Legal Issues for Senior Citizens- A Guide

According to this worldatlas.com report, Pennsylvania has the fifth highest percentage of residents over the age of 65. As the Pennsylvanian population ages, senior citizens face a myriad of issues they may not have thought of or planned for such as living longer than their retirement, increasing health insurance costs, being the target of scammers looking for some quick cash, needing help with their finances and health care decisions, and navigating the confusing world of Social Security and Medicare.

The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) recently released “A Guide to Legal Issues for Pennsylvania Senior Citizens.”  In an effort to ensure this guide is made available to anyone who may benefit from it, the PBA provides this information free of charge and did not copyright the documents.

The guide is 77 pages long and addresses all of the issues mentioned above and more.  It is an excellent resource for anyone concerned for themselves or a loved one.  However, it is just a starting point. While the information in the guide provides a solid foundation of the issues that may face an aging population, it is not one size fits all and may lead to more questions that require the assistance of a professional.  As always, if you have questions or wonder how you personally are impacted by issues facing seniors, you should speak with an attorney qualified to handle elder law issues.

Lindsay Schoeneberger is an attorney at Russell, Krafft and Gruber, LLP in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She received her law degree from Widener University School of Law and practices in a variety of areas, including Estate Planning.