Co-Sponsors Addabbo, Brady & Marshak Hold Successful Senior Sunset Supper / Elder Law Seminar: “Health Care Proxy for All”

Queens, NY, August 1, 2011 – On Thursday, July 28, NYS Senator Joseph P. Addabbo, Jr., co- sponsored a Senior Sunset Supper that included a Health Care Proxy seminar at Sugar Bun Bakery, 156-22 Crossbay Boulevard, Howard Beach, with elder law attorneys and partners at Brady & Marshak, Linda Marshak and Nancy Brady, R.N.  The event kicked off the law firm’s “Health Care Proxy for All” campaign. Seating was limited to those who RSVP’d to the law firm for the evening event. 

According to Brady & Marshak, it is important for every adult, regardless of health status, to have a representative appointed by them who can make health care decisions if they are temporarily or permanently unable to make decisions. The best way to ensure that your wishes regarding health care are carried out is to choose a health care representative, or “proxy” and make your wishes known to that person regarding your medical treatment. Once that person has agreed to carry out your wishes, complete the legal form naming them as your agent. Your health care agent will be your voice, and their instructions regarding your care must be followed (only when you cannot speak for yourself).  Without such a completed health care proxy form, your wishes may not be known, and you may or may not receive the care as you would have preferred.  There are many people in New York who have not completed a health care proxy document.  

Senator Addabbo, the first speaker to address the 35 audience members, reacted to the positive feedback he heard from attendees: “First, I would like to thank Sugar Bun Bakery for opening its doors to the community after business hours. I want to also thank Nancy Brady and Linda Marshak of the Howard Beach law firm of Brady & Marshak for giving their time to inform my constituents of the importance of a health care proxy at the seminar (held July 28).”  

“During this past legislative session, the State Senate passed eight pieces of legislation dealing with the issue of a Health Care Proxy and the important health implications the proxy carries. I intend to continue my efforts to promote the awareness and understanding of the general need to have a Health Care Proxy. In fact, the State Senate considers this issue to be so important that it passed a recent bill for the DMV to begin, no later than 2013, to send health care proxy forms with driver’s license and registration renewals. This will take a period of years to reach seniors, who may or may not complete the forms, or may complete theirs incorrectly,” he noted.     

Linda Marshak added, “The Who’s Your Health Care Proxy? kick-off event at Sugar Bun was a great success thanks to Senator Addabbo, Andrea from Sugar Bun, and all the wonderful seniors who joined us and completed the wallet-sized Health Care Proxy forms. We will be scheduling our next Who’s Your Health Care Proxy? event in the near future…stay posted. Our next topic covering Who’s Your Power of Attorney (POA)? is set for August 24 at 6 PM also at the Sugar Bun Bakery.  Seniors who attend will learn about the recent legislative changes to the Power of Attorney in New York, and why it is important to have a Power of Attorney. We welcome the opportunity to continue to educate our community’s seniors.”  

Her law partner, Nancy Brady, was also enthusiastic about the local response: “As an attorney working with the elderly, as well as a Registered Nurse, I know first hand how important the Health Care Proxy is for people to have in place, especially seniors.  At last week’s event, 35 proxy forms were completed; we look forward to having more events for this community.”  

Senator Addabbo’s Director of Special Events, Peter DeLucia, notes that he is planning another in Brady & Marshak’s series of elder law and nutrition lecture at the Howard Beach Senior Center, 156-46  84^th Street on August 9.      

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