October 6, 2021
5 Ways You Can Advocate for Your Loved One
It’s easy to feel helpless and stressed in the face of life’s changes, especially when you are responsible for the welfare of a family member who cannot speak or advocate for themselves. To help you take action, we’ve collected 5 ways you, as a caregiver, can advocate on behalf of your loved one, and ensure they are getting the fair treatment and care they deserve.
1. Contact an Aging Life Care Specialist
The Aging Life Care Association will help you find a specialist who can walk you through everything from home care to insurance, to crisis intervention and conservatorship.
2. Become an Essential Caregiver
We’ve talked about this legislation before, but it is important enough to mention again. Essential Caregivers are allowed inside care facilities to take care of and visit loved ones during the Covid-19 Pandemic. You can read more about the Essential Caregivers Act here. This is one of the best ways to ensure your loved one receives regular visitors and gets the care they need at their senior living facility.
3. Get In Touch with Your Local Ombudsman.
A long-term care ombudsman is responsible for advocating for the rights of those living in care facilities. If you have questions, or need someone to take charge of a situation, the ombudsman can help you get the help and information you need. Care facilities are required to have the phone number of your local ombudsman displayed prominently. Wise and Healthy Aging provides more information about ombudsmen and their role in elderly care and rights.
4. Contact Your Congressman
Occasionally there are laws and acts proposed in Congress that improve assisted care facility policies and provide more funds and grants dedicated to taking care of elders across the country. We recently posted about one of these proposed laws, and encourage you to contact your congressman to implore them to take action on these policies. It is one of the best ways to utilize the law to advocate for those who can’t advocate for themselves.
5. Call Gharibian Law.
When a situation has gone far enough and you know your loved one has been taken advantage of or abused, call Gharibian Law (866-642-5915). While a lawsuit might seem daunting, we are here to guide you through the process and give you the best legal representation possible.
September 30, 2021
5 Resources for California Senior Citizens
If you are a senior citizen, or if you’re caring for a senior citizen, then you know how overwhelming it is to sort through all of the resources available to you and make sure you are receiving the best information.
Here are five great resources available to anyone making an informed decision regarding the rights, benefits, and safety of themselves or a family member.
1. City of Los Angeles Department of Aging
The City of Los Angeles Department of Aging has tons of resources that cover almost any area of living, education, health, and finance relevant to senior citizens. They offer counseling services for Medicare, information regarding memory problems, housing options, and more.
2. California Department of Social Services
Similar to the Department of Aging, the Department of Social Services has a long list of resources that can help you and your loved one decide what best serves them. Just a few of the services you can learn about are In Home Supportive Services, retirement living and continuing care, and the rights provided by Adult Protective Services.
3. Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has two key resources we wanted to share: the Check Before You Invest worksheet, and the info sheet on Financial Elder Abuse. Elders are often targeted for financial scams, so knowing your rights and the common ways scammers take advantage is critical to protecting yourself and your loved ones.
4. AmeriCorps
AmeriCorps and their volunteer programs provide companion services to elderly residents across the country. Their services are a great way to make sure there is someone there to help your loved one when you can’t be there. They do everything from dropping off groceries to spending an afternoon as a friend.
5. Pursuing Quality Long-Term Care Podcast
This podcast is a great way to continue your education regarding your own care as you age, or that of a loved one. In some of their episodes, the hosts consult professionals and advocates on topics like The Care of Individuals with Dementia, Understanding Person-Centered Care, and more!
And, of course, if you or your loved one experiences abuse, we at Gharibian Law will fight for you. Don’t hesitate to contact us by phone (866-958-4052) or email (info@gharibianlaw.com) to learn more about our services.
April 22, 2020
COVID-19 Scams and the Elderly: How to Avoid Being a Victim
This is a scary time for all of us and especially frightening for quarantined seniors. Thousands of scammers and thieves are taking advantage of public panic and confusion around the COVID-19 outbreak to sell fake goods and services as well as to load malware onto people’s phones and computers.
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