Radio Show Podcasts

Suzanne joins assistant director of life enrichment Jeanice Harrington at MorningStar of Happy Valley, a senior living community outside of Portland, Oregon. One of Jeanice's favorite activities is leading an in-house Bible study hour with the community, an inclusive program for people of all faiths and backgrounds.

Encore Creativity provides arts and opportunities for those 55 and older through Encore Chorale and other programs. Encore University has a voice class, musicianship...

Encore Creativity for Older Adults is coming to the greater Puget Sound area. Conductor Dr. Natalie Lerch joins Suzanne to talk about Encore's program...

Suzanne shares her personal story about chorale singing at the time she lost her father. The sense of community from her choir helped prevent...

Encore Creativity for Older Adults is the nation's largest choral organization for adults over the age of 55. They are just now coming to...

If you're applying for Medicaid, what happens if they say you have "too much income?" Elder Law Attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to discuss this interesting scenario. You would need to seek a lawyer, set up a qualified income trust, called a "Miller trust," and then you have to use that trust every month, in order to even qualify for Medicaid.

If you are a married couple, what happens to your income as a Medicaid applicant? Elder Law Attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to answer this question. They must be married; some states recognize common law marriage, others not. The income of the well spouse does not get to be used under Medicaid rules to pay the expenses of the ill spouse.

If you are a single Medicaid applicant, what happens to your income? Almost every dollar is accounted for in the Medicaid rules — where can you expect that money to go? Generally, for a single person, a person's income is used before Medicaid dollars. There are three places where money is usually going to go: 1) your personal needs allowance (spending money); 2) rent if you're in an assisted living community; and 3) health insurance premiums.

Elder Law Attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about how Medicaid and other long-term care situations handle retirees who continue to receive income the rest of their lives. Income payments can come from Social Security retirement benefits, disability benefits, pension payments, VA pension payments, annuity payments, or income from rental properties.

If someone in active military service is injured or becomes ill, or has some prior injury or illness exacerbated by their service, and later in life it results in a disability, then they're entitled to VA Compensation. Elder law attorney Jim Koewler joins Suzanne to talk about the benefits of this federal program run by the Department of Veterans Affairs.