Putting Your Affairs In Order

BY WILLSANDESTATES.NYC

Moving into the phase of life of a senior citizen calls for thinking about things that you might have put off before. This includes many of life’s philosophical questions and looking back on life and thinking about what you did well and what you regret. But aside from those reflective questions, there are some basic things you should do now to “put your affairs in order” so that in the event you come to that final day of your life, your children and those charged with such affairs know what to do. It seems almost morbid to “put your affairs in order” early in your retirement life when you are healthy and active, and there is no apparent threat that the end is near. But these are not decisions that should be put off until your health begins to decline when you are significantly older. These are decisions that call for a mature and thoughtful review by a senior citizen fully in command of his or her faculties. That means that putting your affairs in order is something to do now and not procrastinate. After all, when you started a family, you didn’t wait until the children were grown to buy life insurance or think about their education. You took care of that when they were still crawling around in diapers because that is what mature adults do. Now is the time to be a mature adult about end-of-life paperwork, so those affairs are in order and ready for when needed. The kinds of end-of-life issues that should be decided, paid for, and settled now and by you include: nThe settlement of life insurance and who has the authority to close it out. nIs your will up-to-date and correct? This should be reviewed from time to time if your assets change or other details need to be altered. nAre your medical directives decided and signed?

This includes your decision about whether you wish to have your life prolonged if you are on artificial life support after a catastrophic illness or injury. This is called a DNR or “Do Not Resuscitate” order, and what you decide will be the law to medical teams who are caring for you during those final days.

nDon’t leave this decision to loved ones to agonize over when they are already in emotional distress. Be an adult, make those decisions now, and make sure your children and loved ones know your choices. nAre the proper legal documents for the disposition of business assets and how you wish to see other legal affairs handled documented correctly and in good legal order? A final review by your lawyers will give you peace of mind that these documents will not be susceptible to legal action after you are gone. nDo you have your funeral arrangements decided? You should decide where you will be buried, whether cremation is preferred, and other details of the ceremony. If there are particular hymns you want to have sung at your funeral, a church or minister you want to see handle the ceremony or other important details to you, document those so your loved ones can observe your wishes. Many prepay for the burial plot and casket in advance. This is an act of love if you do this and take that burden off your loved ones’ minds.

Finding and Executing Your Wishes Of all of the end-of-life decisions you will make, the most important one will be making sure all of these documents can be found and that you have carefully trained a trusted friend or relative in finding and executing these documents. The last thing you want to have happened is for your children to have to hunt through boxes of old papers to find life insurance papers, your will, or other essential endof-life documents. Create good legible copies that are legally correct and secure them where they are safe and easy to locate. Please go through them with your executor or who will be responsible for them so they know exactly how your will and other affairs should be administered. And make sure everybody has copies, including all of your children and everyone who is mentioned in the will. In this way, there will be no questions when the time comes, and everyone will know what to do.l

Support Nail Salon Workers and the New York Healthy Nail Salons Coalition

Getting a manicure after a long week at work to unwind and practice self-care is a time-old tradition. But it’s not often we stop to pause and think about the hardworking individuals who make these moments of rest and relaxation possible. Despite the shine and allure of the salon’s exterior, nail salon technicians experience harrowing conditions on the job: labor rights violations at their workplace, wage theft, health and safety concerns which have worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. With no proper ventilation and little personal protective equipment, nail salon workers are risking their lives to barely earn a minimum wage. Now, nail salon workers are not just sharing their experiences, they are also speaking up about their ideas for solutions. In January of 2022, nail salon workers and advocates introduced a bill, the Nail Salon Minimum Standards Council, in the state legislature proposing a council to bring together workers, employers and the state to co-create ways to bring industry-wide change. Whether we realize it or not, nail salons are not just momentary sanctuaries of self care, they’re an instrumental part of our neighborhoods and our communities. In New York alone, there are an estimated 5,700 salons in every corner of the state, and tens of thousands of nail technicians. They are women of color, immigrants, mothers, daughters, your neighbors, and caretakers. And they are speaking up. But we can’t do this alone. Consumers like you have an equally important role in bringing change to the industry, and that’s why we ask you to sign this pledge, to show love for the courageous individuals who take care of you in the salon. It’s all hands in: together, there is a possibility that will make the nail salon industry a different kind: one that centers on health, dignity, and justice of not just some, but all.l

Get support info at www.ijlef.org

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COVID-19 Rates in ICE Detention Are at Record Highs. Advocates Are Demanding an Investigation.

