Carenet Inc., 433 Hackensack Avenue, Fl 2nd, Hackensack, NJ (2025)

03/04/2022

The Health Care System has now become impossible for seniors to navigate. With Medicare, Medicare Supplemental Plans, Medicare Advantage Plans, Medicaid, and VA benefits, one needs an expert more than ever. A recent friend injected a little humor into the situation:

11/02/2021

CARENET, Inc. has worked with our clients and banks all over the State of New Jersey. In order to protect our clients, we have found that Banks should be evaluated as to whether or not they are “Senior Citizen Friendly”. There are banks that are very accommodating and others that are an absolute nightmare.

The following are some major banks that should be avoided and a few that are very “Senior Friendly”. Obviously, with the vast number of banks in New Jersey, we are including only a few in our analysis. We will be happy to comment on any banks of concern if anyone should contact our office.

First and foremost, senior citizens should always request “Senior Checking” accounts, i.e. free checking, with no fees per month, not even for check printing. It is also important to ensure that your statements include check copies, with no additional fees, as these may be essential in the future, particularly if Medicaid is involved.
When dealing with banks, one should expect customer service to fulfill ones requests and needs with an understanding that Seniors have unique requirements, particularly when illness strikes. Families should be able to work with competent, knowledgeable individuals who have the patience to understand the difficulties facing seniors in today’s world.

Banks that are Senior Citizen Unfriendly:

(1) Bank of America is the number one bank to avoid, it clearly discriminates against seniors in its practices in our opinion. Problem #1: If the account hasn’t been updated in years and a Power-of-Attorney is appointed, the Bank makes this individual go through “Hell and High Water” to have it approved. You may need a valid driver’s license to start with, even if the account owner is ninety years old, even if that individual is in a nursing home. If a driver’s license is not available, the bank wants a County ID issued by Motor vehicles. One banker insinuated that the patient should be taken to the DMV by ambulance to get the ID, whereupon our company filed a complaint with upper management and was able to get it resolved. Problem #2: If an individual passes away and the Estate administrator wishes to withdraw funds from an account to pay outstanding bills, Bank of America forces the appointee to go through the “Estate Department”. Every other bank with which our clients interact will immediately issue a check for 50% of the account. There is no reason to wait for the withdrawal to be approved.

(2) Provident Bank is another bank to be avoided. If an individual is applying for Medicaid, the bank may charge up to $15 per statement for old records. For someone who has no money, this may run into hundreds of dollars in charges. The bank uses a phony back door approach by stating that it will not charge if you get a letter from Medicaid requesting the documents. This does not work for two reasons. First, Medicaid does not issue letters to banks directly in our experience. The second reason is that when going to Medicaid to apply properly, you need the records at that time, not after the fact. Medicaid only gives ten days to get missing records and Provident may not be able to access them that quickly. Also, Provident may also request the Power-of-Attorney to provide a driver’s license to be placed on the account. This is not necessary by law; it is simply a bank requirement.

(3) Wells Fargo Bank is an anomaly. They are both good and worse. The good part is that this bank has a website where one can download five (5) years of records, which is required for a Medicaid application. The negative is that apparently some of the Wells Fargo bankers are recommending that parents and children (and even grandchildren) all be put on one statement each month. That is the worst advisement that one could possibly provide. The only benefits are to the bank for record keeping. It sounds good to the client until one needs a bank statement for Medicaid or other purposes.

Banks that are Senior Citizen Friendly:

Medicaid requires QITs (Qualified Income Trusts) for Medicaid applications for many seniors. Only a select few banks seem to have bankers who are knowledgeable in setting these up.

(1) TD Bank. The Hackensack – River Street branch has set up several for our clients efficiently, with no issues and excellent service. The bankers are all very consumer friendly and willing to help with everything.

(2) Valley National Bank. The Hackensack – River Street branch has set up many accounts for our clients efficiently, with no issues and excellent service.

There are many banks with which our clients have encountered issues with a representative who is incapable of setting up QIT, including Bank of America, Wells Fargo, NVE, Santander, Chase, Kearny, Oritani Savings & others. This is a critical service for seniors in nursing homes and banks should work more diligently to educate themselves on these trusts.
===========================================

Why should a senior citizen settle for less than quality customer service from any Bank? The answer is that they should NEVER!

As Eldercare experts, CARENET, Inc. works with our clients to protect their interests for over 25 years.

11/19/2020

COVID-19 has changed the entire health care industry. Nursing homes and assisted living facilities have had a plethora of COVID cases since April 2020. There has been a great deal of negative publicity as a result of the Mass Media circus. Media has trashed the entire industry to the point where fear now dominates the placement of the elderly in facilities.

There are now facilities that admit only COVID patients from hospitals in order to isolate the pandemic. There are facilities that have been placed under quarantine, temporarily closing them to admissions. This is a brave new world, one none of us ever expected in our lifetime.

