Author: wmelderlaw

By Anonymous, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2016 My mom was adopted by my loving grandparents as an infant and, for most of her life, knew nothing about her birth family. That changed, however, a few months ago. She first obtained her original (redacted) birth certificate along with non-identifying family information from the Chicago church that facilitated her […]

By Kate Lennon, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2016 Preparing for the worst case scenario is never fun. What the Elder Law Clinic has taught me is that everyone should plan for the future, regardless of how unlikely, unnecessary, or discomforting this planning may seem. Upon signing up for the Clinic, I envisioned that we would be helping […]

By Elspeth Berry, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2016 In many modern households, pets are considered to be part of the family. For some, pets are the closest thing they have to children. When a pet is that important to someone, it would make sense that he or she would wish to provide some security for them in […]

By Charles Lambdin, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2016 As parents age, they often adopt a power of attorney allowing their spouse, child, another relative, or close friend to make decisions for them as an agent in the event they cannot make those decisions for themselves. This power of attorney can be designed to activate only when the […]

By Darius Rohani-Shukla, Elder Law Clinic Student, Spring 2016 In many walks of life, when someone is confronted with legal complexities, an obvious solution is to consult a lawyer.  However, indigent elderly people often cannot afford a lawyer, and at this intersection, the Elder Law Clinic is able to fill an important need to the Williamsburg community. The […]

By Ambria Armstrong, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 Today, there are over five million Americans living with Alzheimer’s, and it is the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. No one wants to consider the possibility that their loved one may be showing signs of Alzheimer’s disease, but recognizing the early signs is important – for […]

By Shaina Salman, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 In 2014, Time Magazine reported that five states currently have death with dignity laws. Those states—Oregon, Washington, Vermont, New Mexico and Montana—each have a variation of a statute or legal precedent that permits euthanasia. Essentially, terminally ill patients, in consultation with their doctors, can request a prescription for doses […]

By Mitch Smithpeter, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 “I’ve been thinking about what you told me to do, and I have a problem.” Though our client was trying to remain calm, I could sense the frustration and distress in her voice. Our client, a woman in her seventies, had come to the Clinic to find out if her […]

By Catherine Brown, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 Watching the people we love begin to slow down is hard.  The health problems may be physical or mental, occurring as part of the natural aging process or being exacerbated by a specific diagnosis.  Either way, the question often arises: can this loved one continue to live at home, […]

By Sarah Pitts, Elder Law Clinic Student, Fall 2015 Before I came to law school, I worked as direct care staff and day program staff for adults with developmental disabilities. It was one of the most challenging and rewarding jobs I have ever had. I learned to live and work with people who had various talents, interests, and […]