46 THE QUEENS COURIER • QUEENS BUSINESS • OCTOBER 10, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
queens business
Elder Law Minute TM
The Hazards of Hoarding
BY RONALD A. FATOULLAH, ESQ.
AND EVA SCHWECHTER, ESQ.
Many elderly individuals manage
to amass collections of prized possession
over the course of their lives.
However, it is important to note the
diff erence between amassing possessions
and hoarding. Th e former is
a positive thing; many people have
a sentimental attachment to their
assets, and want to leave specifi c gift s
of these objects to their loved ones
aft er they pass. Th e latter is a problem
that aff ects many in the elderly
population in a variety of ways.
First and foremost, hoarding is a
safety hazard. People who hoard to
an extreme level cannot safely navigate
their living spaces. For an elderly
person, clear pathways, accessible
doorways, and uncluttered cooktops
are paramount to ensure a safe living
environment. Uneven fl oors and
pathways, rotting food and blocked
exists put the elderly individual in
constant danger in his own home.
ELDER LAW
Th e inability to safely live at home
may cause an elderly person to be
removed from his home against his
will, possibly to a hospital or nursing
home.
Another negative ramifi cation of
hoarding is the possibility of a guardianship
action being taken. In the
event that a person cannot adequately
and safely manage his personal
needs and property management due
to his hoarding tendencies, a hospital,
nursing home or Adult Protective
Services (among others) can initiate
a guardianship proceeding. Th is
proceeding entails petitioning the
court to have a guardian appointed
to make personal needs and property
management decisions for the individual.
Although it is not guaranteed
that a guardian will be appointed in
the case of a hoarder, the guardianship
process can be long, draining,
and costly. Maintaining an appropriate
living space can avoid the need
to go to court to attempt to prove
one’s competence in managing one’s
aff airs.
Additionally, hoarding can mean
an inability to access necessary
assistance in the form of home
health care aides. Many aide services,
including Medicaid, require
that an aide who is attending a client
for a certain number of hours
have a designated bedroom to sleep
in. Additionally, an agency will not
allow its aides to work in a home
that is not in accordance with safety
regulations. An elderly person who
is in need of a home health aide is
putting herself in danger by not having
a home that can safely accommodate
that aide.
Hoarding is a serious issue that
aff ects numerous people, many of
whom are elderly. Th e risks that
accompany hoarding are especially
dangerous for an elderly person. It
is important to consult an elder care
attorney to consider whether a family
member or loved one is receiving
the appropriate level of care and
assistance, and whether that individual
is being negatively impacted by
hoarding.
Ronald A. Fatoullah, Esq. is the
founder of Ronald Fatoullah &
Associates, a law fi rm that concentrates
in elder law, estate planning,
Medicaid planning, guardianships,
estate administration, trusts,
wills, and real estate. Eva Schwechter
is an elder law attorney with the
fi rm. Th e law fi rm can be reached
at 718-261-1700, 516-466-4422, or
toll free at 1-877-ELDER-LAW or
1-877-ESTATES. Mr. Fatoullah is
also a partner advisor with Advice
Period, a wealth management fi rm
that provides a continuum of fi nancial
and investment advice for individuals
and businesses, and he can be
reached at 424-256-7273.
RONALD FATOULLAH
ESQ, CELA*
editorial
How Important is Social Media for My Job Search?
Dear Mindy: I am looking
for a new job and
don’t have the time to
spend on social media.
How important is my
social media presence
to my future employer?
Searching
Dear Searching: Most
recruiters and hiring managers
use social networking
sites to research job
candidates and use their
fi ndings to make hiring decisions.
Prospective employers are typically
looking for information that either
supports the candidate’s qualifi cations
for the job or for red fl ags that
would stop them from off ering the
candidate a position.
Since recruiters are
actively using social
media to fi ll their positions,
it is important that
you use social media to
your advantage. Here are
a few tips:
Google is your new
Resume! Your presence on
social media can give you a
signifi cant advantage over
the competition, but it can
also hurt you.
Research your privacy settings. If
you’re unclear about what content
is publicly viewable, log out of your
accounts and search for your name
online.
Review your social media presence
(i.e., Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, etc.) as if you were a hiring
manager. Ask yourself if you would
be proud if your future employer
saw your profi le, your photos or
groups that you belong to.
Create great content that will promote
your professional image such
as blog posts, articles and videos.
Th en link that content to your social
media profi les.
Leverage LinkedIn Since LinkedIn
is the #1 recruiting site for most hiring
managers, make sure that you
keep your profi le updated and error
free. Follow these guidelines to manage
your LinkedIn profi le:
Make sure to use a clear and recent
professional picture for your profi le.
Actively ask managers, coworkers,
and acquaintances to endorse you or
write a recommendation.
Whether you are transitioning
into a new industry or staying in
your current industry, make sure
that your profi le refl ects the skills
that you want to utilize in your next
job.
Join groups and follow companies
with whom you want to connect.
Share their content or post relevant
articles to their sites to share your
knowledge and increase your credibility
in your targeted industry.
Th is column is excerpted from
Mindy Stern’s new book, “You Are
the CEO of Your Career – Mastering
the Job Search in 10 Easy Steps”.
Contact Mindy for more information
at info@aimresourcegroup.com.
EMPLOYMENT
MATTERS
MINDY STERN
SPHR, SHRM-SCP,
link
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