Aged care advocate Bindy Marshall has joined Attwood Marshall Lawyers’ growing Aged Care department, bringing with her a wealth of experience and a steadfast commitment to client advocacy. Bindy will be instrumental to the firm’s efforts in helping our clients through the complex world of retirement planning and transitioning to aged care with compassion and understanding.
Welcome to the team Bindy!
Attwood Marshall Lawyers is excited to welcome the latest addition to our expanding Aged Care department – Bindy Marshall, a seasoned aged care advocate known for her unwavering dedication to assisting seniors and their families.
Previously, Bindy worked as an aged care liaison officer for a specialist advisory firm on the Gold Coast for many years, where she built up a wealth of knowledge in navigating the intricate financial side of aged care for clients.
Driven by a passion to help elderly people and make a difference in their lives, she started working in the sector over eight years ago. Leveraging her extensive experience in event management and sales, Bindy has become thoroughly embedded in the local community and can now boast a wide network of contacts across the aged care industry, allowing her to act quickly, mobilizing resources and connecting clients with the right experts when they need it most.
Bindy is always looking out for the rights of the elderly and their families, and we are delighted to have her on board.
“I thrive in being able to guide someone on the how, why and where of Aged Care,” says Bindy. “The people I help the most are at the end of their tether with hospitals, aged care facilities and Centrelink. They need simplicity, compassion, and care because their world has been turned upside down, and I can help guide them through that, making sure their immediate needs are being met and helping with the next steps.”
Attwood Marshall Lawyers’ Aged Care department is headed up by Partner Debbie Sage, who has over 20 years’ experience working in the field of Wills and Estates. Debbie’s vision has been instrumental in shaping our Aged Care services, grounded in the belief that every senior deserves robust legal protection and support during their transition to aged care or retirement living.
Debbie is thrilled to have Bindy joining the team.
“We are delighted to welcome Bindy as the newest member to our team,” Debbie said.
“Her commitment to community service, exemplified by her remarkable contributions to initiatives like the ‘Aged Care We Care’ Christmas Appeal and the Seniors Roundtable, resonates deeply with our core values. Bindy brings with her a passion for making a difference in the lives of others, coupled with extensive expertise acquired in the aged care industry, making her an invaluable asset to our team.”
Attwood Marshall Lawyers has been a participant in the annual ‘Aged Care We Care’ Christmas Appeal for several years, an appeal that Bindy Marshall helped to launch. As part of the charity drive, each year our staff collects gifts to be donated to elderly residents in aged care facilities and hospitals on the Gold Coast from November through to early December.
Bindy founded the charity to touch the lives of those feeling lonely and forgotten during the holiday season.
“I was horrified to hear the term ‘granny dump’ at Christmas time. A hospital was explaining to me that they had to clear out a few wings at Christmas time in preparation for Granny Dump, where families who went away on holidays would drop their elderly loved ones off at the hospital so they could be cared for while they went away.”
“After speaking with other hospitals, aged care facilities and home care providers they all advised that Christmas is a very lonely time for a lot of our seniors.”
From these conversations, the idea for the Aged Care We Care appeal began. Bindy now works closely with members of the Rotary Club at Pimpama Ormeau and local businesses to make sure this initiative is a success each year. She diligently coordinates the detailed lists and gifts that come in to ensure every lonely senior gets a gift from the community each Christmas.
Aged Care Department Spotlight
Attwood Marshall Lawyers’ Aged Care department sits within the wider Wills and Estates team, which represents many clients who live in aged care facilities or who are preparing for their transition into aged care. Our experienced lawyers assist clients in updating, or drafting a Will and an Enduring Power of Attorney which is often a requirement when moving into aged care.
The retirement village and aged care sector in Australia can be an incredibly complex market to navigate, and having an expert on side to help with the myriad financial and legal considerations is vital.
Our aged care services cover:
- Retirement village leases and service contracts
- Aged care resident agreements
- Granny flat agreements
- Estate planning
- Home care package agreements
Accredited Aged Care Professionals
With in-depth knowledge of the aged care sector, we are one of the few law firms boasting two Accredited Aged Care Professionals in Partner Debbie Sage and Senior Associate Larisa Kapur.
The accreditation is widely recognised as the gold standard for training in aged care advisory. The program equips professionals with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the complexities of aged care, ultimately empowering them to guide their clients in making well-informed decisions about their options.
Partner Debbie Sage has been an Accredited Aged Care Professional with Aged Care Steps since 2020. Senior Associate Larisa Kapur earned her accreditation in 2023 – both underscoring their dedication to assisting elderly clients. Bindy will also start the program in the coming weeks.
Trusted legal and financial advice from an accredited aged care professional is the key to covering all your bases and ensuring your best interests are being protected – no matter what you decide.
Embedded in the Gold Coast’s aged care community
Attwood Marshall Lawyers takes part in several local Seniors Expos that take place throughout the year, allowing our experts to connect with members of the community and answer their questions related to Wills and estates and transitioning to aged care. These events are held at community centres and allow seniors to chat with professionals about a range of different specialist areas and products aimed at their needs.
We are also members of the Gold Coast Seniors Round Table, which Bindy Marshall has chaired for the past eight years.
Each month, lawyers from our Aged Care department join hospital social workers, financial advisers, lawyers, home care providers, physios, NDIS providers, disability workers, suppliers and more to educate and brainstorm solutions for how the care of our elderly and disadvantaged can be improved. Representatives from the Department of Health and Ageing, Department of Justice, Services Australia, the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission and City of Gold Coast also take part.
When Bindy first took up the position of chair, it was a 20-attendee networking event. Fast forward to today, and the roundtable has grown to a strong community of likeminded professionals boasting over 350 members.
Industry awards and recognition
Bindy joins the firm after being named as a finalist in this year’s Heart of Women Awards. The awards acknowledge the outstanding achievements of women living in the Tweed Shire, Gold Coast, Brisbane or Byron Shire who demonstrate courage, passion, enthusiasm and generosity their community. Bindy has been nominated in the Aged Care category.
Having known Bindy for several years and seeing first-hand the hard work and passion she puts into serving her community, we congratulate her on this well-deserved accolade.
We are proud that the Aged Care department is no stranger to being recognised as leaders in their field. In 2023, for example, Debbie Sage was named as a finalist in the Gold Coast Bulletin Women of the Year Awards as well as the Lawyers Weekly Women in Law Awards. Both nominations were in recognition of all the hard work she does advocating for the safety and wellbeing of the elderly community.
Attwood Marshall Lawyers – supporting people at every stage of life
With specialised experience in the aged care sector, we’re here to help our clients make an informed decision about their care and living arrangements. We are deeply committed to the aged care sector and vigilantly track and assess the evolving changes that impact both aged care providers and the individuals they care for.
To explore your options, please contact our Aged Care and Wills and Estates Department Manager, Donna Tolley, on direct line 07 5506 8241, email dtolley@attwoodmarshall.com.au or free call 1800 621 071.
