Elder Law

With over 35 million Americans age 65 or older, society and the law have grown very attentive to the needs of the elderly. In this course we will examine the aspects of aging that have particularly impacted on law and public policy. Law both protects the elderly and grants them rights and privileges. We will examine the interplay of law and public policy in the context of Social Security, private pensions, Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care financing, guardianship and mental capacity, health care decision making, housing and the abuse and neglect of the elderly.