Please join us, Congressman Ted Deutch, and our uniquely qualified panel of experts, for the 5th Annual Elder Law Forum on November 13, 2012.

You don’t want to miss this thoughtful, thorough and timely discussion on the challenges and opportunities facing seniors in Florida, incorporating the results of the general election. Last year, at our 4th Annual Elder Law Forum, approximately 100 professionals from financial planners to accountants, from geriatric care managers to individuals providing bill paying services to seniors, and from home health agencies to assisted living facilities and nursing homes, attended this memorable conference.

Join us at this year’s event, where we anticipate that an even greater diversity of professionals will attend, providing an exceptional networking environment for a wide range of professionals who serve seniors.

Read about our engaging and informative sessions below:

Register Now! 

Congressman Ted Deutch

The results of the general election will be in and Congressman Ted Deutch will provide a unique Washington perspective on issues affecting seniors and disabled individuals on general health care. He represents Florida’s 19th District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Tips and Tales/Case Studies for Proper Planning
Ellen S. Morris, Esq., Partner, Elder Law Associates PA
Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, Partner, Elder Law Associates PA

This session will examine recent plans and cases which provided a valuable learning experience for planning and will provide our top tips for 2013.

Long Term Care and Future Trends
Mitchell Starr, Partner, Bienenfeld Lasek & Starr, LLC

The long term care insurance industry continues to evolve. This session will address the current state of the industry, and the products that are being offered to address trends.

Assessments for Adults and Disabled Individuals and Assessing Psychological Capacity and Treatment on a Daily Basis
Amy Bloom, LCSW, CLCP, S-ASWCM, Firstat RN Care Management Services
         Dr. Dmitry Byk, M.D.

This session will address the needs of adults as well as disabled individuals, from assessing psychological capacity and treatment to assessing community needs on a daily basis.

Legal Issues Affecting Financial Planners, Trustees, and Individual Investors
Gregory Tendrich, Partner, Gregory Tendrich PA

More information coming soon.

Assembling The Pieces of Medicaid & VA Puzzles
Carol Manzaro, Legal Assistant, Elder Law Associates PA

Learn about the current status of VA pension and Medicaid benefits including approval times, home based services, ACT and SNF benefits.

The Talent Who Make This Program Special

Congressman Ted Deutch  serves Florida’s 19th District in the House of Representatives, where he is a member of the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs Committees. Despite his relatively short tenure in Congress, Ted has quickly become known as a young, rising voice in the Democratic Party and an outspoken advocate for Florida families and seniors. Ted is the author of the Preserving our Promise to Seniors Act, the most widely supported plan in the House of Representatives to protect Social Security for generations to come and improve retirement benefits for all Americans. The legislation was featured in the New York Times and endorsed by the Strengthen Social Security Campaign, an influential coalition of over 300 local and national groups committed to protecting our nation’s most successful domestic program. Ted also has sponsored legislation to lower prescription drug costs for seniors, protect the elderly from fraudulent scams and financial schemes that target their retirement assets, and ensure affordable access to community-based long-term care.

 

Howard S. Krooks, Esq., CELA, CAP, is a partner of Elder Law Associates PA and Of Counsel to Amoruso & Amoruso, LLP in Westchester County, New York. He is admitted to practice law in Florida and New York. Mr. Krooks’ professional practice is devoted to elder law and trusts and estates, including representing seniors and persons with special needs and their families in connection with asset preservation planning, supplemental needs trusts, Medicaid, planning for disability, guardianship, wills and advance directives.

As a member of the Joint Public Policy Task Force of The Florida Bar Association Elder Law Section and the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys, Mr. Krooks works to protect the rights of the state’s most vulnerable citizens. Mr. Krooks is certified as an Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation and is a member of the Council for Advanced Practitioners of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). He serves as President elect on the NAELA Board of Directors. He was honored with the designation of NAELA Fellow in 2009. He serves on the Executive Council of The Florida Bar Elder Law Section as the NAELA Liaison. Mr. Krooks was named The Florida Bar Elder Law Section ‘Member of the Year’ in 2010. He was chosen as a Florida Super Lawyer from 2007 to 2012, a Metro New York Super Lawyer from 2008 to 2011 and named to Florida Trend magazine’s Florida Legal Elite in 2007, 2010-2012.

Mr. Krooks is a Past Chair and current Executive Committee member of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) Elder Law Section. He received the 2006 Outstanding Achievement Award from the New York Chapter of NAELA for serving as Co-chair of a Special Committee on Medicaid Legislation formed by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to oppose New York Governor George Pataki’s budget bills. He was recognized for serving as Co-chair of the NYSBA Elder Law Section Compact Working Group for developing alternative methods of financing long term care. Mr. Krooks served as Chair of a Special Committee created by the NYSBA Elder Law Section to address the Statewide Commission on Fiduciary Appointments formed by Chief Justice Judith Kaye.

Mr. Krooks received his undergraduate degree summa cum laude from SUNY Albany, and his law degree from the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

Ellen S. Morris, Esq. is a partner of Elder Law Associates PA. She focuses on elder law, wills and trusts, Medicaid and nursing home planning, Medicaid applications, disability planning, special needs trusts, guardianship, asset preservation planning, estate and trust administration, and elder law litigation. Previously, she was an Assistant State Attorney for Dade County.

Ms. Morris serves as Secretary on the Board of Directors of the Academy of Florida Elder Law Attorneys (AFELA) and as Treasurer on the Elder Law Executive Committee of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar. Previously, she held the position of Legislative Chair of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar for seven years. She also served as Co-chair of the Elder Law Section of the South Palm Beach County Bar Association. She is an active member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. In all of these roles, Ms. Morris participates in elder law-related legislative initiatives, devoting much of her time to analyzing new rules and updated regulations affecting seniors and others with disabilities who require government services and protection.

