Researchers at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University recently announced that pharmacological “chaperone therapy” can prevent Alzheimer’s disease ( AD ) in mice. Alzheimer’s is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that currently has no cure. Abnormal clumps (amyloid-beta plaques) and tangled fiber bundles (neurofibrillary or tau tangles) create brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking skills. Loss of connections between neurons that transmit messages to different parts of the brain, and brain to organs and muscles in the body, are compromised.

A simple example to help imagine the disease is to think of a wadded up ball of pieces of tape stuck together. Excessive amounts of proteins in the brain begin to lose shape and, like a tape ball, stick, and clump together. This clumping stops the transport of the excess proteins to “recycling sites” within the cells. Trapped in the wrong cellular compartment, they accumulate and eventually bog down cellular mechanisms creating significant disruptions.

To keep the brain’s molecular machinery capable of doing its job sorting through proteins, identifying defective ones, and removing or stabilizing them, scientists developed small drug molecules known as pharmacological chaperones. These chaperones may fulfill a critical role in the prevention of and therapy for Alzheimer’s. The Temple University study cites the journal, Molecular Neurodegeneration , showing that a chaperone drug can productively disrupt the abnormal brain processes that damage neurons and fuel memory loss that ultimately gives rise to Alzheimer’s in animals prone to developing it.

This particular chaperone drug can restore appropriate levels of the sorting molecule called VPS35, permitting the continued moving of proteins out of endosomes , which can be thought of like the sorting stations or recycling sites for damaged proteins allowing for normal cell functioning. Dr. Praticò and colleagues at Temple University who previously had identified how VPS35 actively clears the brain of the harmful proteins amyloid beta and tau most recently have determined that in Alzheimer’s disease, VPS35 levels were significantly reduced. Non-efficient processing of these damaging proteins led to the clumps, or deposits, that interrupt neuron activity, thus contributing to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative disorders.

Testing the effects of this pharmacological chaperone on young mice that are engineered to develop Alzheimer’s disease as they age allowed the scientists to check for effects on memory and learning as the mice grew older.  The treated animals had far better memory and behaved like normal aging mice when compared to untreated mice that readily progressed into Alzheimer’s symptoms, creating a practical technique of Alzheimer’s disease modification for the first time. The test results were confirmed when researchers examined the neurons from the treated mice that had significantly decreased tau tangles and amyloid-beta plaques. Further analysis showed VPS35 levels to be restored, and neuron synapses were fully functional thanks to the chaperone therapy.

“Relative to other therapies under development for Alzheimer’s disease, pharmacological chaperones are inexpensive, and some of these drugs have already been approved for the treatment of other diseases,” Dr. Praticò said. “Additionally, these drugs do not block an enzyme or a receptor but target a cellular mechanism, which means that there is a much lower potential for side effects. All these factors add to the appeal of pursuing pharmacological chaperone drugs as novel Alzheimer’s treatments.”

Before moving to clinical trials in humans, Dr. Praticò and his colleagues will first investigate the effects of this pharmacological chaperone therapy in older mice as their first study was a preventative investigation. Testing older mice exhibiting Alzheimer’s symptoms can identify if the treatment can work for patients already diagnosed with AD.

These studies conducted at Temple University and partially funded by the National Institutes of Health grants bring hope to the millions of people who already have Alzheimer’s disease and to the tens of millions who are projected to get the disease. Finding relatively inexpensive prevention and treatment techniques of the illness can bring about amazing changes not only to patients and their families but can lessen the increasing cost burden for caring for Americans with Alzheimer’s.

If you have questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please don’t hesitate to contact any of our six office locations by calling us at (866) 456-9668.

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You have probably heard about the astronomical costs of nursing-home care if you become seriously ill or injured. You might also know that Medicare would cover only a minimal amount of those costs. Private insurance doesn’t seem like a good bet either, if you’ve heard horror stories about skyrocketing premium costs and difficulties in even obtaining long-term care (LTC) insurance in the first place.

There may be a better way. “Hybrid” policies essentially combine life insurance or an annuity with LTC coverage. (The benefits can be known as “accelerated death benefits” or “living benefits,” or the coverage can be called “life/long term care,” “linked benefits,” or a “combo” policy.)

