monthly “You are not alone.”
November 2018
FROM THE DESK OF
Paul Stano
IMPORTANT CHANGES TO VA AID AND ATTENDANCE BENEFITS
We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those men and women who defended our country and our freedoms. Yet toomany veterans and their significant others are struggling to gain access to earned benefits that will help them as they age, experience a decline in health, and require an increased level of care.
THE HISTORY BEHIND THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS T urkey , F ootball , and B lack F riday
On October 18, 2018, the ability to get access to a little-knownVA benefit got more difficult.
“There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American.” –O. Henry
Here is a summary of these changes and some guidance tomake sure that you can take advantage of these benefits. The VA raised the net worth limit to $123,600. Previously, the net worth limit was was generally around $80,000 for a married veteran. Your house is still excluded along with one car as a countable asset. Purchasing an annuity to spend-down is no longer permitted. Any asset transfers that put you below the net worth limit within three years of applying for benefits will be subject to a penalty period that can last as long as five years. • • Child caregivers are still permitted and they are not required to be licensed. (A great planning opportunity) There are creative solutions available to obtain benefits if your estate is under $200,000 • But here’s the good news: •
In our lifetimes, Thanksgiving hasn’t changed all that much. Sure, you may have modernized the menu and begun posting your family photos to Instagram, but the tried-and-true quartet of family, football, grub, and gratitude has been in place for generations. While it’s easy to take holiday traditions as a given, each one has a fascinating history all its own. Christmas trees, Valentine’s chocolate, and other de rigueur activities often have strange, unexpected origins. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the backstories behind some of the essential Thanksgiving traditions. TURKEY Unlike other items on this list, it’s likely that turkey has been a staple of Thanksgivings since the first Thanksgiving in 1621. At the time, the holiday didn’t even have a name, and it was still more than 200 years away from being officially recognized by Abraham Lincoln. There are only two primary source documents detailing the meal between the Massachusetts colonists and the Wampanoag natives, and one of them mentions the famous Thanksgiving bird explicitly. Plymouth County Governor William Bradford described the menu in his journal “Of Plymouth Plantation,”which is one of the earliest accounts of life in colonial America. “Besides waterfowl,” he wrote, “there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took many, besides venison, etc.” As the colonists moved throughout the continent, they brought turkeys with them. In fact, there was even a specific role, called a “turkey drover,” for the person who would shepherd the birds from one part of the country to another.
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The relationship between turkey and Thanksgiving was well-established by the time the American Revolution began. Alexander Hamilton went so far as to say, “No citizen of the U.S. shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day.” According to the National Turkey Federation, more than 40 million turkeys are eaten each Thanksgiving, so it’s safe to assume that most people are heeding Hamilton’s advice. FOOTBALL American football — or any football, for that matter —wasn’t even a sport when Thanksgiving began. However, the association between the two American icons dates back to the earliest days of the sport in the late 19th century. Harvard and Yale played the first Thanksgiving game in 1876. A decade later, the University of Michigan began a series of games that most historians believe inaugurated the tradition of Thanksgiving football in earnest.
but the NFL is how we get our Thanksgiving football fix these days. The Detroit Lions played in the first professional “Turkey Bowl” in 1934 against the Bears, and the Dallas Cowboys got in on the act in 1966. The teams from Detroit and Dallas still host holiday games to this day. The NFL, never one to miss an opportunity to make money, added a third Thanksgiving game in 2011. One year later, Mark Sanchez of the Jets produced the now-notorious “butt fumble,” laying an egg that even the largest fowl would be envious of. BLACK FRIDAY The wildest shopping day on the calendar begins earlier and grows more annoying every year — recently, it’s started to encroach on Thanksgiving itself, making you wonder if you should stick around for pie or head off to the mega-retailer for a chance to take advantage of some screaming deals. You may be happy to know that people being irritated about Black Friday goes back as far the tradition itself.
Many people assume that the holiday gets in name from retailers going from “red” (having a loss) to “black” (making a profit) on that day, but that’s actually a myth. The term was coined by Philadelphia police officers to describe the influx of suburban shoppers who flocked to the city, wreaking havoc and forcing them to work long hours. It took only a few years for Black Friday to become an unofficial city holiday. Black Friday in Philadelphia began in the 1950s. A few decades later, in the ‘80s, when America was chock-full of shopping malls, it became a nation-wide phenomenon. Even the explosion of online retail hasn’t slowed the droves of people lining up at insane hours to secure the biggest savings of the season. Thanksgiving is one of the most traditional holidays. Whether you’re content to keep the routine the same or are the type of person who likes to spice things up, it’s fun to know why Thanksgiving looks and feels the same for so many Americans.