One of the reasons for the slowdown in admission to facilities is that there are a number of families where one or both spouses are out of work during the pandemic. This allows families to retain elderly, invalid parents at home, with family members providing the care. This combined with the fear of the parent(s) contracting COVID has radically affected the number of patients being admitted. The entire industry is suffering.

But here is the real question. What is going to happen to all these individuals when family members return to work, predictably in early 2021 when a viable vaccine is distributed around the country? Potentially, there could be a deluge of admissions along with Medicaid applications for the elderly in the first quarter of the year.
Families should be proactive in preparing for this inevitability!

Before crisis strikes, it is essential that families contact Eldercare attorneys and professional case managers to explore all options and to become educated on record keeping and appropriate financial planning. One of the major problems that families confront are last minute crises when elderly parents are admitted to hospitals with no plan in place. The family is then at the mercy of the system.

CARENET, Inc. has been assisting families for over twenty-five years to manage crises. We will continue to advocate for families with elderly relatives in regards to facility placement and in negotiating the Medicaid system. Our Medicaid application success rate is unparalleled in the industry. We encourage families to reach out before crisis strikes and to have a long-term care in place.

Stay Safe and Well!

10/30/2020

On October 23, 2020, in response to the outbreak in nursing homes of the pandemic, Governor Murphy signed two bills (S2712 and S2785) ordering reforms to the long-term care industry. This is a direct response to the Media news articles basically condemning the industry, in particular the Veteran’s Home in Paramus.

Most of the protocols in the bills were implemented months ago, e.g. limiting visitation. Others are a result of public outcry that families have not been able to interact with residents in a positive way since March 2020 when the pandemic struck in full force. Social isolation of residents resulted in many families not being able to visit loved ones prior to death, which created an amazing amount of stress and sorrow on the residents and on the families.

One of the new rules is to prevent social isolation of residents primarily with the use of Zoom or other virtual visitation methods.

S2712 establishes minimum direct care staff-to-resident ratios in nursing homes. Specifically, the law requires:
• One CNA to every eight residents for the day shift;
• One direct care staff member (RN, LPN, or CNA) to every 10 residents for the evening shift; and
• One direct care staff member (RN, LPN, or CNA) to every 14 residents for the night shift.

Increasing staffing has always been the fall back position of the State of New Jersey when a nursing home is criticized. Most of the above standards have been present in facilities prior to the implementation of these new laws. So this is mostly blowing smoke to impress the public that Murphy is actually doing something.

Unfortunately, the reimbursements for Medicaid are so pathetically low that it rarely covers the cost of care. Inevitably that will drive the cost for private-paying patients up. Since the costs in nursing homes have been escalating at approximately 8% per year in New Jersey with nursing homes in North Jersey ranging from $ 12,000 to $ 15,000 per month in 2020, it is difficult to see how far this can go.
The real issues are being avoided. They are as follows:

(1) Nurses’ aides often work multiple jobs at different facilities to survive. These individuals go home at night to their families. Exposure to COVID is greatly enhanced by these facts.

(2) There is no way to monitor every RN and aide in a nursing home or HOSPITAL , 24-7, to ensure that they never violate protocols, e.g. handwashing; changing plastic gloves and/or gowns after treating a COVID patient.

(3) Patients are admitted from hospitals that have been deemed COVID free by the hospital. However, this is not a guarantee that the patient is not a carrier or COVID free. This could lead to a general outbreak in the facility should the new admission be contagious.

(4) Outside consultants, e.g. Doctors, Therapists; delivery people enter the facility and may be carriers.
=====================================
Nursing Homes are taking every precaution possible and yet the number of cases continues to rise.

These laws may mitigate the situation for a few facilities, but we are a long way from eradicating the problem in skilled nursing facilities.

03/20/2020

Having been in Health Care Administration & Consulting for over thirty (30) years, I have faced many crises, but none as daunting as COVID-19. The most vulnerable individuals are the elderly and those with physical disabilities due to a variety of illnesses. COVID-19 is relentless and has already resulted in multiple deaths in New Jersey.

Hospitals are inundated with patients and are short of beds. Several hospitals have inquired whether usage of dormitory space at local universities is a possibility. There is a shortage of ventilators, masks and other critical equipment and supplies. When doctors and nurses contract COVID-19, the emergency will be exacerbated to heights never seen in America.

Nursing homes have set up “quarantine status”, i.e. no visitors other than employees and medical personnel. All deliveries must be left at the front desk to be distributed by employees, whether it be supplies or packages for residents. These “shutdowns’ are absolutely essential to the safety of the residents. While families may suffer with the inability to visit loved ones, safety must be the top priority.

In the past, nursing homes have enforced quarantines for flu epidemics, MRSA infections are other pandemic diseases. This is not unprecedented. The recent deaths and viral epidemic at a Seattle-based nursing home is evidence of the clear and present danger to the residents.

