Friedman Named Legislator Of The Year For Work Protecting Seniors

ARLINGTON, MA — State Senator Cindy Friedman was named Legislator of the Year by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (MassNAELA). At its annual meeting on Dec. 5, MassNAELA honored several people for their advocacy of elder services and their commitment to raising awareness of legal issues impacting seniors.

The Legislator of the Year Award is given annually to a lawmaker who worked to pass legislation that protects seniors, particularly those with special needs and disabilities.

"We must do everything we can to ensure that every individual in need of care – regardless of age or ability – is supported and has access to the appropriate resources," Friedman, co-chair of the Joint Committee on Health Care Financing, said in a statement. "Thank you to the Mass. Academy of Elder Law Attorneys for recognizing my work and for striving each and every day to better the lives of those most vulnerable in our Commonwealth."

Clinically complex older adults, who are in the greatest need of support, have a difficult time sustaining the services necessary to allow them to remain safely in their own homes. Friedman's most recent efforts to combat this issue have culminated in several pieces of legislation she is championing that would expand access to mental health services, lower the costs of prescription drugs, as well as fairly compensate human service workers, many of whom care for the elderly.

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the leading professional organization for elder and special needs law attorneys in the country, is dedicated to developing awareness of issues concerning the elderly and those with special needs.

Over 450 attorneys are members of the NAELA's Massachusetts Chapter. Members work directly with the elderly and those with special needs in areas as diverse as planning for catastrophic care costs, disability planning, age discrimination in employment and housing, benefits planning, estate planning, veterans' benefits and more.