Legal Aid can help with ‘Grandparent Economy’
Your Turn
Robert A. Bertisch, Esq.
Guest columnist
Madeline Mitchell’s recent article, ‘Caring for grandkids,’ rightly calls attention to something we see every day in Palm Beach County — grandparents and other relatives stepping up for children when their families need them most.
These caregivers do it out of love, but love alone does not make it easy. Rising costs, limited income and complicated legal systems can place an enormous burden on older adults who are simply trying to keep children safe, stable and connected to family.
At the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County, we know that the ‘grandparent economy’ is not an abstract idea. It is happening here, in our neighborhoods, with families who often have nowhere else to turn.
When a grandparent becomes the primary caregiver, they will need legal authority to enroll a child in school, consent to medical care, apply for benefits or make basic decisions that many take for granted.
That is where Legal Aid can help.
Through our Relative Caregiver Project, we provide free legal advocacy and representation to grandparents and other relatives raising children in Palm Beach County. We help families establish guardianship or temporary custody so children can remain in safe, familiar homes and caregivers have the authority they need to act on the child’s behalf. Our Elder Law and Benefits teams also work with older adults to help protect their income, health care and housing while they take on this important responsibility.
We are grateful that Legal Aid’s children’s programs are supported by the Children’s Services Council of Palm Beach County, and that this work is also supported by the Area Agency on Aging, along with generous community partners and donors. Their support helps make it possible for vulnerable children, caregivers and older adults to receive the legal help they need before a crisis becomes even harder to solve.
Grandparents should not have to navigate these challenges alone. If you are a local caregiver facing these issues, I encourage you to contact the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County. We are here to help families stay together, protect children and give caregivers the tools they need to move forward.
Robert A. Bertisch is executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.
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