The Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation Board of Directors are pleased to announce the recipients of the Center on Law and Aging's 2020 Academic Research Grants. They are:

Nadia Greenhalgh-Stanley and Katie Fitzpatrick, How to Incentivize Eligible Elderly to Take-Up SNAP Benefits

Nina Joyce, The Effect of Driving Cessation on Mental Health Outcomes and the Transition to Long-Term Care Among Community Dwelling Older Adults

Anna Muraco and Sylvia Zamora, Advance Care Planning Among Older Latinx Immigrants in Los Angeles

Lindsay Peterson, State Laws and Policies for the Protection of Older Adults in Natural Disasters

Click here for more information about the grant recipients and the Academic Research Grant program.

Congratulations to the 2020 grantees!

Catheryn Koss (2007-2008 Fellow) was recently elected to serve a two-year term on the Gerontological Society of America's Governing Board. The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) is the nation’s largest interdisciplinary organization devoted to the field of aging. Catheryn, an Assistant Professor of Gerontology at California State University, Sacramento, was selected to represent early career faculty.

After working exclusively with older adults under penal supervision in Vermont as a 2018-2019 Borchard Fellow, Annie Manhardt has been hired to stay on as a staff attorney at her host organization, the Prisoners' Rights Office. She handles cases addressing a wide range of issues involving the fact, length and conditions of confinement and community supervision for people serving sentences. This involves litigating post-conviction relief criminal appeals, defending clients against parole revocation, and representing clients in civil litigation related to prison healthcare, discipline, sentence calculation, and more. Although she now represents clients of all ages, Annie is excited to continue her advocacy regarding the unique issues faced by older adults in the criminal legal system.

Congratulations, Annie!

The Borchard Foundation Center on Law & Aging Requests Proposals for 2020 Academic Research Grants

Legal, health sciences, social sciences, and gerontology scholars and professionals are invited to submit research proposals to The Borchard Foundation Center on Law & Aging. The objective of the Academic Research Grants Program is to further research and scholarship about new or improved public policies, laws, and/or programs that will enhance the quality of life for older adults, including those who are poor or otherwise isolated by language, culture, disability, lack of education, or other barriers.

Up to four grants of a maximum of $20,000 each will be awarded. The Center expects grantees to meet the objectives of the grant program through individual or collaborative research projects that analyze and recommend changes in one or more important existing public policies, laws, and/or programs relating to older; or, anticipate the need for and recommend new public policies, laws, and/or programs necessitated by changes in the number and demographics of the country’s and the world’s elder populations, by advances in science and technology, by changes in the health care system, or by other developments. It is expected that the research product will be publishable in a first-rate academic journal.

A detailed Request For Proposals can be accessed on the Center’s website, www.borchardcla.org. The on-line application form will be available after September 15, 2019. Applications should be submitted no later than October 15, 2019. Selections will be made on or about December 15, 2019. For more information, contact Catheryn Koss, .

Caroline Manley becomes the new Executive Director of the Center for Disability and Elder Law (CDEL) in Chicago on September 1, 2019. 

Caroline moves into her new role after eight years with CDEL, most recently as a Supervising Attorney. She initially joined CDEL as a Borchard Fellow in 2011-2012 when she worked to create the Senior Legal Assistance Clinics (SLAC). These community-based clinics allow clients to access CDEL’s full range of legal services in their own community. “Under Caroline’s leadership the SLAC clinics experienced great growth expanding to ten locations and scheduled over 400 appointments in 2018. During her tenure at CDEL, Caroline has developed strong relationships with community partners, key funders, volunteers, board members and staff. Caroline’s knowledge of CDEL’s programs and the local legal landscape situate her to build upon CDEL’s existing framework to expand services to low-income seniors and people with disabilities,” said Ms.Terri Ahrens, Assistant General Counsel at US Foods and CDEL’s volunteer Board President.

Congratulations, Caroline!

The Albert and Elaine Borchard Foundation Directors are delighted to announce the 2019-2020 Center on Law & Aging Fellows. They are Amanda Insalaco and Kathleen Thaete. Congratulations!

Both Fellows will focus on housing needs of older persons. Amanda will work with the Center on Disability and Elder Law in Chicago, Illinois, while Kathleen will be with Legal Assistance for Seniors based in Oakland, California. Read more about these wonderful new Fellows here.

As a 2018-2019 Borchard Fellow, Andrew Bardetti worked with older adults who have experienced elder abuse. His host organization, South Coastal Counties Legal Services, recently hired him as a permanent staff attorney. He works on cases involving a wide variety of civil legal issues, including housing, benefits, and long-term care. Andrew will continue to exclusively represent older adults in Bristol County, Massachusetts and he is beyond thrilled to remain with SCCLS in this role. 

Congratulations, Andrew!

Aisha Elmquist, a 2007-2008 Borchard Fellow, participated in the shaping of the nearly 200-page legislation that was signed in May 2019 into law in Minnesota transforming the assisted living system in that state. The legislation was the result of the hard work of various stakeholders and their efforts to reach consensus. Some of the workgroup process is described here:

A hard-won consensus on elder care in Minnesota--http://www.startribune.com/a-hard-won-consensus-on-elder-care-in-minnesota/509927832/

 Aisha serves as Policy Specialist with the Minnesota Office of Ombudsman for Long-Term Care.

Elizabeth Zirker, a 2005-2006 Borchard Fellow, is co-teaching a course on Disability Rights at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law. Her course is described here and her faculty profile is available here. Since her days as a Fellow, Elizabeth has advocated for the rights of older persons and persons with disabilities in California and serves currently as a managing attorney with Disability Rights California.

The 2019 National Aging & Law Conference will be held on October 31 and November 1 in Arlington, Virginia. The Borchard Center on Law & Aging is again this year a sponsor of the conference which is a major gathering of legal advocates and other professionals involved with law and aging issues. More information including the conference brochure is available at www.ambar.org/NALC. Registration is now open.