Senior Living 2024 | Page 11

Navigating Elder Law : A Decade of Advocacy for Madison County ’ s Seniors

By Sierra Marling
Scott Collins was raised close to his grandmother , right next door , in fact .
“ She was as influential in my life as either my mom or my dad ,” he said , adding that she
was already “ well into her retirement ” when he was a young child .
She ended up living until she was 102 and did so unassisted until she was 101 .
“ By the time she did pass away , her children
were not talking to one another anymore ,” Collins said . “ They felt like everyone had cheated everyone else .”
His beloved grandmother did go into a nursing home in the end , and Collins would go and help feed
her , directing caregivers to come in and bathe her and change her clothes .
It deeply affected him and made him think about his career .
“ Seeing that at a very personal level , of how much money it costs ,
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