May 1, 2014: Lifepsan Receives Grant From New York Bar Foundation To Assist Families With Future Care Planning
5.1.2014
Lifespan of Greater Rochester is the recipient of a $5,000 grant, the New York Bar Foundation announced today.
Through its “Future Care Planning Services Program,” Lifespan helps families of developmentally disabled adult children with aging caregivers create a long-term-care plan.
Ed Riviera and his family benefited from the Future Care program. Riviera’s mother and father cared for his developmentally disabled sister her entire life, until his mother passed away and his elderly father was no longer able to help. Ed Rivera and other family members helped care for his sister, but they were exhausting the time they could take from their jobs.
Looking for guidance, he went to Lifespan where he worked with Margaret Lonnen, associate guardianship and intake specialist for its Future Care Planning Services Program.
“It was a very fortunate time,” said Riviera. “I learned about settling my mother’s estate, guardianship and supplemental needs trusts; what is possible for care of my sister in the area; and who to call and how to approach it.”
“These are the ways grants from The New York Bar Foundation can improve the lives of those we assist through legal services,” said Cristine Cioffi of Schenectady (Cioffi•Slezak•Wildgrube), president of the Bar Foundation. “Riviera noted that he was impressed with how quickly Future Care was able to help him understand the legal process and figure out what to do next.”
Lifespan of Greater Rochester began the Future Care Planning Services in collaboration with the Al Sigl Community of Agencies and the Arc of Monroe County. It began the “Future Care Planning Services Program” to help families with aging caregivers create a plan for developmentally disabled adult children who would need care after aging parents were no longer able to help.
As one 85 year-old mother pointed out during a focus group; the worst thing that could happen to her is for her son to outlive her, as she was in fear of what would happen to him. That is a heart wrenching contrast to parents of healthy children, whose greatest fear is that they outlive their children.
Lifespan is one of 67 non-profit organizations that recently received grants totaling $392,500 from The New York Bar Foundation.
“We are happy to report that Riviera’s sister is now well cared for and the family’s crisis has been alleviated,” said Ann Marie Cook, president and chief executive officer of Lifespan of Greater Rochester.
“We are grateful to The New York Bar Foundation for this grant as well as the support of attorneys across New York that provide gifts and support for these programs. They impact the lives of those in need of legal services on a daily basis,” she added.
The New York Bar Foundation is the philanthropic arm of the New York State Bar Association. For more information about The Foundation, visit www.tnybf.org or call (518) 487-5651.
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Contact: Deborah Auspelmyer
Director of Development and Administration
518-487-5650
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