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Legal Issues for Older Adults – 2017 Edition



The Legal Issues for Older Adults handbook is designed to help identify some of the common legal questions people may have as they age.

This handbook is not legal advice. But it will alert you to issues you should think about, and it will give you basic ideas and definitions you can use to decide if you need legal advice. You can find contact information for any government, social service or community program referenced in this hand book in the resources section (Chapter 8).

This edition was updated in January 2017. The law can change at any time though, so some information may not be accurate later. Look for more current information from the websites and contact information in each chapter.

Purchase a copy for $10 in our Online Bookstore. You may also download the entire document, available below in English, Spanish, Russian, Chinese, or Vietnamese., The table of contents with topics covered in each chapter is also available below.


You may need to download and install the free Adobe Acrobat Reader
to view and print some of these documents.


Download the 2017 edition in the following languages:

  • English
  • Spanish
  • Russian
  • Chinese
  • Vietnamese


Table of Contents



Chapter 1: Social Security and Other Benefit Programs

1-1 Social Security
1-2 Railroad Retirement Annuities
1-3 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Based on Age
1-4 Employee Pensions
1-5 Disability-based Benefi ts: Social Security Disability
1-6 Supplemental Security Income (SSI) based on Disability
1-7 Railroad Disability Benefi ts
1-8 Veterans’ Disability Benefi ts
1-9 Benefi ts Overpayments
1-10 Earnings from Work
1-11 Age and Disability Discrimination in the Workplace
1-12 Other Income Sources for Seniors
1-13 State Financial Programs
1-14 Additional Programs for Seniors

Chapter 2: Medical Matters for Seniors

2-1 Medicare Overview
2-2 Medicare Eligibility
2-3 Medicare Enrollment
2-4 What Medicare Covers
2-5 How Medicare Pays
2-6 Medicare Claims
2-7 Medicare Denials and Appeals
2-8 “Medigap,” the Supplemental Health Insurance for Medicare
2-9 Help in Making Medicare Health Plan Decisions
2-10 HIPAA Release Forms
2-11 The Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid)
2-12 How to Apply
2-13 How OHP Medicaid Pays
2-14 Problems with Managed Care under the Oregon Health Plan
2-15 Oregon Health Plan Denials and Appeals
2-16 Getting Long-term Care
2-17 Paying for Long-term Care
2-18 Veterans’ Health Care Benefits
2-19 VA Health Care Denials and Appeals
2-20 Affordable Care Act Coverage
2-21 Making Health Care Decisions
2-22 Doctors’ Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
2-23 Oregon’s Death with Dignity Law

Chapter 3: Housing Options for Seniors

3-1 Overview
3-2 Staying in Your Own Home
3-3 Deferring Your Property Taxes
3-4 Veterans’ Property Tax Exemption
3-5 Living in Your Rented Home or Condominium
3-6 Fair Housing Rights
3-7 Assisted Living 3-8 Adult Care Homes
3-9 Continuum of Care Retirement Community (CCRC)
3-10 Residential Care Facility
3-11 Memory Care (Dementia) Facilities
3-12 Nursing Facilitiesi
3-13 Choosing a Senior Community74
3-14 The Residents’ Bill of Rights
3-15 Skilled Nursing Home Residents’ Rights
3-16 Complaining about Problems Where You Live

Chapter 4: Managing as You Age: Your Money, Yourself

4-1 Direct Deposit
4-2 Automatic Bill Payment
4-3 Joint Bank Accounts
4-4 Powers of Attorney
4-5 Representative Payee
4-6 Conservatorship
4-7 Managing Your Well-Being
4-8 Guardianship

Chapter 5: Estate Planning

5-1 Overview
5-2 Dying without a Will
5-3 Wills
5-4 Probate
5-5 Alternatives to Wills
5-6 Estate Transfer Taxes
5-7 General advice

Chapter 6: When Someone Dies

6-1 In the First Few Days
6-2 In the First Few Weeks
6-3 Probating the Estate

Chapter 7: Family and Relationship Issues

7-1 Marrying in Later Life
7-2 Ending a Marriage or Domestic Partnership
7-3 Grandparents’ Rights
7-4 Violence in the Home
7-5 Elder Abuse

Chapter 8: Resources

8-1 Social Services
8-2 Help with Legal Issues
8-3 Federal Benefi ts
8-4 Tax Issues
8-5 Housing Issues
8-6 Employment Discrimination
8-7 Resources for Veterans
8-8 Protection from Abuse
8-9 Health Care Planning
8-10 Help with Medicare and Other Insurance

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms







  • Legal Information Topics

    Legal Information Topics

    • View All Documents
    • Bankruptcy and Debt
    • Business Law
    • Consumer Rights and Remedies (Money & Debt)
    • Courts
    • Criminal Law
    • Disabilities
    • Disputes: Arbitration/Mediation
    • Elder Law
    • Employment/Public Benefits
    • Family Law
    • Health Law
    • Immigration Law
    • LGBTQ+ Information
    • Landlord and Tenant
    • Lawyers
    • Libel and Slander
    • Marijuana and Hemp
      (Cannabis) Law
    • Oregon Law
    • Traffic Law and Auto Accidents
    • Youth Law
    • Wills and Trusts

    Pamphlet Information

    • Oregon Juror Handbook
    • Bulk Pamphlet Order Form
  • Getting Legal Help

    Lawyer Referral Service

    • LRS Home
    • Referral Request Form

    Modest Means Program

    • Modest Means Info
    • Modest Means Application

    Problem Solvers

    • Problem Solvers Info


    Working With A Lawyer

    • Finding The Right Lawyer
    • Hiring A Lawyer
    • Lawyers Fees
    • Unlawful Practice of Law

    Do-It-Yourself Legal Info

    • Restraining Order Hearings
    • Small Claims Court
    • Summary Dissolution

    Low Cost Legal Help

    • Child Support Services
    • Legal Aid
    • Public Defender Services
    • Public Interest/Law School Clinics


    Military Assistance Panel

    • MAP Info

    Unlawful Practice of Law

    • UPL Information
    • UPL FAQ

    Other Resources

    • OregonLawHelp.org
  • Client Services
    • Client Assistance Office
    • Client Security Fund
    • Fee Dispute Resolution
    • Public Records Request
  • Getting Involved

    Volunteer Opportunities

    • Public Member Application
Legal Information for the Public

Legal Information Topics
Juror Handbook
Bulk Pamphlet Order Form

Getting Legal Help

Lawyer Referral Service
Referral Request Form
Legal Aid Unlawful Practice of Law Info

Client Services

Client Assistance Office
Client Security Fund
Fee Dispute Resolution
Public Records Request

Getting Involved

Public Member Application

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