Podcast: Download

Though he didn’t realize it at the time, Eric Williams has been a fan of hospice since he was 10 years old.  Eric’s older brother died of an inoperable brain tumor at the age of 14.  Later in life, when he was introduced to the hospice concept, he realized what a positive impact hospice could have played, had his family been aware of it at the time.  Eric is currently the Executive Director of the Atlanta Office of Evercare Hospice and Palliative Care, a division of United Health Group.  He is well-prepared for this role, both by education and by work experience.  Eric received a BA in Social Work from Georgia State University.  He went on to get Masters degrees from both Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and from the University of Texas at Arlington.  He has worked in hospice for seventeen years.  Eric, and the rest of his team, can be reached at (770) 417-2018.  Also visit them on the web at www.evercarehospice.com for a deeper look at their philosophy and a wide array of resources for families.

Mary Beth Pulaski was a newly minted RN when she came to Atlanta 15 years ago.  She first observed hospice through the eyes of her sister’s volunteer work.  Later, both her parents got involved in hospice, and at the age of 83, her dad is still a hospice volunteer!  So it seems inevitable that Mary Beth ended up doing hospice work herself.  Today, she is the Clinical Director for Evercare Hospice, where she loves her job, and especially loves the gifted team she works with on a day to day basis.  When asked about her counsel to new or prospective hospice patients, she advised that each person should ask the question, “What do I want my life to be like?”  Not what should I have done, or what will I do tomorrow, but what will I do today!

Our final guest this morning is often the first face a prospective hospice patient sees from Evercare Hospice.  Carol Mullen is the Community Outreach Representative.  Her job is to educate healthcare professionals, prospective patients and their families about hospice and palliative care, and to equip them to make informed decisions about how they will live the rest of their lives.  Originally from Illinois, Carol has lived too many places to list here.  Six years ago, Carol and her husband moved to Atlanta to be close to one of nine of their children.  After working for an assisted living community, and then owning her own homecare company, Carol was introduced to Evercare Hospice.  She is thrilled to be able to bring the possibility of a good quality of life to her patients and their families.  To find out more about the services Evercare Hospice provides, contact Carol at (770) 417-2018.

Podcast: Download

N. Wallace Kelleman, “Wally” to her friends, is nearly an institution in the Atlanta Elder Law community.  A lifelong student, Wally attended law school in the late 1980s, and graduated with two law degrees – one from Western New England College of Law, and one from Emory School of Law.  After 38 years as an RN, Wally recognized a gaping hole in the services available to Atlanta’s senior population, and formed The Kelleman Law Firm.  As one might expect, Wally spends time with clients helping with a broad range of issues, including estate planning and asset protection.  But more importantly, in Wally’s own words, she is “the conscience of the client or family.”  She is asking the difficult questions like, “who will support you when you are no longer able to support yourself?”  Wally can be reached via e-mail at attynwk@aol.com, or by phone at (770) 736-0369.  Visit her website at www.kellemanlaw.com, or visit www.nolo.com and drill down to Gwinnett County, Georgia.

After earning degrees in both English and History, Dan Munster did what anybody would do with those two degrees.  He went back to school to study Law!  Upon completion of his law degree, Dan had the privilege of working for Atlanta Legal Aid for five years.  During his tenure there, he was allowed to choose the area of law he wanted to practice.  Dan chose the Senior Citizens Law Project as a result of his relationship with his paternal grandmother, and her experiences as a senior.  Dan started his own private practice in 1999, and now is one of Georgia’s foremost experts in Medicare and Medicaid.  Dan can be reached 404-920-0521, or visit his website at www.georgiaelderlaw.net.