Long Island couples who have been married 50 years or more gathered for a pre-Valentine’s celebration at the 3^rd Annual “Lasting Love” Valentine's Dinner here tonight, to toast their successful relationships. 

“This room is full of beautiful people who got it right,” said Jennifer Cona, Founder and Managing Partner of Cona Elder Law. “There are a lot of things older adults can teach us, including the secrets of staying together. Lessons of patience, of compromise. All those things that it takes to stay together for so long.” 

Each participating couple feasted on a traditional Italian dinner including appetizers, dinner and dessert plus a glass of wine or a cocktail. 

Couples also had the opportunity to share their stories about how they met and how they have been successful in their marriages and offer advice to younger couples on their own path to relationship success. 

“We got married very young and we grew up together,” said Shelley Rudes of Woodbury, NY. She and her husband Jonathan have been together for 51 years. “We never go to bed angry.” 

“I think it takes a lot of patience and a sense of humor,” said Diane Powell, of Roslyn, NY. She and her husband Tom have been married 52 years. “You need to keep your relationships with friends and family and be ready to face things you don’t expect. You have to stick together in good times and bad.” 

The event was sponsored by Cona Elder Law, which concentrates in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration and litigation, and health care law. Cona Elder Law takes a holistic approach to elder law, providing support and resources for older adults and caregivers, and maintains long-term, partnering relationships with clients to provide the best solutions for multiple generations.

About Cona Elder Law

Cona Elder Law concentrates in the areas of elder law, estate planning, estate administration and litigation, and health care law. Cona Elder Law takes a holistic approach to elder law, providing support and resources for older adults and caregivers, and maintains long-term, partnering relationships with clients to provide the best solutions for multiple generations.