vermont

Image: pro.corbis.com

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Q – My mom’s been thinking about selling her home, which she has maintained even though she is currently living with a relative. After doing some research online, I realized there are some significant tax implications of selling a home, especially when it is mortgage free. Is there a better option to allow her to minimize the tax costs and maximize her assets?

A – The best bet is to have an estate planner review your mother’s specific circumstance and those assets that can be found in her property. However, there are a few options available such as reverse mortgages, trusts, and transfer of assets. Otherwise, at the time of her death, the property will be transferred to the named recipient as outlined on her will. An inheritance and/or estate tax will apply, which can be substantially less than the taxes your mother could pay if selling her home. At that stage, the person responsible for the estate under the will can sell the property to pay for funeral costs, can distribute profits to named family members, rent the home, or live in it themselves. Talk to an estate planner before making any definite decisions about how to handle your mother’s estate!

Sources:
1. ThinkGlink
2. Wikipedia

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Setting up a home inheritance is a great way for seniors to avoid paying expensive taxes should they decide they no longer want the responsibility of home ownership while they’re still alive or to avoid having to “spend-down” their assets to qualify for programs. Arranging the home inheritance is an important part of estate planning which can help ensure that a senior’s home is handled according to their wishes after their death. By including home inheritance on a living will or allocating it to someone on a will, seniors can ensure that the appropriate family member receives the home, which they can then rent, sell, or choose to live in themselves.

It’s important for recipients of a will to understand that there is an inheritance tax which applies to homes left to them in a will which depends upon the total cost of the home. Percentages of inheritance tax vary state to state, and the best way for a senior to determine how to best manage the assets in their home while they’re still alive is to speak with an estate planner who can help to make the most out of the financial aspects that go with it.

Sources:
1.   ThinkGlink.com
2.   Wikipedia

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Q – My mother lives in San Francisco and is very ill, and I know that she has debt that was acquired by her and my father before he passed away. Will her children be responsible for paying off her debt when she passes away?

A – In your mother’s case, any shared debt with your father, would have been passed along to her in probate; especially if she was the sole beneficiary of his estate (or all assets were shared). Children are not directly responsible for the debts of their senior relatives, however, debts owing may first be deducted from the senior’s San Francisco estate before distribution during probate, decreasing or eliminating completely the assets left to beneficiaries of the will or trust because when creditors are unable to collect debts during a senior’s life, seniors remain responsible even after they are deceased. If after your mother’s death, her estate demonstrates insufficient assets to pay off her debts, the creditors will be forced to take a loss; however, you and your siblings will not be responsible for paying her debts.

The only other situations where the survivors of a senior’s family may be responsible for the debts, are if they co-signed on a loan, or guaranteed payment to a creditor.

Sources:
1. Lawyers.com
2. Money Tips
3. Wikipedia

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

Hiring a San Francisco professional caregiver to help out a senior at home, can be a big decision. Hiring a caregiver from a professional caregiving agency has its benefit over hiring a private caregiver for a number of reasons. Even though caregiving agencies can be more costly, the piece of mind a caregiving agency can offer is well worth the expense. A professional caregiving agency, like Home Instead Senior Care, helps mandate the care provided by its caregivers; it dictates exactly what role the caregiver will play in the home and care of a senior, and helps to select a caregiver that will best fit the care recipient’s lifestyle, needs and personality. With a professional caregiving agency, elderly home caregivers receive comprehensive training in non-medical care techniques, so families can feel confident that their seniors are receiving quality care.

While hiring a private caregiver might sometimes save money, the hassles that come with making that care decision aren’t generally worth the savings. Unless you hire a San Francisco private caregiver who files their taxes as an independent contractor, families become the caregiver’s employer, which requires that you pay Social Security, Employment and payroll taxes.

Sources:
1. Caregiver’s Home Companion
2. Elderlaw Cincinnati

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.

We know you appreciate everything that your San Francisco long-term caregiver does for your aging family member, and believe that sometimes it’s appropriate to say thank you with a gift. If a family caregiver is responsible for senior care, sometimes the best gift to give them is a break. By providing them assistance with their responsibilities, they will have the opportunity to focus on themselves for a change. Everyone deserves a break; so offer to take your elderly relative shopping, prepare a meal. Another welcome gift for family caregivers is to pre-pay for a service that is typically an expense from their own pocket; buy a gift certificate for grass cutting, or house keeping to save them the expense.

If you want to show a senior caregiver hired from an agency that you appreciate them, first check with the agency for their policy on gift-giving. Many San Francisco senior care agencies do not allow their caregivers to accept monetary gifts, but a small token of your appreciation; like flowers, a gift basket or a gift certificate for a nice meal can be great ways to say “thank you” to a long-term senior caregiver if they can accept the gifts.

Whether a caregiver who cares for an elderly family member is paid for their services or not, it’s important to remember how great their impact is on enhancing the lives of seniors; it doesn’t take much to say “thank you”, even if only in words.

Sources:
1. Area Agency on Aging
2. Caregiver’s Care Station

Home Care San Francisco Bay Area serving seniors in San Bruno, San Mateo, Walnut Creek and Concord. Call us at 415-333-3944 or 650-877-8009.