What types of issues does Elder Law cover?

Elder Law is a legal field dealing with legal issues that affect the elderly. In Washington, Elder Law covers a broad range of issues including long-term care planning, retirement planning, social security, guardianship, nursing home and assisted living facilities, Medicare and Medicaid, elder abuse and neglect, elder financial exploitation, wills and trusts, and elder housing. Long-term care planning helps ensure that elderly individuals receive appropriate care as they age, including determining how to cover the cost of care. Retirement planning involves choosing how to best manage funds to support one’s retirement needs. Social security includes understanding how one can maximize their benefits when they retire. Guardianship is a legal process for appointing someone to make decisions for an incapacitated individual to protect their interests. Nursing home and assisted living facilities require understanding how to pay for the costs of long-term care and how to protect one’s rights in these facilities. Medicare and Medicaid assists with understanding how to access government-funded health benefits. Elder abuse and neglect can take many forms, including physical and emotional abuse, financial exploitation, abandonment, or withholding necessary medical care. Elder financial exploitation is a common issue and it can involve taking advantage of a vulnerable elderly individual in order to gain their money, property, or other items. Finally, Elder Law also deals with wills and trusts, which provide protection of one’s family and property when they pass away. It also covers elder housing, which involves understanding how to access and benefit from housing programs meant to assist the elderly population.

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