This type of policy will pay if you need nursing care, but, if you never need that, then the policy functions like standard whole-life coverage. It’s a win-win. Say, for example, you buy a hybrid policy with a $100,000 death benefit. You eventually need $50,000 of that coverage to pay for LTC. Then, when you pass, your beneficiary would receive a $50,000 payout from what’s left of the original $100,000 coverage.

Some plans offer tax-free death benefits to your heirs if your LTC benefits are not fully used or needed. They may return your premiums if you change your mind down the road. Premiums can be locked in from the initial purchase date, with a guarantee that they will never increase. Those who already hold a legacy policy with a large cash value may be able to roll that value over, tax free, into a new hybrid policy.

For those who can afford to pay premiums in a lump sum in advance, LTC coverage could amount to as much as twice the face value of the policy. Compare that with simply setting money aside for LTC expenses at a rate of five percent interest. It could take as long as thirty years to save for what this policy offered on its face.

There is a wide range of coverage, depending on the policies. They may cover different services, delivered at-home, in a facility, or both. The monthly or daily benefits can vary. Some policies require an elimination period (a delay between the time a doctor qualifies you for coverage, and actual payment); some do not. Some provide inflation protection. Some provide adjustable rates, depending on how much the insured might need LTC as against the death benefit.

Always also remember that the carrier must have the long-term financial stability to pay claims, and to remain in business, for decades to come.

To sort through all these intricacies, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners has issued a free and comprehensive Shopper’s Guide to LTC Insurance. It provides especially helpful shopping tips at pp. 31-36. Find the publication here.

We can create a long-term care plan that incorporates a hybrid plan like this with an irrevocable trust that will protect all of your bank accounts and real property (like your home) in the event you need long term care. If you are interested in protecting your savings and your home, we would welcome the opportunity to discuss a plan that works for you.

If you have any questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact any of our six office locations by calling us at (866) 456-9668.

The post Long-Term Care Insurance Gives Rise to the Hybrid Policy appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

After being involved in a hit and run accident, there could be several thoughts that go through your mind. You might be afraid of what could happen regarding your insurance policy or how you’re going to get your car repaired. Before you begin filing claims, contact the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates , Fairfield NJ accident attorneys, so that you can get the professional advice and information that you need. An attorney can contact the other party on your behalf so that you don’t have to interact with the person or the person’s attorney. An attorney can also work with you to submit the proper documents and details about the accident to your insurance company so that you can receive the compensation you deserve.

The first thing that you should do after a hit and run accident is to contact 911 or emergency assistance. An officer and medical personnel will usually arrive on the scene to see if you’re injured and to gather details about what happened. If there are witnesses, then an officer will usually gather their statements. When you meet with someone from the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates, Fairfield NJ accident attorneys , you usually won’t need to collect statements from the office on your own. This can save you time that can otherwise be spent recovering from injuries or trying to obtain financial assistance if you’re unable to work.

Take a few pictures of the accident scene. These can be submitted to an attorney so that proper identifications of the vehicles and the people involved can be made with the assistance of local law enforcement. These images can often play a factor in a settlement amount as well as they can show any physical damage to your car as a result of the incident. You should also submit medical records to your attorney that pertain to the accident.

The post What Am I Supposed To Do After a Hit and Run? appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

Couples often bring children into a marriage from a prior marriage or union and then have children together. This is often referred to as a blended family. Blended families highlight the need for careful estate planning to make sure the needs of each spouse are met, as well as the needs of each parents’ children.

If one spouse is significantly younger, this sometimes means that the older spouse’s children are close in age to the younger.  There can also be sibling rivalry between children of a parent and step-children. These relationships can cause more than friction between the step-parent and step-children.

Most parents want to ensure that their assets will pass to their children and/or grandchildren, and maybe not their stepchildren.  However, without careful estate planning, there is no guarantee that their children will inherit their assets. In fact, if the couple creates identical wills such that their assets pass to the survivor of them, there is a significant likelihood their children will be disinherited.

This is because all of their assets will pass to the surviving spouse to do with as he or she pleases. This can result in the surviving spouse excluding the stepchildren, who then receive nothing.

