Family Caregivers

(Another) AI-Powered Advocacy for Family Caregivers Webinar

A webinar about how caregivers can leverage artificial intelligence

Refusal to make findings of incapacity: a concerning trend

A concern about litigation has led to absurd and often dangerous failures to make findings of capacity.

AI-Powered Advocacy for Family Caregivers (Webinar)

A webinar about how caregivers can leverage artificial intelligence

Kinkeeper™ wins an Innovation Award!

We are proud to share great news with you!

Proposed law could force patients into long-term care without consent

The government is currently debating a bill that could force people to long-term care without consent, even if they are mentally capable of making their own decisions.

What happens if a guardian dies?

Parents becoming guardians of their adult children often fear what will happen when they are gone.

What happens if a substitute decision-maker lacks capacity?

A substitute decision-maker must be "capable" of making treatment decisions. What happens if they're not?

Joint Guardianship: Pros and Cons

In this vlog Lisa reviews three (3) pros and three (3) cons of becoming guardian with another person.

Upcoming Webinar: Should I Become Guardian of the Person?

On July 21, 2022 we will be hosting a free webinar about guardianship of the person.

6 Week Course: Guardianship in Ontario (for parents who have an adult child with disabilities)

Our 6 week guardianship course starts this week!

What is The Consent and Capacity Board?

A brief overview of the Ontario Consent and Capacity Board.

3 Tips For Caregivers

Family caregivers do not necessarily anticipate being thrust into the role of an advocate, yet this is what happens all the time.

How do you know who a patient's substitute decision-maker is?

Who makes decisions if a patient is unable to for themselves?

What Does the Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) Do?

The Public Guardian and Trustee (PGT) is an agency that plays a role in many matters involving consent and capacity.

Mismanaging Property Mini-Series (Part 4 of 4): ODSP

In the fourth video of four part mini-series on mismanaging property, I discuss ODSP. The series is for family caregivers who have a loved one with a mental illness who is mismanaging property.

Mismanaging Property Mini-Series (Part 3 of 4): Joint Accounts

In the third video of four part mini-series on mismanaging property, I discuss joint accounts. The series is for family caregivers who have a loved one with a mental illness who is mismanaging property.

Mismanaging Property Mini-Series (Part 2 of 4): Guardianship

In the second video of four part mini-series on mismanaging property, I discuss guardianship of property. The series is for family caregivers who have a loved one with a mental illness who is mismanaging property.

Mismanaging Property Mini-Series (Part 1 of 4): Powers of Attorney

In our 4 part mini-series on mismanaging property, I discuss powers of attorney for property. The series is for family caregivers who have a loved one with a mental illness who is mismanaging property.

Long-term care residents can now hug their essential caregiver - if both are fully vaccinated.

Close contact now allowed between residents and their essential caregivers provided the parties have received both doses of their vaccinations.

An app for parents who have children with developmental disabilities

We made a tool for parents of children (of any age) with developmental disabilities who are unable to make medical decisions for themselves.

Webinar Announcement: Debriefing "I Care A Lot" and "The Guardians"

We are debriefing the films "I Care A Lot" and "The Guardians".

Caregiver Day T-Shirt Giveaway

We have a giveaway for Family Caregiver Day! And I want to explain why.

Online Courses for Caregivers About Mental Health Law

We're excited to announce 2 online courses we’ve made specifically for families who have a loved one with a mental illness.

An Introduction to our DIY Guardianship Course

We created an online DIY guardianship course to assist individuals to become guardian of property for their loved one - without hiring a lawyer! This video provides some context about why we made the course and who it is for (and not for!)

Long-term care visitor policies: what to expect in the second wave

On October 7, 2020 the Ministry of Long-Term Care released a new COVID-19 Visiting Policy.

No-visitor policy challenged during COVID-19

A brief summary of the first case in Ontario challenging a hospital's no-visitor policy during COVID-19.

What is a Power of Attorney for Personal Care?

Find out what a POA for Personal Care is (hint: it's different than a Will) and what goes into one.

Holidays and POAs: 4 things to consider when gift-giving on behalf of a person with dementia

It’s holiday time and questions often arise about whether gifts can be given on behalf of a person who, legally, isn’t capable of managing property.

3 Things You Should Know If Your Parent Has Dementia

Have a family meeting. Sign the legal documents. And, by the way, your siblings are probably suspicious of you.

Let’s talk about dementia – and how to support caregivers

If you know someone caring for a loved one with dementia, you have to read this blog post!

Healthcare Serial Killers and the Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry Final Report

The Long-Term Care Homes Public Inquiry Final Report contains a surprising amount of information about healthcare serial killers.

