Elder Law Attorneys Offer Free Living Will and Conservatorship Advice at On Lok Senior Services Office During National Elder Law Month

Elder Law Attorneys Offer Free Living Will and Conservatorship
Advice at On Lok Senior Services Office During National Elder Law Month

San Francisco, CA — The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) will be offering free advice and assistance in completing health care advance directives including living wills and health care powers of attorney at the On Lok Senior Services Headquarters at 1333 Bush Street in San Francisco, CA, on Friday, May 20, 2005 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. A conservatorship in-service will follow at 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Advance reservations are required and may be made by calling David Baker at 415-292-8732.
NAELA Members will also be participating in garden clean up, roof garden planting and other service projects at the On Lok 30th Street Senior Services Center at 225 30th Street, 3rd Floor in San Francisco, CA. The On Lok project is a demonstration of NAELA Members’ commitment to serving seniors by participating in local community service projects.
NAELA Members across the country are celebrating National Elder Law Month during the month of May by offering special living will days, public seminars, community service projects and other activities designed to assist and educate the public. Elder law attorneys are dedicated to improving the lives of seniors, people with disabilities and others.
“The preparation of living wills and health care powers of attorney are extremely important for everyone over the age of 18,” said Stuart D. Zimring, NAELA President. “While you don’t necessarily need a lawyer to make a living will or health care power of attorney, often an attorney is in the best position to assure that the directions are carried out in accordance with your advance directives. Elder law attorneys are specialists in health care and end of life decision making.”
What are Living Wills and Health Care Powers of Attorney?
Living Wills and Health Care Powers of Attorney, also known as Advance Directives, are legal documents that express an individual’s wishes with regard to medical decisions. They are intended to provide direction to a designated “agent” to speak on behalf of a person who is unable to speak for himself or herself. An agent under an advance directive has legal authority
to make any decisions and take any actions the individual appointing him or her could make. Advance directives may consist of one or more documents and are vital when a serious illness or injury causes the person to be unable to convey his or her wishes to medical professionals.
What is Conservatorship?
When a person is unable to make decisions for himself, someone needs to be able to assume responsibility for that person’s affairs. If not one has legal authority to act, then the courts must be asked to appoint someone to assist.
A conservator is appointed by a court to handle the financial affairs of a person unable to do so for himself. The conservator takes possession of all of the protected person’s assets and must protect, invest and use them for the protected person’s benefit.
Conservatorship is a good way to provide continuing care and management to people who need such help. The continuing involvement of the court provides added protection to everyone involved.
About On Lok
Serving the elderly for over 30 years, On Lok has grown from its humble roots as a senior day health center to a complete medical and health related service program that is now replicated throughout the United States. Since 1986, On Lok’s groundbreaking model of coordinated service delivery and innovative financing was being replicated under the new name, the Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Today more than 70 organizations in 30 states are in various stages of the PACE model – from start-up to full operation. For more information, please visit www.onlok.org.
About the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA)
Established in 1987, the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) is a non-profit association that assists lawyers, bar organizations and others. Members of NAELA are attorneys who are experienced and trained in working with the legal problems of aging Americans and individuals of all ages with disabilities. The mission of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys is to establish NAELA members as the premier providers of legal advocacy, guidance and services to enhance the lives of people with special needs and people as they age. NAELA currently has more than 4,900 members across the United States, Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom. For more information, please contact NAELA at 520.881.4005 or visit www.naela.org.
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