Los Angeles Elder Law Attorney Susan B. Geffen Presented Conservatorship Seminar for Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles

Elder law attorney Susan B. Geffen presented "Understanding Conservatorships: Protecting Your Loved Ones," an online seminar hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles on Saturday, August 15, 2026. The one-hour session helped Los Angeles families understand what a conservatorship involves, when one may be necessary, and how to navigate the court process with confidence.

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Elder law attorney Susan B. Geffen led "Understanding Conservatorships: Protecting Your Loved Ones," an online seminar hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles (DSALA) on Saturday, August 15, 2026, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Pacific. The Zoom session was part of DSALA's year-round Saturday Seminars series, and information about upcoming seminars is available at www.dsala.org.www.dsala.org

The seminar was designed for families facing difficult decisions when a loved one begins to struggle with medical, financial, or mental health challenges. Geffen explained what a conservatorship is, the circumstances under which one may become necessary, and how the process unfolds in California probate court — from the initial petition through the ongoing responsibilities the court places on the person appointed. The goal, according to DSALA's event description, was to give families clarity and guidance whether they are planning ahead or facing these decisions now.

Conservatorship is a significant legal step, because it transfers decision-making authority away from an adult. California law reflects that weight: courts are directed to consider less restrictive options before granting one, and families are generally encouraged to understand the full range of planning tools available to them before proceeding. For parents of adults with developmental disabilities, these questions often become pressing around a son or daughter's eighteenth birthday, when the legal presumption of adult capacity takes effect. Limited conservatorship, a category created specifically for adults with developmental disabilities, allows a court to grant authority only in the areas where support is genuinely needed while preserving the individual's rights everywhere else.

Geffen has advocated for older adults, people with disabilities, and their families for more than 30 years. A former elder law professor, she is among a small number of practicing attorneys who also hold a Master's degree in gerontology — the scientific study of aging — and she has built her practice around conservatorships, estate planning, trust litigation, and probate. She is the author of the non-fiction book "Take That Nursing Home and Shove It!" and speaks regularly to family, professional, and corporate audiences on elder care and family decision-making.

"Families almost never arrive at this decision easily," said Susan B. Geffen. "They arrive worried and exhausted, and often unsure whether they are protecting someone they love or taking something away from them. What I wanted people to leave this seminar with is a clear picture of what a conservatorship actually involves, what other options exist, and how to tell which one fits their own family — so that whatever they decide, they decide it with information rather than fear."

The Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles has served individuals with Down syndrome and their families for more than 50 years, acting as a resource for medical, educational, and service-related needs throughout Los Angeles County. Its Saturday Seminars series brings outside speakers to the community on subjects ranging from special education and assistive technology to benefits planning and caregiver support. Details on the series and upcoming sessions are available at www.dsala.org.www.dsala.org

More About Susan B. Geffen

Susan B. Geffen is an elder law attorney based in Hermosa Beach, California, serving clients throughout Los Angeles and Orange County. Her practice areas include conservatorships and limited conservatorships, estate planning, living trusts and wills, trust litigation, probate, elder abuse restraining orders, and financial elder abuse. A former elder law professor with a Master's degree in gerontology, she has spent more than three decades helping adult children and their aging parents plan for the future and protect vulnerable family members. For more information or to schedule a consultation, please visit www.susanbgeffenlaw.com.

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Susan B. Geffen
Law Offices of Susan B. Geffen
2447 Pacific Coast Hwy #234
Hermosa Beach, CA 90254
(800) 285-2659
https://www.susanbgeffenlaw.com

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