The Aged Client and the Law

Medical advances are keeping people alive longer and, as a result, elderly people, their families and those who work with them are confronting new problems. For many, old age is the first time they must deal with government agencies, subsidies, benefit forms, lawyers, and the law. Seniors face difficulties and need someone to turn to for assistance in these matters. In clear non-technical language, The Aged Client and the Law by John J. Regan explains the laws affecting the major concerns of older persons and their families. The book's two goals are to provide legal information regarding the major programs, sources, and methods for meeting the needs of older people for income, health care, and maintenance of autonomy, and to explore legal issues and problems caseworkers may encounter when assisting older clients. The broad coverage of legal concerns in this guide goes beyond mere health care issues. Sections describe: -Social Security and public pensions -Supplemental Security Income (SSI) -private pensions and income tax benefits -Medicare and health insurance -Medicaid -long-term care -decision-making by and for the incapacitated -intervention for the frail elderly Regan provides straightforward and basic examples to facilitate understanding of the laws and regulations presented in The Aged Client and the Law. All sections emphasize client planning rather than litigation of abstract rights. The book is current, including the latest changes in Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid up to 1990. Providing basic legal information, Regan stresses the factors and issues the professional advisor should consider when dealing with the problems of the elderly.