There comes a time in the natural evolution of life that [it] makes sense to look for outside help when caring for your parents. — Lawrence Castillo

Dad was still vital and mostly self-sufficient, but he was bored and needed more to keep himself occupied. The idea of finding an adult daycare for him was finally addressed. He needed more interaction and more stimuli, plus we needed a short daily break.

We embarked on the adventure of finding a satisfactory place for Dad to visit a couple of times a week. The first thing we learned was that there were two differences in adult daycare centers. One choice would be for health care needs, and the other was for social interaction...

The first sentence in New Mexico’s Inspection of Public Records Act Compliance Guide states,”Access to public records is one of the fundamental rights afforded to people in a democracy.”

Citizens can hold public institutions in the state to account through IPRA, and the Open Meetings Act. These acts mandate transparency. Government watchdog reporters are often able to shine a light on documents, text threads and other communication officials would rather be kept secret by filing IPRA requests or notifying the Attorney General’s Office of possible OMA violations.

How do reporters use these sunshine laws to inform the public?

“Las Cruces Sun-News” reporter Algernon...

I have been asked that question many times in my career, and of course, the answer is simple, it depends. It depends on several things, your assets, your marital status, your income, and your state of residence.

A recent article in “Forbes” stated that less than 8 percent own LTC insurance and less than 10 percent even have an LTC plan in place. Most people are just not prepared to deal with the expense and life change an LTC situation would bring. Costs can easily exceed $7,000 a month or more, and frankly, most people can’t afford the expense.

Many people want to depend on the government for this level of care, but frankly, the truth is Medicare will not take care of your...

Up to 15-months of rent, utility assistance available

As New Mexico families emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us find life incredibly different than it was 15 months ago. Our households, our communities, and our jobs have all been impacted and likely look very different now.

The pandemic was an indiscriminate hammer, fracturing the lives of people across the spectrum and far too many New Mexicans now find themselves struggling to make ends meet, or are employed, but behind on housing costs like mortgages, rent, or utilities.

Fortunately, thousands of renters in New Mexico are likely eligible to receive funds to cover up to 15 months of rent and utility payments. These...