I had the honor of participating in Jefferson County Colorado’s Senor Law Day today making it clear that a committed  group of individuals organized by Cary Steven Johnson, Director Crime Prevention of the 1st District Attorney’s Office for Peter Weir can make a significant difference. The event featured speakers on subjects ranging from Estate Planning, Fighting Identity Theft, Social Security, Medicaid, End of Life Planning, and Advanced Directives. A large group of volunteers provided the manpower to ensure that the event ran seamlessly.

Consumer education is critical to ensure that adults today will be prepared for caregiving and care-receiving in the future. While many individuals shy away from topics that relate to aging, needing care, advancing health issues, and planning for end of life, those who embrace this information fare better when unexpected events occur. As with many parts of life, planning is everything, especially in a word where our aging population is frequently exploited or ignored by a society who views elders as marginal participants in society.

Many of our elders contribute significantly after retirement and provide the manpower for such events as Senior Law Day in Colorado. Our frail and sick elders deserve dignity and care appropriate for their individual situations. Yet without events, education, and opportunities for learning to advocate, obtaining appropriate care may be challenging.

If you haven’t yet dipped your toe into the caregiving or care-receiving arena or you are just beginning on the journey, my book The Caregiving Trap: Solutions for Life’s Unexpected Changes may provide early insight into the journey to support an easier path for you and your loved ones.  Caregiving is a role that usually arises suddenly and quickly takes over the lives of those involved. Many caregivers feel like they are on an up and down rollercoaster until support is identified. Solutions do exist to support dignity, clarity, and stability for loved ones and for caregivers.

Senior Law Day 2015: Community Advocacy Makes a Difference was last modified: June 13th, 2015 by Pamela Wilson