WNYC has been running an excellent series of stories by health reporter Fred Mogul on the importance of end-of-life planning and care. The latest story in the series, “Death Beds: Living Wills Slowly Taking Root,” which aired on September 10, 2014, concerns health care proxies, living wills, and Medical Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment.

Unlike Sophie Bomba, the senior described in the story, many low-income seniors are unaware of their options, and some do not have family members who can help them. That’s where VOLS’ Elderly Project comes in. The project provides one-on-one counseling to low-income seniors at 12 walk-in legal clinics each month, and trains volunteer lawyers to prepare crucial life-planning documents.