
This year, it is my great honor to be able to serve as the president of The Academy
of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (“AFELA”). Right now, you may not be familiar with all
that AFELA does for Florida residents, but I want you to learn more about this great
organization. I would like to take a moment here in my blog to share with you why
this group is so important to improving and enriching the lives of Floridians and how
you can learn more.
We are a group of experienced attorneys who come together to advocate on behalf
of seniors and people with disabilities. AFELA was founded in 1993 and we pride
ourselves as being an association of attorneys “who are dedicated to improving the
quality of legal services provided to the elderly. Currently, AFELA serves as the pre-
eminent organization of Florida elder law attorneys providing advocacy, education,
and action on behalf of seniors and people with disabilities.”
Overall, AFELA is the Florida Chapter of The National Academy of Elder Law
Attorneys (“NAELA”). As AFELA shares, “NAELA was founded in 1987 to serve,
advocate for, and promote solutions for America’s aging population. At its core,
NAELA attorneys work together to better the lives of seniors, individuals with special
needs, and their loved ones. Advocacy efforts take place at both the national and
state level to better the lives of the individuals we serve. Whether this is through
advocating on long-term care issues with the local government, helping families
face issues such as incapacity, or planning to address the rapidly changing senior.”
One of my goals as president is to continue to work with my fellow attorneys
throughout our state to protect these groups. Elder law continues to be a relatively
new concept within the practice of law. As elder law attorneys, we work to
anticipate the challenges that our aging population regularly face and to help our
seniors and their loved ones plan for the future.
Another one of my goals that I take seriously as president is to further our legislative
agenda to protect seniors and people with disabilities. In both the political and
grassroots efforts, we work consistently to ensure that our Florida seniors are well
represented. To that end, I encourage you to actively participate in what we are
doing on social media to share the word and help us as we advocate for you.
Unfortunately, there is a persistent mindset among seniors that they are “too young”
to plan and, due to a lack of planning, there is an inability to access benefits before a
crisis arises. As I have shared on my website, elder law can be defined as a holistic
approach to assisting the elderly with their legal needs. It is something we need to
keep at the forefront of our minds and work to educate those around us.
In my practice, we strive to provide our clients with the security and peace of mind
that comes from knowing their estate plan is in proper order and that our team of
friendly professionals is always ready to help their family in times of need. Whether
it is through my presidency or as your attorney here in our local Venice community,
my goal is to improve the quality of life for my Florida seniors clients and their loved
ones. Please do not hesitate to contact me with your questions now, or in the future.
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