Susan Wasserman, Esq., an attorney and a longtime advocate for elder rights,
is closing her practice after almost 47 years in Ohio.
Wasserman specialized in Guardianships---also known as Conservatorships—serving individuals who need assistance while placed under protection of the probate court. “I have worked tirelessly to protect my clients’ rights, which include the right to counsel and protected access to their estates.
Guardianship work for seniors can involve difficult transitions and risk centered on
old family conflicts, concealment of assets, disputes over family promises to inherit,
the increasing costs of long-term care, and other emotional challenges which take a toll on
seniors who are alone, especially for the holidays when isolation hits hard.
Wasserman also specialized in the termination of guardianships and protection of estates.
She warns that in this new virtual, post-COVID world, our digitized society has “virtual walls”
everywhere, creating a minefield for seniors as they face the biological challenges of aging.
One rampant danger has become the targeting of the estates of senior citizens
by “trusted friends” and family members. Digital passwords and usernames are intended to be safeguards, but they are often not enough especially as assistance is required. Thus, law offices seniors with vital digital assets are at increasingly at risk of exploitation, attorney theft and loss of their security.
“No one comes into this world alone, and no one should be left alone at their time of need,”
says Wasserman. However, as statistics show that estrangement from families is common,
so, the burden is left on the community and resources like the Franklin County Guardianship Service Board, Franklin County Adult Protective Services and the Probate Court to weather the storm but many find themselves vulnerable where resources are limited.
“My clients do not want to die alone in nursing homes or in poverty. They have worked all their lives for the right attorney for law to a peaceful, secure retirement. It is a terrifying experience to have their assets in jeopardy.
“It has been my honor to fight for those rights that are guaranteed under the Ohio and U.S. Constitution to us all."
Susan Wasserman is an Attorney in the State of Ohio.
Wassermanlawoffices.com