by Kathy Para
JBA Pro Bono Committee Chair
It’s not unusual to find retired attorney Pat Vail in local HUD Residential Centers for senior citizens laughing, chatting, and enjoying the company of the residents.
Vail has developed a pro bono niche that focuses exclusively on these elders. Though she assists them with completing advanced directive documents, it’s the relationships she builds that may be of even greater value.
It’s because of the many ways that she reaches out to this vulnerable and underserved population that we recognize Vail as the Pro Bono Attorney of the Month.
Vail begins with group presentations at these HUD facilities, explaining the purposes of various advance directive documents. For residents lacking living wills, designations of health care surrogates, and durable powers of attorney, Vail offers follow-up individual appointments.
She meets with individuals and their families and has completed dozens, if not hundreds, of advanced directives documents.
Designating persons to assist with decision-making is perhaps even more important to low-income individuals than to middle- and upper-income individuals. They often do not have the resources or contacts to have legal work done for them and must rely on trusted family members and friends.
In addition to executing these important personal directives, Vail will help with a consumer or Medicaid issue, depending on what is needed.
The effect that Vail has on the individuals living in these HUD centers is profound. On one occasion, Pat received a call from the service coordinator at Pablo Hamlet, a local HUD residential center, shortly after the coordinator had attended one of their meetings. The coordinator had a resident who had not completed any advanced directives, had no family available, and was not doing well health-wise.
After a series of emails, Vail managed to round up people that the resident knew and who were available and honored to serve as his surrogates. They all met at the hospital where he had been taken. The appropriate documents were executed and responsibilities explained.
When the Pablo Hamlet staff mentioned the patient would likely not live much longer, Vail suggested to the patient’s health care surrogate that they talk immediately to the patient’s doctor and get a referral to hospice. Particularly in a situation where the surrogate is new and the client is hospitalized, it is helpful to get the extra eyes, ears and expertise that hospice programs afford both the caregiver and patient.
As hospice was brought in, the elder was able to pass away peacefully knowing that his remaining affairs were in order. One of the elder’s caregivers was overtaken with emotion by the work of Vail and stated, “our patient passed peacefully knowing everything was taken care of thanks to Pat. She was the angel we needed to get his affairs in order before he passed. Thank you again so much Pat! God bless you.”
Vail retired from the CSX Law Department in 1996 after practicing antitrust, environmental and other areas of law for 16 years.
After almost a year in Kazakhstan with the ABA’s CEELI program, where she worked with members of its Supreme Court and Parliament, she returned to work for CSX on a contractual basis.
This was followed by a year with Florida Legal Services as the state pro bono coordinator. Following this, Vail served several years as a staff attorney for Jacksonville Area Legal Aid (JALA). She has also been a Duval County Master Gardener for several years, focusing specifically on third-graders in the Junior Master Gardener program. In addition she educates young students at the Museum of Contemporary Art.
It is obvious that Pat Vail invests her time as a retired attorney in many worthwhile endeavors including pro bono legal services. The positive impact that she has on those she helps is both apparent and immeasurable. Vail is involved in discussions with JALA and Florida Coastal School of Law to expand advance directive services to other HUD senior citizen residential centers.
Attorneys (retired and still practicing) interested in assisting with advance directives for low-income, elderly clients are encouraged to contact Kathy Para, Esq., at [email protected].