College football may have been where the sport’s relationship with Thanksgiving began,
A Historic Veterans Day Commemorating the 100 th Anniversary of the End of World War I
This year, Veterans Day takes on particular historic significance: Nov. 11, 2018, marks the 100th anniversary of the armistice that ended the First WorldWar. Countries around the world will commemorate the signing of this peace agreement with moments of silence, centennial ceremonies, and historical exhibits. Unlike Memorial Day, Veterans Day is a celebration of life. It’s a day to honor the power of peace and the living veterans across the globe who have served their countries. This November, take a moment to remember the war that helped shape the international community’s dedication to peace and thank the individuals who served to defend it. THE GREAT WAR By 1914, a world war had been years in the making, but the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire by a Serbian nationalist provided the spark that would eventually burn down much of Europe. A chain reaction of land disputes, pre-emptive attacks, and strategic alliances brought over 30 countries into WorldWar I.
The Great War that ravaged Europe resulted in a devastating loss of life, but from those ashes rose a renewed appreciation for the importance of peace and a global effort to ensure its place in the future. THE RESTORATION OF PEACE In 1918, Germany surrendered unconditionally, and the armistice ended the fighting at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918, though the war did not officially end until the signing of the Treaty of Versailles the following July. An estimated 16 million soldiers and civilians died in just four years, making it one of the deadliest conflicts in modern history. VETERANS DAY Originally called Armistice Day, Veterans Day was first observed on Nov. 11, 1919, to honor the one-year anniversary of the armistice, and it became a U.S. holiday in 1938. Today, Veterans Day celebrates veterans who served their country honorably. The U.K., France, Australia, and Canada also commemorate their veterans in November. If you know a veteran, thank them for their service this month.
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Should Last Beyond Thanksgiving An Attitude of Gratitude
Taking the time to acknowledge who and what you’re grateful for is a Thanksgiving tradition far more important than turkey or football. It’s the cornerstone of the holiday and the reason we feast together in the first place. But when you really think about it, should expressing our gratitude and appreciation for others be limited to one day every year? Of course not! WHY GRATITUDE MATTERS As we get older, it’s easy to succumb to negativity and pessimism—“Kids these days,” “The world isn’t what it used to be,”etc. The crabby grandparent and angry old neighbor are archetypal depictions of later life. But these fictions don’t have to be your reality. Recognizing and acknowledging gratitude will help you take stock of the positive aspects of your life and dwell less on unhappy thoughts. Being grateful has also been linked to significant health benefits. According to gratitude expert and author Dr. Robert A. Emmons,“Preliminary findings suggest that those who regularly
practice grateful thinking do reap emotional, physical, and interpersonal benefits. Adults who keep gratitude journals on a regular basis exercise more regularly, report fewer illness symptoms, feel better about their lives as a whole, and are more optimistic about the future.” HOW TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE In the above quotation from Dr. Emmons, he mentions the practice of keeping a gratitude journal. This activity is a great way to start seeing the world with a more positive, appreciative eye. As often as you can, take a fewminutes to write down the acts, people, and moments that you’re grateful for. Some will be big, others small —but all will have an impact on your mood and bring a smile to your face. Before you know it, you’ll have an entire book full of good memories and warm feelings. While keeping a journal is great, there are other ways to go about cultivating and expressing gratitude. The easiest one is simply to say “Thanks”whenever you can. It may seem
insignificant, but you’d be surprised what a difference it makes. When you approach the world with the perspective that every day is Thanksgiving, it’s only natural to be grateful. We all have moments when we want to curse the world, especially as we get older, and those experiences are perfectly normal. Just as frequently, though, we have moments that are worth celebrating, often with people who are worth appreciating. Which will you think about more?
Take a Break!
A Simple Brine
FOR SUCCULENT TURKEY
No matter how you cook your bird for Thanksgiving, it will taste better if you brine it beforehand. Break out your biggest cooler and some ice to ensure that your guests rave about your turkey.
Ingredients
•
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons kosher salt
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2 large sprigs thyme
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2 bay leaves
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3/4 cup sugar
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1 tablespoon black peppercorns
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1 carrot, peeled and diced
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1 large onion, peeled and diced
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1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
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1/4 cup celery, diced
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1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds
Directions
1. In a large stock pot, bring salt, sugar, and 4 cups water to a boil. Stir until all ingredients are dissolved. 2. Turn off heat and add remaining ingredients. Place brine in the fridge, uncovered, until cold. 3. Add 6 quarts cold water to brine. Add turkey and submerge completely. Brine chilled for up to 72 hours.
