Elder law is an emerging field in law practice that aims to focus entirely on issues facing elders and seniors. Elderlaw is not a specific section of the law. It gets its name from the population, or clientele it serves – the older citizens. Practice of elder law amalgamates all of following areas and beyond: preparing estate planning documents, pension plans, retirement planning, evaluating social Security benefits. The extended areas of service include consumer protection, ethical considerations, discrimination, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, Medicaid, capacity issues, guardianship and alternatives to guardianship, elder abuse and neglect, adult protective services, nursing homes, long term care, housing health-care decisions, end-of-life decisions, estate planning, and grand parents’ rights. Elder law attorneys collaborate with a broad spectrum of professions that are involved with older people – social workers, geriatricians, financial planners, tax consultants, medical professionals, professional caregivers etc.

In addition, the elder law attorneys have to work closely with the family members and be cognizant and sensitive to the personal relationships of their client. Elder law professionals focus on the legal needs of the elderly and use several legal tools and techniques to meet the goals and objectives of the older client. It is different from traditional estate planning in that the focus is more on planning for, and meeting the contingencies of an extended lifetime – for instance the ethical issues surrounding an incapacitated older person and the legal decisions to be made by that person. The elder law attorney is a great resource for addressing the legal needs of the older person.