Can your ex legally refuse to vaccinate your kids?

An Ontario man entered family law arbitration seeking to vaccinate his kids, which his ex-wife opposed. To his surprise, he lost.

Goodbye LHINs; Hello Ontario Health

The Ontario government recently proposed legislation that, if passed, would fundamentally change the delivery of health services in Ontario.

Upcoming Event for Caregivers - October 13, 2018

I will be presenting on Planning for Incapacity: Legal Consent and Decision-Making as part of a FREE workshop taking place Saturday, October 13 in King City, Ontario. Please join us and spread the word to caregivers of seniors!

What is a proposed representative?

The term "proposed representative" is not in most people's vocabulary, and doesn't need to be. But if you are a family caregiver and the term arises, chances are there is a conflict about who makes health care decisions for a loved one.

How to Save Money on Your Taxes

It’s tax time! From ambulance services and assisted breathing devices to medical marijuana and wigs, a variety of expenses can save you money on your taxes...

National Caregiver Day

Today is National Caregiver Day. At Lisa Feldstein Law Office, we interact with caregivers all the time. They constantly impress us with the knowledge they’ve acquired, the sacrifices they make, and the balancing acts they perform. They are not always heard by health professionals. They are not always thanked by their loved ones. But they are the invisible backbone of our health care system. So cheers to the caregivers! You are amazing! And YOU ARE NOT ALONE!

5 signs a POA needs legal advice

Many people appointed under a POA do not know they have specific legal obligations, and that they could face serious financial and other consequences if they do not satisy their duties.

The gift of time: How to use the holidays to check on your family’s well-being

With the holidays comes an opportunity to spend time with family and check on how loved ones are doing. As our relatives age or enter new stages of life, some of them may face health challenges we only discover when we visit in person.

Bill 160 could make it harder for families to protect loved ones with dementia

The Ontario government introduced a new bill (“Bill 160, Strengthening Quality and Accountability for Patients Act, 2017″) that, if passed, would create a variety of changes within our health care system

Boy with autism not allowed to bring service dog to school (and why the Human Rights Tribunal says that’s ok)

The Human Rights Tribunal of Ontario recently decided that a nine-year-old boy with Autism does not have a right to bring his service dog with him to his elementary school... So, what does this decision mean for other children who utilize service animals?

National Family Caregiver Day

April 4, 2017 was the first ever National Family Caregiver Day in Canada. In support of caregivers I attended the City of Toronto Caregiver Appreciation Event and watched Toronto Mayor Tory proclaim April 4th to be Family Caregiver Day in Toronto.

How to Reduce Abuse & Conflict Involving Powers Of Attorney (Reflections on Law Reform Recommendations)

This blog reviews – and strongly endorses – two of those recommendations made by the Law Commission of Ontario relating to powers of attorney.

Criminal Record Checks for Volunteers: Balancing Public Safety and Convenience

There have been efforts over the past several years to amend the law so that a volunteer can use the same police check for multiple organizations. The latest effort to enact this change came on September 15, 2016, with the first reading of Bill 15, Helping Volunteers Give Back Act, 2016. Variations of this Bill have been introduced previously in the Ontario Legislature.

Should the “Death Care” Industry be Regulated?

There have been several media articles about “death doulas” or “death midwives”, who provide services to people who are dying and their families. The fact that many of these individuals are volunteers makes it clear they are driven by a passion to help. However, as a new field there are multiple legal issues that could pose problems for these service providers and the public alike.

Should parents be allowed to stunt the growth of and sterilize their disabled child?

A New Zealand girl born with developmental disabilities is unable to speak, walk or see. In an effort to make her life better, her family decided to stunt her growth and remove her uterus.

Will My Doctor Be Allowed to Kill Me? And Other Questions about Physician-Assisted Suicide in Canada

In February 2016 physician-assisted suicide will be legal in Canada. And we need to talk about it.

Do you have an opinion about what Canada’s assisted dying laws should look like?

A Panel is carrying out consultations about the developing assisted dying laws in Canada.

Reflections on Family Councils and the Family Councils Conference

Family Councils Ontario recently held its annual 2-day conference in Toronto and it was inspiring to hear about the great work being performed by Family Councils throughout the province.

Should we be allowed to deny our future selves food and water?

Which “self” should prevail if the future “self” is a different person?

Will there be a new Dr. Kevorkian?

The Supreme Court of Canada’s recent decision opens the door for physician-assisted suicide in Canada.

Canadian non-profits risk dissolution in October 2014