Poor planning can lead to a race for survival between spouses. A will can be changed at any time; therefore a surviving spouse could change his will after the death of the first spouse, leaving nothing for the first spouse’s children.

Another common occurrence is for each spouse to name the other as a beneficiary on accounts or pieces of real property. Doing so will not allow the bank account, piece of property or other type of asset to pass to anyone else, regardless of what their estate planning documents provide.

A trust, however, can allow a spouse/parent to “rule from the grave.” At the death of the first spouse half of the trust assets can be locked down. With this type of planning, each spouse can have the assurance that their share of the trust assets (or one half) will pass to their children, grandchildren or any other person they wish. The remaining assets are used for the surviving spouse, and will then pass as that spouse wishes.

We help families of all types plan so that their savings, home and other property passes the way they intend. This involves getting to know you and your family and having a complete understanding of each spouse’s wishes.

If you have any questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact any one of our six offices by calling us at (866) 456-9668.

The post How to Build an Estate Plan with a Blended Family appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

If another will is discovered that is different from the deceased person’s original will, then you should contact an attorney as soon as possible. To determine which will controls the administration of the estate, each will must be assessed. To assist you in addressing issues created by differing wills, contact the New Jersey estate planning lawyers from Law Offices of Faloni & Associates.

Which will controls when there are different terms?

If a person has two wills with different terms, then it must be determined if the most recent will is valid. In order for the more recent will to be valid, it must comply with certain legal formalities. Some things to consider include:

An experienced attorney can assess both wills and provide an opinion as to which will or which terms within the wills control. If it becomes necessary to take legal action in connection with the will issues, then an attorney can provide legal representation in a probate court action.

How can we help?

Our New Jersey estate planning lawyers can provide legal advice about wills and other estate issues. We will help you understand how the law applies to your situation. If you have concerns about different wills, then contact the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates to learn how we can help.

The post Was Another Will Discovered That’s Different from the Original? Speak with an Attorney appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

A person’s last will and testament is intended to govern how property, debt and other issues are to be handled after a person’s death. In some situations, there may be issues with the will or the provisions contained therein. Wills may be disputed in their entirety or in part, if they do not meet certain legal criteria, but the timing to do so is critical. If you want to dispute a will, then contact the Fairfield estate plan attorneys from the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates.

What are some ways to contest a will?
A will may be disputed for a variety of reasons, including:

If you are concerned about the validity of a will, then contact an attorney immediately to discuss your concerns.

What can you do to contest a will?

If you wish to dispute a will, then you will need to file a formal objection within an existing probate action, or file for a formal probate action. After your objection is filed, a court hearing will be scheduled where you will have the opportunity to present evidence and argument in support of your objection.

Because contesting a will is complex and involves a variety of laws, rules and procedures, you would be well served to contact Fairfield estate plan attorneys for assistance. Our attorneys can advocate for your position and represent you in the case.

If you have concerns about a will, then contact the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates to discuss your options.

The post Want to Dispute a Will? What to Do Next appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

Americans are facing an escalating long-term care ( LTC ) crisis. Industry driven, massively underpriced policies are playing fiscal catch up with hefty premium rate increases. This price increase is forcing some aging Americans to abandon their policy while others struggle to reduce their amount of LTC coverage to keep their rates affordable or reduce their future lifestyle by dipping into their retirement savings. Abandoning LTC policies turns out to be the last resort for many policyholders as they understand how valuable they are and that a policy lapse would cause them to lose all of their monies paid to the insurer.

Throughout the insurance industry, the metrics applied to the long-term care business model underestimated how long policyholders would live and the number of claims they would submit. Policyholders are living years longer than the actuaries had projected. Compounding the crisis of this flawed business model is years of very low-interest rates. On an inflation-adjusted basis, return on investment has fallen vastly short of needs for all long term investors, including pension funds, life insurers, and the average American saving for retirement. The financial fallout is that fewer people are seeking long-term care insurance policies and those that are, typically pay more and receive less coverage.