The real issue is the “reality check”. We can do everything possible to contain the disease, but it will definitively strike one or more nursing homes. As a result, there may be multiple deaths and suffering because of the serious medical conditions of many of the residents. Why? Because, inevitably some employee of a facility will come in contact with a COVID-19 carrier and bring the virus into the facility unknowingly. Employees have families, will come in contact with members of the community, will go to Supermarkets, etc. None of us can function in total isolation. Exposure to the virus “cannot be prevented”.

Media morons will wrongly blame the facilities for not taking enough precautionary measures to protect the residents. Families of residents will lay blame erroneously on the facilities where COVID-19 strikes. In cases of residents who die from the virus, there may be lawsuits. And in truth, the nursing home may be totally blameless. This is an unfortunate byproduct of the society in which we live. When something terrible occurs, we feel a desperate need to place blame.

There is hope on the horizon. In America, Israel, and other countries, scientists are desperately working on effective treatments, possible cures, even a vaccine. Within a few months, there is reason to believe that we will have the ability to effectively deal with this global crisis.

In the interim, limit human interaction, and a little prayer may be helpful.

Wishing all CARENET clients and people all around the globe well wishes to remain calm and safe until this crisis passes.

04/02/2019

When relocating a relative to an Assisted Living Facility, it is critical to do your homework. There are many obstacles in the process, and without proper guidance, a family is more than likely to neglect guarantees that are necessary to protect the individual that is entering the facility. The following are some useful tips to avoid a negative outcome in the process:

(1) Do not rely on NJ State ratings to select a facility. Visit the home and speak to residents that currently reside there. Speak to the family members of current residents to inquire as to their experience.

(2) Do not depend on physicians or attorneys for recommendations. They may have never been to the facility and are recommending from third party comments.

(3) If a hospital discharge planner recommends a facility, inquire as to whether the Social Worker has ever visited that facility.

(4) Engage a professional to assist in the process, i.e. a geriatric care manager. That person will save you money, time, & aggravation.

(5) Assisted Living facilities charge a “community fee” upon admission. This is really “an admission fee”. You receive nothing for this fee and it is non-refundable.

(6) Assisted Living facilities have fees for levels of care, usually (1) thru (4). For each level, there are additional fees. Example, the base fee may be $ 5,000 or $ 6,000, but with the highest level (4), it could easily be $ 10,000. There are also higher fees for “memory care” units for dementia patients.

(7) Facilities will inform you that they will keep your relative on Medicaid after two years Private Pay “if they have a Medicaid bed available”. Most facilities will give you no written guarantee. Be aware that you could spend mega-bucks and then be asked to leave after you run out of money.

Working with a professional advisor will ensure that your experience will be less stressful and will almost always save you money in the long run.

12/03/2018

Protecting the elderly from scams should be everyone’s responsibility. Unfortunately, there are so many people out there willing to take advantage of the elderly that it is a never-ending job.

This past week, we encountered a new vindictive, extremely dangerous scam, not just to the elderly but to all retirees.

The Social Security Hotline phone number is 1-800-772-1213. We call it frequently for our clients to enroll them for benefits, to request change of address, or to ask for a benefit letter as required by Medicaid. We have used this number for many years, with only two problems: (1) long wait times; (2) outdated voice prompts.

This past week, I personally received a phone call on my smartphone from the above phone number. While unusual, it never occurred to me initially that it would not be Social Security. The number was correct, verified by my phone. However, after approximately one minute of conversation, I suspected a fraud. The individual on the other end of the line was clearly not professional or knowledgeable. When I asked a pointed question, he became very angry and threatening. I hung up.

I dialed the number directly and was informed by a GENUINE Social Security rep that this was a scam that is being investigated by the Attorney General’s office. It appears that there is a new app that allows a person to counterfeit an actual phone number when dialing out.

There is apparently a current subversive organization using the Social Security Hotline number and calling unwary individuals to get their personal information.
Please be aware of two facts:

(1) Social Security does not call citizens except by request.

(2) It is critical to report to the Social Security office if you receive this type of call.

Identity fraud has become a major problem in America. We must be alert to the danger presented by this particular fraud to the millions of senior citizens in this country who are easily intimidated by this type of scam. Hopefully, the Attorney General’s office will eventually locate the individuals responsibility and find a way to stop this scam. Until then, please do not give personal information on the phone to anyone calling from the above phone number.

Better Safe than Sorry!!!!

09/17/2016

In times of crisis, we need to keep our sense of humor.

09/03/2016

Australian researchers have come up with a non-invasive ultrasound technology that clears the brain of neurotoxic amyloid plaques - structures that are responsible for memory loss and a decline in cognitive function in Alzheimer’s patients.

06/25/2016

CARENET, Inc. has set itself apart as one of the most unique Eldercare firms in New Jersey. Our range of services transcends all other firms, as we remain with many of our clients for years. We are proud of our track record in serving the Senior community and their families.

Carenet Inc.

03/04/2022

11/02/2021

11/19/2020

10/30/2020

03/20/2020

04/02/2019

12/03/2018

09/17/2016

09/03/2016

06/25/2016

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Shortcuts

Share

Category