Senator Kemp Hannon is sponsoring a free forum for senior citizens, their families and those planning for the future about elder care and estate law, long term care issues and Medicare and Medicaid. The program, "Protecting Your Life's Work in an Uncertain World," will be held Tuesday, Sept. 21 at the Farmingdale Public Library, from 1-3 p.m.

"I am offering this free forum because the 'golden years' can be difficult for seniors and their families who very often don't understand what their options are or even worse, are not prepared to deal with the loss of income or an illness," Senator Hannon said. "It is my hope that with a better understanding of services, our 'golden years' can be a time to do things we've always dreamed about."

The forum will feature the following six panelists: Ray Donnelly and Jim Appelt of Senior Network Solutions; Sheila M. Lyons, an elder law attorney; Elizabeth Pollina-Donlon, an estate planning attorney; John Coyle, executive director of Pathways to Independent Living; and Marlene Botta, an EPIC representative.

"They will guide us through the complex and complicated world of elder law, long-term care planning and estate planning," Hannon said.

In addition to the seminar, free materials will be available about long-term care insurance and other issues of concern to senior citizens.

The Farmingdale Public Library is located at 116 Merritts Road. Registration for the program begins at 12:45 p.m. To reserve a seat, call Hannon's community office at 739-1700.