In 2006, the Hotline reached out to a group of older adults who needed help and needed it fast - the terminally ill. In partnership with four hospices in Metro Detroit, we began filling a critical void that brings important service to people in need. Hooking up a terminally ill client with a legal aid or pro bono attorney proved difficult because many people enter a hospice with very limited time left, sometimes as little as a week to get their affairs in order..
In 2007, the Legal Hotline assisted 70 hospice patients, providing legal information and advice by telephone, together with some occasional brief services to help them put their affairs in order. The pilot with the four hospices was so successful, that we are currently expanding to other parts of the state.
Many hospice patients call wanting to make sure their "affairs are in order." The peace of mind that comes from making a will is deeply important to a person facing an impending end to his/her life. In some cases we were able to send out Michigan statutory wills, providing a cost-free implementation of an estate plan. Our attorneys counseled callers about the intricacies of estate planning generally, including wills, trusts, and joint titles. As well as financial and medical assistance for serving spouses and dependents. In several situations, spouses were immeasurably relieved just by knowing that because of joint ownership their survivors and heirs would be free from the burden of probate. And callers confused and unsure about advanced directives had this area of law carefully explained to them and a packet of information, including a medical power of attorney, promptly sent out.
Useful Information
If you are a Hospice and want to become a part of our network, please email Keith Morris at legalhotline@elderlawofmi.org