Ms. Morris is chairperson of the Joint Public Policy Task Force of the Elder Law Section of The Florida Bar and AFELA. The Task Force reviews rules of The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) and ensures that proper watchdog systems and advocacy by elder law attorneys in Florida are in place. Ms. Morris is also active in the Florida Association of Women Lawyers, South Palm Beach County section.

Ms. Morris was named The Florida Bar Elder Law Section ‘Member of the Year’ in 2008. She was named to Florida Trend magazine’s Florida Legal Elite in 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 as well as a Florida Super Lawyer from 2009 to 2012. Ms. Morris received her undergraduate and law degrees with honors from the University of Florida.

Carol Manzaro is a Legal Assistant at Elder Law Associates PA. She has spent the majority of her career in public service either as an educational facilitator or as an investigator of civil or employment rights. She has worked as an Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator and held supervisory positions for the US Postal Service and other non-governmental agencies.

After moving to Florida, Ms. Manzaro worked for the Department of Children and Families as the Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator, an Inspector Specialist in the Office of the Inspector General and as an Economic Self Sufficiency Specialist processing Food Stamp and Medicaid applications. She was assigned to the joint CARES and Medicaid unit to process Long Term Care Diversion Waiver applications. Ms. Manzaro also worked for the Amerigroup Corporation as the Long Term Care Waiver Enrollment Coordinator.

Ms. Manzaro has acted as guest lecturer at Rock Valley College in Illinois and Palm Beach Community College in Florida. Ms. Manzaro created, designed and published two sexual harassment training videos and works privately as an educational consultant. She has been a featured speaker at many seminars and events and on radio and television addressing topics such as civil rights, sexual harassment, diversity training and Medicaid eligibility. She has received numerous awards from the US Postal Service and the State of Florida. She also received the Outstanding Volunteer Services Award from the Deaf Service Center.

Ms. Manzaro has been featured in the Chicago Tribune and Rockford Register Star. She earned a BA in Sociology, Cum Laude, from the University of Michigan. She attended the Reid School of Interviewing and Interrogation, and is State of Florida Certified as an Ethics Trainer, Probation Officer and Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator.

Amy Bloom, has over 20 years of health care experience with expertise working with the aged, disabled and injured populations of all ages. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from Simmons College, Boston, MA, a Master of Social Work from New York University, New York and a post graduate Certificate in Gerontology from Rutgers The State University, New Brunswick, NJ. Amy is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW), a certified life care planner (CLCP), and a certified advanced social work case manager (C-ASWCM). Amy is a member of the National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers and the South Florida Geriatric Care Managers Association. Amy’s extensive experience includes working in the non-profit and for-profit sectors. Amy owned and operated two professional care management businesses in New Jersey, which she sold. Since moving to south Florida, over the past 9 years, Amy has continued to work in the professional care management industry, in addition to leading a team focusing on mental health clients in Broward County. Amy is presently employed by Firstat RN Care Management Services.

Mitchell Starr began his financial services career in 1993 and joined Bienenfeld & Lasek in 1996. Mitch became Partner in 2002 whereupon Bienenfeld & Lasek became Bienenfeld Lasek & Starr, LLC. He is a life qualified member of the Million Dollar Round Table since 1998, including Top of the Table. Mitch has also consistently qualified for MassMutual’s prestigious Top of the Council from 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011. Mitchell B. Starr is a registered representative of and offers Securities, Investment advisory and financial planning services through MML Investors Services, LLC. Member SIPC, www.SIPC.org. Bienenfeld, Lasek & Starr is not a subsidiary or affiliate or MML Investors Services, LLC or its affiliated companies. Insurance offered through Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) and other fine companies.

Gregory Tendrich. The Law Firm of Gregory Tendrich, P.A. represents investors, brokerage firms and individual stockbrokers in all types of securities related disputes. The firm is headed by Gregory Tendrich, Rated AV® PreeminentTM by Martindale-Hubbell® Mr. Tendrich previously served as Assistant General Counsel and in-house counsel to both regional and national brokerage firms. Relying on his many years of in-house brokerage firm experience and his years as a FINRA Arbitrator and a County Court Mediator, Mr. Tendrich has a unique perspective on the many issues facing investors, brokerage firms and stock brokers. On behalf of the individual investor, the firm concentrates on the recovery of losses stemming from stockbroker mismanagement and misrepresentation, churning, unauthorized trading, fraud, negligence, breach of fiduciary duty and unsuitable investments. The firm represents investors with claims against national brokerage firms as well as the smaller regional and local broker-dealers. On behalf of brokerage firms, broker-dealers and individual stock brokers, the firm provides consultation and representation on licensing, registration, hiring, wrongful termination, contract disputes, compensation, debt collection and forgiveness, U-4 & U-5 issues and regulatory enforcement and disciplinary actions brought by the SEC, FINRA, NFA and other state and federal agencies. Since 1995, Tendrich has served as a Certified Arbitrator with FINRA.

Dr. Dimitry Bak is a Board Certified Psychiatrist who treats adults and has extensive experience with the geriatric population and dementia. He sees patients in office and nursing home settings in the Miami-Dade and Broward areas He serves on the Bioethics committee at Aventura Hospital, as a review editor for the Frontiers in Forensic Psychiatry Journal and has had a previous academic appointment as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Cincinnati where he also received fellowship training in Forensic Psychiatry from 2006-2007 after completing his Adult Psychiatry residency at East Carolina University. He has specialized training in Forensic Psychiatry, including evaluations for guardianship, testamentary capacity, personal injury and immigration. He received his undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Hartford and his Medical Doctor degree from St. George’s University in St. George’s, Grenada.