Recipe courtesy of Bon Appétit Magazine
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INSIDE THIS ISSUE From the Desk of Paul Stano PAGE 1 Why We Eat Turkey onThanksgiving PAGE 1 A Historic Veterans Day PAGE 2 How to GiveThanks Year-Round PAGE 3 Take a Break PAGE 3 A Simple Brine for Succulent Turkey PAGE 3 A Closer Look at Your Cup of Joe PAGE 4 What’s the first thing you do in the morning? For most of us in the United States, it’s one crucial task: getting that morning cup of joe. Our obsession with coffee is nothing new. A paper entitled“The Consumption of Coffee in the United States,”published July 18, 1861, noted that“the people of the United States habitually consume more coffee than the inhabitants of any other country.”Its popularity has only increased with time; people in the U.S. consume an estimated 400 million cups of coffee a day. Of course, we weren’t the first to find out how great coffee is. Long before anyone in the Americas enjoyed the beverage, legend has it that an Ethiopian goat herder discovered the amazing effects of coffee beans—on his goats. He noticed that after eating“berries”from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic they didn’t want to sleep. News spread around the Arabian Peninsula, and cafes began to pop up, known as“Schools of theWise”for the intellectual conversations that happened there.
THAT MORNING CUP OF JOE Coffee and Its Relationship to Your Health
In addition to coffee’s long-standing popularity, science has found several reasons to give our morning habit the thumbs-up. In 2015, the U.S. Dietary Guidelines evaluated the effects of coffee and caffeine for the first time, concluding that coffee can be part of a healthy lifestyle“along with other behaviors, such as refraining from smoking, consuming a nutritionally balanced diet, maintaining a healthy body weight, and being physically active.”The guidelines cite “strong and consistent evidence”that consuming coffee within the moderate range (3–5 cups per day, or up to 400 mg of caffeine per day) is not associated with an increased risk of major diseases. In fact, according to observational evidence, caffeine intake may be linked to reduced risk for certain diseases in healthy adults. Scientists think that antioxidants found in coffee, such as polyphenols, might contribute to its positive effects.
inmoderate amounts, the sugar and other additives that many of us like to put in it get a thumbs-down. The Dietary Guidelines also note that health alone isn’t a reason to start drinking caffeine. Folks with blood pressure concerns should be especially careful and should consult their doctor about howmuch coffee is okay to drink, as studies have shown evidence of increased blood pressure with caffeine consumption.
Everything inmoderation, as the saying goes, at least when it comes to caffeine.
There’s one major caveat, however. While coffee shows potential benefits when consumed
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P LANNING FOR L ONG -T ERM C ARE
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how to get medicaid coverage for your assisted living or nursing home care... WITHOUT Selling Your Home or Leaving Your Family Without a Dime
PARMA HEIGHTS, OH — One of the biggest fears many people have today is the fear of having their life savings wiped out if they end up in a nursing home. What a shame to see
can do to protect your hard-earned assets! Most public does not yet realize that the laws on asset protection and long-term care planning changed on September 1, 2017 . It is extremly important that you know about these changes and how they may affect your long-term care planning! A brand new, free informational workshop hosted by local Elder Law Attorney Paul J. Stano with The Stano Law Firm will be held:
Paul stano
someone’s life savings of 30, 40, or 50 years wiped out in a matter of months. Whether you or a family member are in crisis or not, it is important that you understand what you
four dates to choose from
The Stano Senior Resource center 6650 pEARL rOAD, pARMA hEIGHTS, oh 44130
Thursday, Nov. 15 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Thursday., Nov. 1 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, Nov. 29 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Thursday, Dec. 13 6:00 - 7:30 pm
440-888-6448
call Estate & Elder Planning Center at
Join us for this free informative educational forum where you will discover:
• How to avoid having your life savings wiped out by a nursing home spend down. • How the new law restricts protection of assets adn the steps you should take now to protect your loved ones. • The asset protection language that most people don’t have in their power of attorney documents, which can help protect their life savings. • Veterans benefits that most people know nothing about. • How Medicaid works and the steps you need to take now to protect your family under the new rules.
Attendance is free, but seating is limited. You can reserve your spot by calling 440-888-6448. This meeting will fill up quickly, so call right away. **Special Bonus! We will also be distributing a FREE Book, “Don’t Go Broke in a Nursing Home.” This booklet has been updated to reflect the new law changes that have just been passed. (Limit 1 guide per household.)
Act today. SEATS fill up quickly. For more information visit our website: www.stanolaw.com or call: 440-888-6448.
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