Recently, I was honored to be part of a four-person panel at the Wayland Public Library speaking on the topic "What's New in Aging?" We discussed navigating the new terrain of aging in the 21st century, followed by a question and answer session from the audience. Juergen H. Bludau, MD (photo at right), Harvard University and Brigham and Women's Hospital geriatrician, and Carol Sneider Glick, Esq, elder law specialist with Squillace & Associates of Boston, were wonderful fellow panelists. (Part 2 of this talk is scheduled for April 6, 7pm at the same location - register here)

I want to note here high points of the evening, including the excellent questions the audience brought. I felt very much at home in the company of these speakers, all on the front lines of bringing best-quality care in a quickly changing landscape. My fellow panelists as well as the audience of about 45 from Wayland, Weston and beyond were enthusiastic and engaged with every presenter's points.

Read more ...

We meet regularly with other firms serving the Massachusetts elder care and home care market to discuss how we can work together to serve our clients better.  At one meeting recently, I was especially impressed with the elder law firm of Summers and Summers in Acton, MA. They are trying to think about elder law and elder care in new ways to serve a changing market.  This is the kind of thinking required to address the demographic and market changes facing us today.

Summers and Summers has expanded their elder law practice to offer Geriatric Care Management services as well. Attorney Cathleen Summers is a Registered Nurse and a Geriatric Care Manager as well.  We know many outstanding GCMs, but most are independent or work at hospitals or home care agencies.  Combining elder law and geriatric care management is rare -- unique, in our experience -- but makes a great deal of sense.  The job of a Geriatric Care Manager is to look at and to manage the "big picture" of a family's elder care needs.  This usually includes estate planning and other legal services, many of which are offered on a transaction basis without developing a relationship between the law firm and the family.

Read more ...

Old Man Winter is back at it again!  We are postponing the below panel discussion set for tonight to another date. More when that date is known. (Would it be more politically correct now to call him "Senior Citizen Winter?")

POSTPONED: Wayland, Ma, Tuesday, Janurary 18, 7 PM, Public Library: Part 1 of 2, "What's New in Aging?" Join a distinguished panel of elder experts speaking on navigating the new terrain or aging in the 21st century, followed by Q&A period.  Juergen H. Bludau, MD, Harvard Gerontologist, Carol Sneider Glick, Esq, elder law specialist, and Deborah Bier, PhD, mental health counselor and home care agency director. (more info here) REGISTER HERE TO BE INFORMED OF FUTURE DATE

Essentials to Good Planning:

A Health and Legal Perspective to Helping Our Loved One Age Well

GOODNOW LIBRARY,
21 Concord Road, Sudbury, MA (map here.)

Tuesday, June 29, 2010 -- 7-9 PM

Get the facts from Stuart Hamilton, an Elder Law Attorney (www.StuartHamiltonLaw.com), Linda Smith, a Certified Professional Geriatric Care Manager and Independent Registered Nurse (www.mweldercare.com), and Deborah Bier, PhD, director of a local home care agency (www.CaringCompanion.Net).

They will educate and answer questions about the many legal, safety, activity, housing, caregiver support and care options available as people age.