Elder Law Foundations: Legal Issues Affecting Older Adults

Elder law addresses the legal needs of older adults including long-term care planning, government benefits, estate planning, and protection from exploitation. Understanding the major issue areas and the basic legal tools helps families plan thoughtfully. This course gives you a calm, structured introduction. You will learn the major issue areas elder law addresses, the role of advance planning, and how to think about engaging qualified elder law attorneys. The course stays grounded in widely used principles and respects that specific rules vary by jurisdiction. What you'll learn: - Understand the major issue areas including long-term care, government benefits, and estate planning - Recognize the basics of Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security as they apply to elders - Read the role of advance directives including healthcare proxies and living wills - Identify financial powers of attorney and their importance in elder planning - Apply principles for recognizing and preventing elder abuse and financial exploitation - Distinguish informational guidance from legal advice for actual elder planning The course begins with major issue areas, moves through government benefits, advance directives, financial powers of attorney, abuse prevention, and closes with the line between information and legal advice. Written exercises help you assess current family planning. This course is designed for absolute beginners learning about elder law, including older adults, adult children supporting parents, and adults thinking about their own future planning. No legal background is required. The course is informational and does not provide legal advice; elder law situations involve significant legal and financial complexity and benefit from consultation with qualified elder law attorneys.