Free advance care planning for senior citizens

It’s not something any of us like to dwell on, but while confronting mortality can be difficult, no one wants to leave their loved ones with unnecessary financial or bureaucratic burdens. Advance planning can provide peace of mind for those near the end of life, but unfortunately, seniors with limited financial means are often unable to access legal services to prepare the documents needed. CLIX partnered with AWESUM Care to facilitate pro bono legal services for low income seniors looking to put their affairs in order and provide comfort and reassurance to their loved ones.

AWEsum Care is an organization made up of legal professionals operating on a social business model — providing legal documents and document services for a fee to private businesses and individuals able to pay, and free of charge to underserved communities who would otherwise face challenges in securing legal documents. They offer pro bono preparation and witnessing of a variety of documents, including enduring powers of attorney, advanced medical directives, and wills.

AWEsum Care turned to CLIX with a request for additional pro bono lawyers to work on their “witnessing days” events in Hong Kong, where volunteer lawyers spend the day witnessing enduring powers of attorney for local senior citizens free of charge.

CLIX connected AWEsum Care with five lawyers from the law firm Lewis Silkin who volunteered at one of AWEsum Care’s witnessing days, where they checked and witnessed documents for 20 seniors. AWEsum Care plans to expand the range of document services offered and to hold regular witnessing events at different senior centers around Hong Kong in the second half of 2025. CLIX is currently arranging volunteer lawyers for these events.