BY KATY MURDZA

The Omicron variant has spread through immigration detention like wildfire, with a record 14% of people in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody testing positive for COVID-19 as of February 1, 2022. That day, over 3,000 people in ICE custody had active cases, a 1,000% increase from one month prior. Despite the severity of the situation, detention centers continue to violate ICE policy intended to slow the spread of the virus. On February 11, advocates and six people currently or recently detained at the Denver Contract Detention Facility in Aurora, Colorado filed a complaint calling for an investigation into such violations. The complaint addresses the three Department of Homeland Security (DHS) oversight agencies: the Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, the Office of the Inspector General, and the Office of the Immigration Detention Ombudsman. It alleges that ICE and its contractor—the private prison company GEO Group—have violated ICE guidance and federal law during a recent COVID-19 outbreak at Aurora. As evidence, the complaint includes a signed declaration from each of the six individual complainants: Ramiro,* Santiago,* Leticia,* Musa,* Afuom,* and Camilo.* First, the complaint alleges that the detention center is violating ICE’s COVID-19 guidance. It describes how ICE and GEO have failed to protect the health of high-risk people; provide sufficient testing, vaccines, cleaning supplies, and access to services; and ensure proper masking. For example, Camilo* reports that he never received a COVID-19 test even though he was exposed and symptomatic. He was not offered a vaccine until he had been at the detention center for four months and can only access one mask at a time—sometimes only once a week. The complaint also alleges that ICE and GEO are violating ICE’s detention standards by failing to provide medical care to people sick with COVID-19. Afuom* states, “I felt very sick and was having trouble breathing. I was hot and shaking. I asked for emergency medical but was told to submit a [written request]. In my weakened condition, all I could do was lie down in bed. Since this time, I have continued to struggle with breathing. I wake up in the middle of the night unable to catch my breath. I have not received medical treatment for my difficulty breathing.” Another detention standard protects people in ICE custody from retaliation, but several of the complaints express a fear of speaking out about what is happening at the detention center. Camilo* reports that a member of the medical staff said, “They were going to move 13 people who tested positive to another dorm,” and instructed Camilo and others to “not talk to our attorneys or the news about this.” Finally, the complaint alleges that ICE and GEO have violated federal disability law by failing to accommodate people detained at Aurora who have physical and mental disabilities. Musa,* who suffers from “post-traumatic stress disorder; major depressive disorder; recurrent, severe, unspecific psychosis; unspecified anxiety disorder; and blackouts,” states: “When I woke up on the ninth day, I was confused and scared. I had had a blackout the night before. When I have blackouts, I am not aware of anything that is happening and I become gullible. You could put my hands in a fire, but I wouldn’t be able to react to it. I had a very severe mental breakdown on the ninth day, so I kicked the door a couple of times to get the attention of the officer and I told him he ha[d] to take me to medical…I think I was having a panic attack.” Solitary confinement is harmful to anyone, but this treatment is especially inappropriate for someone with serious mental health conditions. These recent examples are a continuation of ICE’s failure to implement basic public health measures throughout the entire pandemic. Federal courts, whistleblowers, oversight agencies, and internal emails have repeatedly shown ICE’s neglect has led to the spread of COVID-19 in detention. And while the pandemic has further emphasized the dangers of immigration detention, policy violations were common long before the pandemic. For example, the American Immigration Council and the American Immigration Lawyers Association filed complaints in 2018 and 2019 regarding ICE and GEO’s failure to provide medical care at Aurora. Given these failures, release is the most effective way to protect the health, safety, and due process of people fighting their immigration cases. It also protects public health in surrounding communities as outbreaks often spread beyond the walls of detention centers. ICE should release Ramiro,* Santiago,* Leticia,* Musa,* Afuom,* Camilo* and other people in its custody so that they can continue their immigration cases from their communities. l

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