Workshop Trainings around the Commonwealth by Topic
· Negotiating the Social Security Maze · Preserving Eligibility for Government Benefits through proper estate planning · Guardianship and Less Restrictive Alternative· The Implications for Consent · Health Care Proxies and Advance Directives · Selecting a Knowledgeable Attorney
Future Planning for Parents of Children with Life Long Disabilities: presented by Theresa Varnet, M.S.W., J.D.
Saturday, April 10, 2010– Offered by The Arc of Northern Bristol County;
Location: Holiday Inn 700 Miles Standish Blvd., Taunton. From 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Continental breakfast and lunch are included) Cost: $25 per person for Arc members; $45 per person for non-Arc. Advance registration required; please contact Donna Brown (508-226-1445, ext. 3105).
Parents and families providing for life time care of persons with disabiities will gain great peace of mind if they take the time to plan for the special needs family member's future care while they still have the health, time and energy to do so. Planning is more than just having a will and a special needs trust in place. The speaker will provide practical advice and recommendations for parents, siblings and grandparents who are concerned about where their family member challenged with a disability will live when the primary caregiver dies or how the family's resources can be used to maximize the quality of life their family member will enjoy.
This session will provide critically needed information for young families, transition age families who are not prepared for what happens when the school bus stops coming as well as older families who are concerned about who is going to advocate for and monitor the care and services their adult child receives. Providing a life long support system for an individual with a life long disability is critical. The speaker will discuss how to maximize government resources and private funds to enable the individual challenged with life long disabilities to live as full and independent a life as possible.
Topics covered will include:
· eligibility for government benefits programs
· preserving eligiblity for government benefits
· how work affects SSI and SSDI, housing options and guardianship, and
· less intrusive alternatives to guardianship.