Further compounding long-term care problems is the escalation of Alzheimer’s diagnoses and other dementia diseases, which invariably increases an individual’s need for long-term care. Medicare does not make provisions for coverage in long-term care facilities. Even if you position yourself financially to qualify for Medicaid, which does provide for LTC, there is often a long waiting list and reportedly not a high standard of care when you become a resident.Senator Patrick Toomey (R-PA) is preparing legislation that includes a clause to allow people to pay for long term care insurance via a tax-free withdrawal from their 401(k) retirement plan. The withdrawal, up to 2000 dollars a year, would not be subject to income tax, and the limit would be indexed for inflation over the years.

The Internal Revenue Service is also trying to offset tax liabilities for Americans that cover long term care insurance premiums in 2020. There is a range of tax-deferred dollar amounts depending on your age, and this information is posted on the American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance website.

Nakedcapitalism.com

Relying on the federal government to fix the long term care crisis is a cautionary tale. McKnight’s Senior Living reports that the LTC sector typically gets very little play in Washington, DC. Hospitals, doctors, insurance companies, and drug companies with big lobby monies are far more likely to receive legislative attention, often to the demise of long-term care operators and the vulnerable American population they support. Beyond the untenable high costs of LTC premiums, excessive administrative costs burden the US health care system. Washington DC, notorious for its complex, plodding policy progress, will not likely address the situation beyond creating tax-deferred access to retirement accounts and other tax incentives. Instead, the government is okay to allow the paying public to absorb the high costs of long-term care as the industry sector tries to salvage itself.

One of the worst outcomes of these scenarios is that long-term care has become such an expensive problem that Americans are shying away from proactive planning to address the very likely need they will require long-term care insurance in their future. The US Department of Health and Human Services has a website that addresses long-term care basics and provides resources, tools, and links to guide your LTC planning.

Other solutions can provide the essentials for long-term care packaged in different insurance programs. Short-term care insurance, or convalescent insurance, provides a long-term care type of coverage for 180 to 360 days. Because there is no long- term commitment to the insurance companies, premiums usually are less than traditional LTC. Critical-care or critical-illness insurance are two similar types of insurance coverage offering lump-sum cash payments to those who are diagnosed with a stroke, heart attack, and other serious illnesses.

The benefits range can be six months up to two years, depending on the company and policy chosen. The drawback to these insurance policies is they do not cover pre-existing conditions. Deferred annuities for after retirement and annuities with long-term care riders can also be alternative solutions to traditional LTC insurance.

The time to get proactive and creative about long-term care insurance is now. Current statistics may give a false sense of security regarding the likelihood you will need long-term care. Projections are indicating between 65 to 75 percent of Americans will require some level of long-term care after retirement. The unspoken truth that many within the LTC industry and government do not address publically is that if the problem is not resolved, it will still ultimately go away because the person who receives sub-standard or no care will die. The idea that aging Americans would be allowed to languish without proper care when they are at their most vulnerable is unthinkable from a human standpoint. Pro-active planning to find a long term care solution is essential to your future health and financial well-being.

If you have any questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact one of our six offices by calling us at (866) 456-9668.

The post Long-Term Care: Problems, Policies, and Proposals appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

When a loved one passes away, it is a difficult and emotional experience. Along with this, you may have the responsibility of now trying to settle their estate. Depending on the size and complexities involved, this can be a daunting task. Whether your loved one had a will, trust, or perhaps both, knowing what to do can be hard to determine, and the last thing you want to do is make mistakes that further complicate the process. To make this transition as smooth as possible, here are some reasons why working with a Fairfield NJ estate planning attorney at the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates can be important.

Navigating Probate Court

Since you are required by law to submit a will to probate court, having an attorney working with you on this matter can help avoid various problems. Since there will be paperwork during this process and laws vary from state to state, an attorney can advise you on which steps you need to take.

Wills and Trusts

If your loved one left both wills and trusts, you will need an attorney to make sure all laws are properly followed. For example, while a will is required to go through probate, a trust is not. This, coupled with the possibility of having numerous beneficiaries waiting for distribution of property, make working with experienced Fairfield NJ estate planning attorneys essential.

Notifying Beneficiaries

Unfortunately, many family disputes occur when a loved one passes away and substantial amounts of money or property are at stake. To make sure all goes well, and everyone knows all details have been handled according to the law, always have an attorney working with you when communicating with beneficiaries.

