Florida Elder Law Blog - ElderLawAssociates.com

At the recent Florida Bar Elder Law Section 2008 Annual Retreat at The Sandpearl in Clearwater Beach, Florid (July 17 - 20, 2008) Elder Law Associates' partners Ellen Morris and Howard Krooks were both prominently highlighted.

Morris was awarded the Most Outstanding Member Award 2008 of Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar. Howard Krooks accepted the award on her behalf.

Krooks was a group leader for the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) Discussion, on the DRA and the continual evolving process. Krooks reviewed client issues and problems with the DRA.

Labels: Awards and Recognition, Elder Law Attorney

Partner Howard S. Krooks, Esq. has been included in Super Lawyers South Florida 2008 edition.

"I am proud to have been recognized by my peers for my dedication to my clients and my work in the State of Florida," Mr. Krooks said.

The selections for Super Lawyers are made by Law & Politics, a division of Key Professional Media, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. Each year, Law & Politics undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by Law & Politics’ attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check. Only 5 percent of the total lawyers in the state are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers.

Labels: Awards and Recognition, Elder Law Attorney

A change in the daily routine including an unfamiliar environment filled with new sights, odors and sounds, medications and tests, and the disease process itself can all be factors that increase confusion, anxiety and agitation in a hospitalized individual with Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's Disease Education and Referral Center has published a booklet that will help you meet the needs of these individuals. Containing facts about Alzheimer's disease, communication tips, personal care techniques, suggestions for working with behaviors and environmental factors to consider in the ER and in the hospital room, this guide is a must have for any caregiver of a person with a memory disorder.

When hospitalization occurs, the best option for the individual with Alzheimer's disease is the constant presence of a family member or a trusted friend. Because this may not always be possible, this booklet hopes to prepare you for the unexpected and the expected.

To learn more about Acute Hospitalization and the Alzheimer's Patient, click here!

--Ellen S. Morris, Esq.

Labels: Alzheimer's, elder care

I just read an interesting article in The New York Times' Science Times, "Doctors Say Medication Is Overused In Dementia."

It reminds me of a Guardianship case I handled a few years ago. I represented a gentleman who had been assigned a guardian due to his apparent lack of ability to manage his own affairs. With further investigation, it was discovered that he had been prescribed an excessive amount of Haldol, one of the antipsychotic medications mentioned in the article.

When my client's medications were re-examined and his regiment changed, he became a different man, capable of taking care of himself and his affairs. If you have a loved one who appears to be suffering from dementia, scrutinize his or her prescriptions and dosages and have a doctor who is an independent party review the regiment for appropriateness. You, too, may be surprised.

--Howard S. Krooks, Esq.

Labels: Dementia, elder care, Guardianship