Representation in medical procedures and rights protection: Attorneys work for the elderly population • "Representation is made from a real sense of mission - at this particular time"

Due to the state of emergency and fear of the corona virus - the increased isolation of old people in general, and of helpless elders in particular, intensifies the difficult situation of an elderly person living alone with physical difficulties and with a decrease in abilities due to dementia or various diseases. As a result of the Ministry of Health's directives aimed at protecting those elderly people who previously enjoyed social services and frameworks, many are faced with great difficulties on their own, all with uncertainty and fear of the situation. Against this backdrop, the system of representation for old age and legal training in the Legal Aid Office of the Ministry of Justice will be enhanced, and adjustments have been made to the emergency situation. The legal system, which specializes in representing elders and persons in need of legal representation due to their medical condition, is also currently available and accessible to the elderly population, in order to represent them in an emergency even.

Fast-track documentation: This is how soldiers packed hundreds of shipments for seniors // Photo: IDF Spokesman

Various cases have reached the courts this week. Deputy Chief Justice of Petah Tikva, Judge Rebecca McCase, admitted to the array in her judgment and wrote: "In the immediate mobilization of the Legal Aid Office to appoint a legal guardian and his professional activity, the court also allowed this court to comply with its legal training and legal guardianship during this emergency. It is important and vital to carry out the surgery.

In another case, a Be'er Sheva Magistrate's Court wrote, Rotem Kodler Ayash: "Thanks to the legal guardian, who, despite the emergency, took prompt action in relation to the request. After reviewing the position, and taking note of the emergency situation as stated in the social worker's request, the hearing will be postponed. Submit an updated position after the necessary additional tests. "

According to Dr. Meital Segal-Reich, nationally appointed legal counsel for the field of old age and legal competence, "legal proceedings under the Kosher Law or the Immigration Law, which include the possibility of appointing a guardian as an alternate decision-maker, require the hearing of the person in the case. This is now, in a time of domestic isolation and strict instructions not to leave the homes, the elderly population may not be available for these difficult procedures, which are mainly conducted in the affairs of the elderly and people with disabilities. " She said, "The old man, who has opened a case of this kind in his case, will find it difficult and will probably not be able to participate in the legal service debate himself, due to the tight guidelines on the elderly population."

Don't give up

One of the cases is that of an 89-year-old woman from the north of the country, the mother of two who lives abroad and has no contact with them. The woman lives alone with a caregiver and was recently hospitalized following a fall in her home. Due to deterioration in her condition, surgery was required to open the trachea. Patients to the court request the procedure without consent, and the court has appointed a lawyer from the Northern District Legal Assistance Representative, Ramah Awad, who specializes in representing elders in difficult situations. The lawyer will serve as the legal guardian of the woman (a temporary guardian may make legal decisions for her, etc.). As a result, he urgently arrived at the hospital to protect against the corona virus infection, to reflect the woman's presumed wishes and to represent her in the legal process. .

In another case, in the south of the country, the children of an elderly man announced that they were discontinuing treatment and asked to be transferred to the frame by means of a request from the Foundation for the Treatment of Covered Forced Expenditure. The man objected, and his children announced that they had stopped taking care of him and that he would be neglected. Attorney Hagit Allosh, who was appointed by the court to represent the elderly for legal assistance, insisted on trying to find an alternative home answer, as the move is very dangerous these days and also involves loneliness, as family members cannot accompany the father and assist him in entering the nursing home. The lawyer visited the elderly man at his home, while adhering to the Ministry of Health's guidelines for the prevention of infection, she heard from him about his opposition to the transfer to the vaccine, and finally there was a solution - a temporary therapist to assist him until the hearing to be held in his case, where the lawyer represented his position.

"Provide increased response"

"Among the many challenges, we are currently facing aggravated situations of neglect, child conflicts when an older parent remains in his loneliness, and the fight on his back, and the heartbreaking loneliness of ailing people, whose plight is exacerbated," says Dr. Segal-Reich. "We are in a situation where the challenges in the nursing homes are intensified, when a disabled person, who is dependent on others, cannot support his family in moving to the institution, and is required to cope when his relatives are not close to him. In addition, due to the stringent restrictions, the elderly person has additional difficulty in presenting his position in the case and opening a house. "Physical arrival in court in most cases is impossible under these conditions because of the health risk."

She also emphasizes, "The lawyers with the dedicated system for representing old clients and in the legal field are recruited to respond to the challenges at this time. We put our vast experience and expertise in representing clients with difficulty in conduct. We reach the people subject to limitations, While identifying alternatives, respond to their wishes and preferences in particular in this emergency, and seek appropriate response to their rights, the lawyers in the country operate from the north to the south, in full availability for urgent action against the situation. The legal representation is made out of the sense that For real humility always - and at this time in particular. "

The Legal Aid emphasizes that the Legal Service is available throughout the country, and you can apply for representation by contacting the call center at 073-3927747 / 48/49/50, or by contacting the court in these proceedings, together with a request to appoint a lawyer for a person in need of legal assistance. The lawyers are available for quick representation, and specialize in complex situations of decreased ability and communication difficulties.