Rather than take on the task of settling an estate on your own, schedule a consultation with a trusted legal professional at the Law Offices of Faloni & Associates.

The post Settling an Estate After the Death of a Loved One? Why You Need an Attorney appeared first on Faloni Law Group.

Caring for a seriously ill spouse can trigger relationship challenges.  In the process of change, you can lose your best friend, your love, and your future as you both had imagined it. Promises will change from words spoken in oath on your wedding day to deeds of care in your mostly, but not exclusively, older years. The new caregiver morphs from a loving spouse into their new role, which is an entirely different sort of relationship of primary service. In more tragic cases, the caregiver can become distant to the marital bond, struggling with feelings of loss, fear, anger, resentment, or misunderstanding.

It’s a situation no spouse looks forward to on either side of the equation. A loving couple does not look forward to the day when they either must watch and tend to the mortal decline of their spouse or, conversely, be the spouse who feels wracked with guilt feelings knowing their health problems are placing a tremendous caregiving burden on their spouse. No matter the desire to avoid the experience, very few married couples will elude the complication that serious illness brings to their shared lives. Sadly, the needs of the caregiving spouse are often overlooked at a time when they need renewed strength to support their partner in new ways.

The caregiving pressures exerted on a spouse are significant. According to an analysis of 168 studies , while the caregiving spouse will protect their mate, they report more symptoms of depression, lower levels of psychological well-being, and more significant physical and financial burdens. To cope with the changes presents challenges, and sadly, the longer you have been married, the more difficult the process of rewriting the relationship’s rules and expectations become. Early on in the illness diagnosis, spouses are unclear as to how to handle the short-circuit in communication and productively process their feelings.

Many new spousal caregivers will feel the complications of isolation. Family members and close friends may not visit, not help, or even ignore the couple struggling to create new behavioral norms. Health Affairs reports
that 55 percent of older spouses experience their end of life caregiving years without help from children, other family members, or even paid home health aides. The entirely new sort of relationship that becomes forged between husband and wife becomes defined by illness and lost emotional connections.

The need then becomes the focus on what to do to improve the situation. The first is the caregiving spouse needs an accurate understanding of the condition, treatment, prognosis, and needs of their ill spouse, whether they are diagnosed with dementia, cancer, heart failure, kidney dysfunction, or another serious illness. The information needs to come directly from attending physicians and health care providers. Caregivers need to participate in medical appointments and become an active participant in identifying health and wellness issues and potential fixes. Medical recommendations need to be prioritized so that the caregiver can be a positive, encouraging reinforcement rather than a nagging, stress-inducing reminder that can trigger frustrations on both sides.

If family and friends are willing to help lighten the load, it is imperative to accept help. Housekeeping, erranding, providing casseroles, transportation, visiting, anything that can reduce your workload as a caregiver is essential to accept graciously. Review your insurance plans as many give some level of coverage of home nursing services, occupational, and physical therapy. These services can improve your partner’s abilities and safety in your home.

Share as much time as reasonable with your spouse, listen to their thoughts, and spend time in quiet reflection. Follow routines that are established patterns in your life together. A Friday movie night at home with popcorn, walking the dog, or sharing morning coffee as a continued routine helps to keep a sense of continuity in the face of the unknown.

Recognize that you are not alone in your struggle. Authors Barbara Kivowitz and Roanne Weisman have written about their journeys as the caregiving spouse of a seriously ill mate in a book entitled Love in the Time of Chronic Illness: How to Fight the Sickness – Not Each Other. The most poignant recommendation describes shifting the notion of caregiving from a set of daily responsibilities to an act of expressing compassion. Kivowitz encourages couples to “Measure success by how well you connect, love and feel loved.” Don’t let a serious illness shake the foundation of your marriage. Identify your roles and set structure to address the issues at hand, and in the face of the unknown, you both will be better for it.

If you have any questions or need guidance in your planning or planning for a loved one, please do not hesitate to contact one of our six offices by dialing (866) 456-9668.

The post What Happens When a Spouse Becomes a Caregiver? appeared first on Faloni Law Group.