We meet the lifetime legal needs of children and adults with disabilities, the elderly, and their families.
Twenty years ago, strength training in children with cerebral palsy was discouraged, as it was assumed that it would increase spasticity (tight/stiff muscles and the inability to control them). However, this was not supported by the results of earlier studies, which showed that strength training can actually improve lower-limb muscle strength in children with CP, without increasing spasticity. Current research…
For years, I have been helping people complete durable powers of attorney for healthcare, living wills, and do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders. Collectively, these documents are called “advance directives.” They give directions about the care desired in advance of the need for that care. Advance directives allow you to select whether or not you want your healthcare providers to stop giving you…
Anyone who buys clothes for someone with special needs knows how difficult it is to find fashionable clothes that work. The good news is that another big retailer, Tommy Hilfiger, has introduced a line of apparel that is made specifically for those with special needs! Their adaptive clothing line is just as fashionable as the rest of their clothes, except…
If you or a loved one are elderly and might need long term care in the near future, 2015 was a year to forget. The Ohio Supreme Court decided two cases that set back long term care planning for Ohio’s middle class elderly population and presented new obstacles to protecting one’s retirement and/or home. These two cases were Atkinson and…
Although I am a special needs and elder law attorney by trade, I also volunteer in my community in the fight against human trafficking. Human trafficking is when a victim is forced, tricked, or coerced into labor or sex work by someone who is exploiting them. I have been involved in this work since 2009 and am now known as…
Lately, I’ve seen several clients who have come to us too late. They were presented with an admission agreement for a nursing home or other care facility and were told that the agreement needed to be signed “right away.” This can be an expensive mistake. Usually, you are given the admission papers in the midst of a crisis. Many times,…
Is your child’s IQ is well below average? Does your child’s IEP exempt your child from standardized tests or note that she should take modified assessments? Is she “pulled out” into a resource room for any academic subject, such as Math or Language Arts? Is it clear from her homework that she is unable to learn at the same depth…
We recently shared some information about new Ohio guardianship rules, which included training requirements. The following is an additional update regarding new guardian duties: Guardians of all types must file a list of all of a ward’s “important legal papers, including, but not limited to estate planning documents, advance directives, and POAs.” They must also list the location of the…
The Supreme Court issued extensive new rules affecting all guardians in Ohio, effective June 1, 2015. Major highlights are summarized below. The full text of the rule can be found here. Pre-Appointment Training (66.06) Every guardian, both existing and newly appointed, must attend a six-hour course on the fundamentals of guardianship. The content of the training is set by rule.…
The Supreme Court has issued new rules which affect all current and future guardians. The rules include: mandatory six-hour training in fundamentals annual three-hour trainings requirements for criminal background checks detailed overview of expectations for guardians additional reporting requirements More complete details will be featured in our May Newsletter. Click here to subscribe.