Elder Law is not a separate body of law per se. It is an area of practice with a holistic approach, defined by the needs of the client. It includes the following areas:

	1. Age discrimination
	2. Durable Powers of Attorney, & other planning devices
	3. Elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation
	4. Estate Planning & Probate
	5. Financing long-term care
	6. Guardianship & Conservatorship
	7. Health care decisions and health care quality issues
	8. Medicaid Planning
	9. Disability Planning
	10. Medicare, Medicaid, and other public benefits
	11. Trusts
	12. Rights of Nursing Home patients

    Different Elder Law attorneys will have expertise in several or many of the above areas. At Osborne & Visconti, we hope to be able to help you with all of your legal needs, but our areas of concentration involves issues of incapacity, and planning for disability. These areas include Trusts, Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, and Guardianships. 

   In my capacities as both an attorney for guardians, and as a guardian, I have seen what happens when elders do not plan for disability. In particular, I have seen what happens in families where Alzheimer's strikes, and the elder and their family do not face this problem. On the one hand, it is human nature to deny the awful finality of what is happening. On the other hand, however, a person diagnosed with early stage Alzheimer's has only a small window of opportunity to get their affairs in order. If the elder and his or her loved ones fail to plan, they risk acrimony, litigation, and possible exploitation by potential heirs and others. Based on my observations and experience, I recently published a pamphlet on The Legal Side of Alzheimer's. To read the text (sans pictures), click HERE.

   Couples facing long-term nursing home care need to engage in both long-term care planning and Medicaid Planning if they wish to avoid impoverishment of their spouse and be able to leave a substantial legacy to their heirs. For more information on Medicaid Planning, click HERE.