Older Adults

Older adults may be dealing with things like divorce, remarriage, access to grandchildren, caring for a spouse or the death of a spouse and may need legal information about these issues from the perspective of being an older adult.

Seniors may want to stay in their own home but not be able to completely care for themselves. There are programs and services available that can help. Seniors may also want to consider housing options such as retirement or assisted living communities. When a senior needs more help there are also care homes and long-term care facilities that provide various levels of care.

Seniors can have unique money issues based on their stage in life. They may have most of their money tied up in their home in the form of equity they have built up over the years. Information about options for accessing this equity can help older adults make informed decisions about staying in their home or selling it. At this stage of life seniors may also be looking at ways to pass money on to their children. Joint accounts are one way to do this but seniors must be aware of the advantages and drawbacks of using joint accounts for estate planning.

Sometimes an adult loses their ability to make good decisions. Maybe the adult has had a stroke or is suffering from Alzheimer’s. In these cases someone can ask the court to make them a guardian or co-decision maker for the adult.

Older adults can be isolated from friends and family and dependant on others for their care. This can make them more vulnerable to abuse but elder abuse can happen to any older person. Knowing the signs of abuse and how to deal with abuse is important for older adults and the people who care about them.

Older adults can face discrimination based on their age. This kind of discrimination is against the law. Older adults can be treated differently but only based on their individual abilities.