Aging Wisely – Making Decisions for Those Who Cannot

This class is co-sponsored by the Stanford WorkLife Office.

When someone experiences cognitive changes, stepping in to support their decision-making becomes a critical — and often complex — responsibility. Many caregivers and family members find themselves in this role without clear guidance on what is involved or how to navigate it effectively.

In this free webinar, we will explore how cognitive changes can affect decision-making and share practical strategies for supporting those in our care. We’ll discuss when to seek testing for health and financial decision-making capacity, and how to work collaboratively with family members, physicians, evaluators, and attorneys to ensure respectful and effective support.

We will cover best practices for managing critical health, financial, and life decisions on behalf of another person, including how to obtain informed consent, establish a durable power of attorney or guardianship, and secure legal documents to honor individual wishes. We will also address end-of-life treatment planning, financial management, and the responsibilities of those serving as decision-makers.

This webinar is part of the Aging Wisely class series, providing a compassionate environment to explore your questions and concerns and help you gain a holistic perspective on how to approach long-term care planning for yourself or a loved one. Through presentations and online discussions, you will learn strategies and tools to help you assess your specific long-term care needs and explore solutions to common questions related to care planning.

Whether you are currently supporting someone with cognitive changes or planning for future care needs, you will have the opportunity to develop a personalized roadmap with the input, advice, and support of an expert in gerontology.

This class will be recorded and a one-week link to the recording will be shared with all registered participants. To receive incentive points, attend at least 80% of the live session or listen to the entire recording within one week.

Request disability accommodations and access info.

Instructor: Paula Wolfson, LCSW, ADSW, is a licensed clinical social worker on staff with Avenidas in Palo Alto. She is an expert in navigating health care transitions, facilitating caregiver support groups and workshops. Paula has supported the Stanford community for years, providing elder care consultations and critical resources.

Class details are subject to change.