News

Singapore Visitors Interested in Elder Law Issues

News Article

September 17, 2013

Representatives from Singapore’s Office of Public Guardian traveled halfway around the world to learn more about practices in the court system that help protect older Pennsylvanians from mental, physical and financial abuses. They participated in a working luncheon at the Pennsylvania Judicial Center with experts from the judiciary and the Pennsylvania Department of Aging.

Singapore’s guardianship process is relatively new and the Office of Public Guardian is devising a roadmap for its operation. The delegation was interested in learning about the structure of Pennsylvania’s guardianship system, the legislative process used to develop and make changes to the system, the reporting and enforcement of existing elder abuse laws and the Department of Aging’s role with guardianships.

A guardianship is a legal arrangement where a guardian, who is appointed by a court, has the legal right and duty to care for another (called an “incapacitated person” in Pennsylvania) because of the incapacitated person’s inability to legally act on his or her own behalf due to minority or mental or physical capacity. A guardian controls an incapacitated person’s personal and financial affairs.  

The delegation met with Superior Court Judge Paula Ott, Director of Judicial Programs Joe Mittleman and Director of the Department of Aging’s Bureau of Advocacy, Protection and Education Wilmarie Gonzalez. Judge Ott talked extensively of her experience with guardianships and related issues from her days on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas.

The visit was coordinated by AARP. 

While in Pennsylvania the Singapore delegation also met with the Center for Guardianship Certification and focused on the eligibility, certification and removal of guardians.

 

Meeting participants included (seated from left):

WILMARIE GONZALEZ, DEPARTMENT OF AGING
Judge PAULA OTT, SUPERIOR COURT OF PENNSYLVANIA
DANIEL KOHN, OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN

Standing from left:

JANICE FOO, OFFICE OF THE PUBLIC GUARDIAN
ONG SU CHERN, MINISTRY OF SOCIAL AND FAMILY DEVELOPMENT
SOH KEE BUN, ATTORNEY GENERAL’S CHAMBERS
JOSEPH MITTLEMAN, AOPC
CHERSTIN HAMEL, AOPC
VICKI ALKIRE, CENTER FOR GUARDIANSHIP CERTIFICATION
DENISE CALABRESE, CENTER FOR GUARDIANSHIP CERTIFICATION
SALLY HURME, AARP