Legal

IDENTIFYING YOUR Resources

What is the current inventory of legal resources and services available to older adults in your community?
What resources provide the following kinds of legal education and assistance:
- Estate planning (e.g. will clinics, living trust)
- Advance care planning (i.e., health care power of attorney, living will, durable power of attorney)
What resources are available to educate people about the following types of legal matters:
- Need for legal planning
- Legal rights
- Consumer protection
- Available legal assistance
Is there a local guardianship program where paid staff or volunteers serve as guardians to people who are unable to manage their personal or business affairs due to illness or accident?
Are there private lawyers in your community who provide pro bono assistance to older people? If so, how many?
How do older adults become aware of this resource?
Will current legal services be able to meet the needs of the projected number of older adults in five, 10, or 20 years?

What are the primary strengths of legal services?
What are the primary gaps in legal services?
Are older adults aware of the legal services available to them?
- How do older adults learn about legal services available to them?
- What are your current methods of outreach to educate older consumers about legal services?
- How can your community improve outreach and awareness of legal services?
Are older adults able to access the available legal services?
Do legal services meet the needs cited by older adults?
How can you assess the legal planning needs of older adults?
Are the legal services culturally appropriate with regard to:
- Age
- Language barriers for people who don't speak English
- Literacy levels
- Race/ethnicity
- Disability
What are the opportunities for coordination among legal service providers?

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Updated: November 2, 2007