Finding out that you or a loved one has dementia can seem overwhelming. It is easy to go into denial or avoid making important decisions. However, it is important to complete legal planning while it is still legally possible to do so. Whether you or your loved one received the diagnosis, specialized dementia legal planning is necessary. Here are important points to keep in mind: Before a dementia diagnosis Create a plan before a crisis: How will bills be paid if mom doesn’t r

It’s considered the simplest and least expensive way to transfer real estate when a person dies – with an equally lovely name – the “ladybird,” or “Lady Bird” deed. But is that really the case? As with most concepts, what appears simple on the surface may be more complicated in application. Here is an overview of the ladybird deed, along with the benefits and challenges that come with that method of transferring property. A ladybird deed transfers real estate property to a de

Providing light for those who may feel like they’re in a dark tunnel, a new program from the Area Agency on Aging 1-B brings individualized support and guidance to caregivers of aging or chronically ill loved ones. The Caregiver Coaching Program matches family caregivers with a compassionate and knowledgeable volunteer coach who can help them find resources, make decisions, navigate a crisis, or lend a listening ear. The program is free and available to caregivers who live or

During our lifetimes we collect treasures both large and small. The photo albums that belonged to your grandmother. The bowl you bought on a trip to Japan. The textile you watched weavers work while in Ghana. Our treasures are laced with past experiences. Our family heirlooms hold ancestral memory. Our bric-a-brac is evidence of lessons learned. We value these tangible objects because their stories spark motivation for today and inspiration for tomorrow. To keep the energy co

Almost 90 percent of Americans over age 50 would prefer to age in place, according to a recent study conducted by Capital Caring Health, a nonprofit provider of elder, advanced illness, and hospice care, in partnership with WebMD. Staying at home can easily be done, in most cases, for a fraction of the cost of moving into an accessible facility. “Home modification” refers to renovations or retrofits older adults may need to ensure the home is safe. This is best done by a cert

When a visual artist is featured on CBS Sunday Morning, you know they’ve made their mark on the art world. Detroit artist and educator, Shirley Woodson, has earned accolades for her work and is currently making news for her first one-woman show at the Detroit Institute of Arts. Her Shield of the Nile series, which she began working on in 1984, is on display until June 12. At 85 years of age, Woodson is a super ager, at the height of her career and continuing her life’s work w

Banks and other financial institutions are asking customers more questions as they process transactions. Those extra steps are now required by law, to prevent financial exploitation by those who might seek to manipulate account holders. Last September, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act which requires financial institutions to conduct employee training and put other procedures in place to sensitize them to the signs of financial exploitatio

TikTok is a social media app with user-made videos of three minutes or less. Users, from boomers to millennials, are posting opinions, instructions and rants on every subject from cooking to politics to lifestyle and fashion. TikTok is for pure entertainment, education, and more. The social media platform can be used for shooting and editing the videos, posting them for others to see. Those who don’t want to create videos can still scroll through and discover videos from othe