• August 29, 2013 /  Special Needs

    I had a blind guitar instructor in college. He knew his way around campus (Sac State) and was more than proficient playing the guitar. He didn’t need help, taught me the right way to “guide” him (he held on to my arm) when he needed help in negotiating or was lazy in using his stick, and amazed me with his independence.

    One day he was teaching me a fancy lick on the guitar and all of a sudden he “disappeared”. I mean, not physically but mentally…personality left. He was quite for a few moments and then asked, “Where am I, who are you?” I asked him if he was okay and he started getting agitated so I told him my name and that we were in his house. He asked what was going on and why he couldn’t see anything. At that moment I remembered that sometimes when someone “blanks” out that it could be a form of epilepsy.

    the arc logoI don’t know why I should think of that right then but I decided to “play along” with him. I told him that the lights went out, we were waiting for them to come back on and that, in the meantime, I was playing guitar for him. So I asked if I could continue and he was okay with that.

    When he “came back” he again, asked what happened. This time I used his name and asked him, “Is that you?” Answering in the affirmative he asked if I understood what just happened. I told him that I guessed that he had an epileptic episode and he confirmed it. He was pleasantly surprised that I would know that and apologetic that he hadn’t told me that he had seizures in the past but hadn’t had any for a couple of years. He was the best guitar instructor I ever had and miss him and his corny jokes.

    The point is that I was prepared and that is one of the messages of The Arc organization. They want the public to understand and be prepared for including those with intellectual and developmental disabilities into their world. They also advocate on their behalf and provide resources.

    Please visit the national website http://www.thearc.org/who-we-are and then go to the state site http://www.thearcca.org/ and finally our local site in Roseville http://www.thearc.org/.

    Serving Auburn, Lincoln, Roseville, Rocklin, Sacramento, and the counties of Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba, El Dorado, Nevada and even Humboldt.

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  • August 27, 2013 /  Miscelleaneous

    Social Security Benefits for Same-Sex CouplesSocial Security is now processing some retirement spouse claims for same sex couples and paying benefits where they are due. See: http://ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/doma-statement-pr.html and http://ssa-custhelp.ssa.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/2488/related/1.

    I serve the counties of Placer, Sacramento, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba, El Dorado, Nevada, and even Humboldt.

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  • August 20, 2013 /  End of Life Issues

    Man and woman planningI was reading Ashlea Ebeling, a Forbes staff writer, the other day by way of a suggestion from Elise Baker, an attorney in Rocklin Ca., on the topic of Payable On Death (POD) accounts.

    POD accounts are set up so that when the owner dies the funds automatically go to the beneficiary (hence; Payable on death). The beneficiary is not able to access the funds while the owner is alive (with or without capacity) and it avoids probate. They can be a great estate planning tool but…

    Like everything, this tool needs to be carefully used. Ashlea shared a couple of scenarios where it was the wrong tools are not used correctly. If you have a question about this please contact your estate planning attorney, they may help make settling your estate go smoother…which is what I do on your behalf.

    I serve Placer, Sacramento, Yolo, Yuba, Sutter, El Dorado, Solano and even Humboldt counties and your first consultation is free.

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