Legal Resources for the Elderly

The aging population may find that as they grow older, there are many age specific legal issues that can arise. Elder law is an area of legal practice that places emphasis on legal topics that affect the elderly. This field of practice covers a wide range of issues facing the elderly and it is often recommended that senior citizens seek counseling and advice from lawyers certified in elder law. Because many elderly people are unable to handle their daily tasks by themselves, they may require assistance from other people from time to time. Their dependence on other people may lead to certain problems, some of which can only be solved legally. One of the most common problems that elderly people face is elder abuse. Presently, there are close to six million elder abuse cases in the United States every year, and these cases can come in the form of physical abuse, exploitation, neglect, and others. Elderly people may also seek out the help of a lawyer when making end of life arrangements. These can come in the form or planning wills, estates, funerals, power of attorneys and more. It is especially important that advanced health care decisions be made as well as funding for health care needs by obtaining medical insurance, medical compensation, income assistance and other income related support. The elder population also faces other hardships in the form of consumer issues. Unfortunately many senior citizens are taken advantage of and fall victim to fraud, identity theft and other crimes. Fortunately, there are laws in the country that provide adequate protection for elderly people, and it is important that elderly people know their legal rights. Look to the following resource guide for insight on important elder issues.

Advanced Health Care Decisions

• Advance Health Care Directives: An overview of advance health care directives.
• Advance Health Care Directives Q&A: Questions and answers that can help elderly people gain a better understanding of advance health care directives.
• Types of Advance Health Care Directives: Descriptions of various forms of advance health care directives.
• Uniform Health Care Decisions Act: Uniform laws pertaining to elderly health care decisions.
• Advance Directives Resource Page: This web page contains links to useful information about advanced health care directives.

Powers of Attorney

• Powers of Attorney: Basic information on powers of attorney.
• Understanding Powers of Attorney: An excellent explanation of the powers of attorney in relation to elderly care.
• Making a Power of Attorney: Useful advice for helping elderly people make powers of attorney.
• Powers of Attorney FAQ: Frequently asked questions about powers of attorney.

Wills, Trusts, and Estates

• What are Wills and Trusts?: Learn about wills and trusts by reading this article.
• Special Needs Trust: This web page provides an excellent overview of special needs trust.
• Will, Trust, and Estate Planning: A document that discusses the legal areas of wills, trusts, and estates.
• Wills, Trusts, and Estates Links: List of websites with good information on wills, trusts, and estates.

Funerals

• Funeral Pre-Planning Bill of Rights: A bill of rights for those who are planning to engage the services of a funeral home.
• Prepaid Funeral Contracts: Frequently asked questions about prepaid funeral contracts and burial plots.
• The Funeral Rule: A set of rules established by the Federal Trade Commission to protect consumers of funeral goods.
• Funeral Decision-Making Rights: Find out who has the legal right to make decisions about a funeral.

Guardianships

• The Legal Guardianship: Comprehensive information about legal guardianships.
• Adult Guardianship Reports: List of reports showing the adult guardianship situation in the United States.
• Guardianship Law Resources: A resource page with links to information related to elderly guardianship.

Medical and Health Insurance

• Medicare: Extensive information on Medicare.
• Medicaid Rules: Learn more about Medicaid for elderly people in this website.
• Federal Long Term Care Insurance: Laws regarding the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program.
• Understanding HIPAA: Find out why elderly people need to understand their rights under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Medicaid in Nursing Homes

• Medicaid Nursing Home: Brief explanation of Medicaid nursing home.
• Nursing Home Medicaid Eligibility: This document details the basic rules for nursing home Medicaid eligibility.
• Medicaid Nursing Home Services: Studies on nursing home services that are Medicaid-financed.

Long Term Care Financing

• Long Term Care Financing: An article that can help elderly people find the right long term care financing.
• Long Term Care Private Financing: Options available for those who are seeking private financing for long term care.
• The CLASS Act: An overview of the Community Living Assistance Services and Support program, or CLASS act.
• Long Term Care Financing Information: Extensive information and statistical data on long term care financing.

Social Security

• Social Security Benefits: Fact sheet showing how elderly people had benefited from social security in the past.
• Social Security for the Elderly: Important information about social security benefits for elderly people.
• Social Security Retirement Q&A: Questions and answers that provide a better understanding of social security retirement.
• Elderly Social Security Links: Links to social security information that is useful to senior citizens.

Income Assistance

• Tax Counseling for Seniors: Elderly people can find out how to get tax counseling by reading this document.
• Employee Retirement Income Security Act: Concise description of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, as well as related links.
• Low-Income Assistance Articles: Articles discussing low-income assistance for elderly people.

Consumer Issues

• Consumer Fraud on Seniors: Discussion on elder fraud as well as prevention measures.
• Types of Elder Fraud: The most common forms of fraud occurring to elderly people.
• Dealing with Elder Fraud: Great tips for preventing and dealing with elder fraud.

Elder Abuse

• Elder Abuse FAQ: Frequently asked questions about elder abuse.
• Elder Abuse Laws: Federal and state laws that provide protection for victims of elder abuse.
• Filing Financial Elder Abuse: Reasons why it is worthwhile to file a lawsuit for financial elder abuse.
• Elder Abuse Reporting: This document reveals how laws regarding elder abuse vary from one state to another.
• Elder Abuse Article: A journal article that offers an interesting insight into elder abuse laws.

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