Other Resources

ABA Commission on Legal Problems of the Elderly
(Click here to visit their website)

The Commission is a multidisciplinary group dedicated to examining the law-related concerns of older persons. Established by the American Bar Association in 1978, the Commission has sought to improve legal services for the elderly, particularly through involvement of the private bar. The 15-member multidisciplinary commission is composed of lawyers, judges, physicians, professors, aging network leaders, and advocates for older persons. The Commission's work has lead to publications, research, and demonstration projects of considerable value to the Association and the public at large.

Several entities from within the ABA, as well as outside organizations, have become increasingly interested in the Commission's work. Within the ABA, the Commission has liaisons from Senior Lawyers; Real Property, Probate and Trust; Young Lawyers; and Family Law. The Commission itself has liaisons to the Standing Committee on Legal Aid and Indigent Defendants; Commission on Homelessness and Poverty; Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service; Consortium on Legal Services and the Public; Bioethics Coordinating Committee; and Commission on Mental and Physical Disability Law.

The Commission continues to explore a wide range of legal issues surrounding such topics as (1) long-term care; (2) delivery of legal services to the elderly; (3) use of home equity as an income source for the elderly; (4) Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other public benefits programs; (5) managed care; (6) dispute resolution; (7) housing; (8) protective services; (9) elder abuse; (10) ethical issues; (11) health care decision-making; (12) end-of-life care; 13) guardianship and surrogate decision-making; and 14) individual rights.
The Commission publishes a quarterly newsletter, BIFOCAL, which aims to generate legal resources for older persons through the joint efforts of public and private bar groups and the aging network. Each issue contains a substantive article on an elder law issue that impacts the elderly and is of interest to state and area agencies on aging, bar association entities, private attorneys, law schools, and senior citizen groups. It also features articles on the delivery of legal assistance to the elderly through pro bono, reduced fee, and community legal education programs, book reviews, and pertinent announcements.
The Commission also distributes a bi-monthly Bulletin to Bar Association Elder Law Sections and Committees. The Bulletin provides timely information on upcoming CLE and other events; reports of elder law bar section and committee activities; announcements of pertinent projects and awards; and contacts for technical assistance in the planning and implementation of committee and section objectives