Mark Gilfix, a partner at Gilfix and La Poll Associates, was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Authors award from Trusts and Estates magazine for his 2018 article “Aging at Home: How technology and AI can help our clients.” He won in the Rising Star category. His article was nominated by the editors of Trusts and Estates and then chosen as one of four winners by subscribers of the magazine, other expert attorneys and financial planners from around the country.
Gilfix’s article detailed new technology and artificial intelligence that can help aging clients safely stay in their homes, and out of nursing facilities. His article tells a story of how one of his aging clients was determined to live independently in his home but refused to accept full time help, much to his daughter’s dismay. By implementing a system of potentially lifesaving and unobtrusive technology solutions, the client and his daughter were both happy.
Gilfix suggests to others interested in doing the same to install smart home devices, like a thermostat that easily manages home heating and cooling, a pill dispenser that ensures medications are being taken on time and a refrigerator that can keep track of the amount of food inside, to improve household management. Other devices, like wearables that monitor movement with the ability to contact help in the event of a fall, video doorbells, or personal assistant devices like Amazon’s Alexa or Google Home, ensure the safety of loved ones. These technologies can give everyone peace of mind even when family members do not live near enough to check in regularly in person. He advises professionals on how they can help clients to implement these amazing new solutions, and the importance of building deep, trusting relationships with clients.
Gilfix is passionate about estate planning and elder law, long term care, and special-needs planning. He recently coauthored a book with his father Michael Gilfix, titled Facing the Reality of Long Term Care. He accepted the Distinguished Authors award at a reception held during the Heckerling Institute on Estate Planning in Orlando, Florida. He expressed his gratitude to the magazine and everyone who voted in a tweet about the award, and looks forward to the opportunity to continue to contribute to the magazine.