Golden Years, Silver Rights:
Exploring the Landscape of Elder Law
Let’s talk about the evolution of elder law.
I don’t know how many of you were around in the days when doctors were just doctors. There were no pediatricians, no orthopedists, no dermatologists, etc. There was just your local physician who handled everything from acne to delivering babies.
Medicine isn’t the only field that has diversified.
Law used to be like that too.
As we became a more complex society our legal needs also became more complex. The legal discipline that showcases this is the evolution of elder law.
How Elder Law Began
Sixty years ago – in the 1960s “elder law” did not exist. There were lawyers who handled wills and trusts, but all of the many and varied challenges that are faced by older Americans were not addressed as a distinct area of specialty. Then, guess what happened! America started to get older!
A combination of happenings occurred – the Baby Boomers were aging, and life expectancy was increasing. Suddenly the legal profession was faced with a whole new set of questions to answer. For instance what’s to be done if someone needs to be in a nursing home but can’t afford it? What’s the solution to protecting seniors from financial exploitation? Who’s around to make medical decisions when someone can’t make them for themselves?
These legal issues that I’ve just mentioned were a part of a bigger picture that needed very specialized knowledge. Lawyers began to realize that to help older clients they needed an understanding of Social Security, Medicare, long-term care insurance, geriatric medicine basics in addition to a clear understanding of the law.
According to the American Bar Association the evolution of elder law began in the mid sixties.
The specialty actually began in 1987 when a group of attorneys founded the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA).
Don’t ever think of this as simply a professional club – it is so much more that that. It is a recognition that aging Americans need advocates who understand their challenges.
At the start, this organization had only a handful of members. Today NAELA is the cornerstone of a unique specialty that helps attorneys navigate everything from estate planning to disability rights.
The Evolution of Elder Law Continues
This discipline of law is fascinating because the evolution of elder law continues to this day.
Early on, it was mostly concerned with wills and nursing home planning. But today the Elder Law Attorneys at Kabb Law deal with cybercrime against seniors, digital assets in estate planning, and age discrimination in an age where many people are working well into their 70’s.
We’re Much More Than Attorneys
The attorneys at Kabb Law are not just attorneys, we’re part social workers, part financial advisors, and part family counselors.
Our field is one of the most comprehensive legal specialties that exist today.
In our office the day could begin with my helping a family member figure out the best way to pay for long-term care, then in the middle of the day I could be protecting a senior from financial abuse, and at the end of the day I could be advising a senior on retirement account distributions. I sometimes think of myself as the family doctor of the legal world – I need to know a little bit about everything in your life.
Elder Law is not stagnant.
Every day we need to adapt to new challenges. Just as medical technology advances, our office needs to grapple with questions about end-of-life care and genetic testing.
Because retirement savings keep getting more complex, I am here to help you navigate the maze of financial products and regulations. Also, because today families tend to be geographically dispersed, I need to find new ways to coordinate care and decision-making across state lines.
In the future Elder Law is going to become even more crucial. With Americans living longer than ever before, retirement savings are looking shakier every day. I, and other elder law attorneys, have become essential guides to help you navigate the complicated landscape of aging in the USA.
Adapting to Society’s Needs
I’d like everyone to understand that as elder law evolves Kabb Law adapts to society’s needs.
In our office it’s not just about knowing the law, it’s about understanding our clients, their challenges, and the complex systems that we navigate.
For total dedication to your situation call me, Rachel, at Kabb Law: 216-991-5222.
