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Bifocal
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Bifocal 29(4) March 2008
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Submit An Article or News About Your Bar Group's Activities
Bifocal invites the submission of news about your elder bar section’s activities, as well as brief articles of interest to elder law and other professionals in the aging advocacy network.
Share news about your entity’s initiatives towards the delivery of direct legal assistance to older persons in your particular area; pro bono and reduced fee programs; community legal education programs; multi-disciplinary partnerships; and new resources that are helpful to professionals and consumers.
Also welcome are substantive law articles on legal issues of interest to state area agencies on aging, bar association entities, private attorneys, legal services projects, law schools, and others in the law and aging network.
Bifocal is published bi-monthly (six times a year). E-mail Jamie Philpotts at philpotj@staff.abanet.org for manuscript guidelines and deadline information for upcoming issues.
*E-photos are especially welcomed!
Back Issues
- Bifocal 29(4) March 2008
Using Emeritus Attorney Pro Bono Programs to Meet Unmet Civil Legal Needs, by Holly Robinson
National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2008
Complimentary, Online CLE Programs from 2007 Nat’l Aging & Law Conference Now Available
Free Consumer Booklet on Housing Options for Older Adults
Facilitating Voting As People Age Issue of McGeorge Law Review Now Online
Grants to Fund Pilot Projects for Transitioning and Retired Pro Bono Attorneys
Film Review: Do Not Go Gently: The Power of Imagination in Aging
Web Sites Offer Help to Seniors Applying for Economic Stimulus Plan Payments - Bifocal 29(3) February 2008
Team Approach to Guardianship Preserves Independence of Ward, Generates Savings for State, by Jean Callahan and Andrea Snelson, The Vera Institute of Justice
Legal Services Program Tackles Senior Debt, by Dolores Schaefer, MFY Legal Services
Economic Stimulus Bill Includes Disregard of Refund As Income or Resources, by Holly Robinson, ABA Commission
Public Guardianship After 25 Years: In the Best Interest of Incapacitated People? by Pamela B. Teaster, Erica F. Wood, Winsor C. Schmidt, Jr., and Susan A. Lawrence
Kentucky Assesses Legal Needs of Seniors
National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2008 (Webinar March 19)
Select NALC Workshops Available Online for Listening
Funding Opportunities: Partnership in Law and Aging (Last Chance!) Borchard Fellowship - Bifocal 29(2) December 2007
A Patient’s Right to Direct Own Health Care vs. a Physician’s Right to Decline to Provide Treatment, by Monica Sethi
National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2008
NCCUSL Tackles Transfer on Death Deed Legislation
ABA Commission, Borchard Foundation Announce Availability of Partnerships Grants
Volunteer Guardianship Monitoring Programs: A Win-Win Solution
ABA Commission, AARP Release Report on Promising Practices for Court Guardianship Monitoring Programs
Worth Reading: Dancing with Rose: Finding Life in the Land of Alzheimer’s
South Dakota Adopts Emeritus Attorney Pro Bono Rule
Tips for Making Your Printed Health Materials Senior-Friendly - Bifocal 29(1) November 2007
Survey of Assisted Living Facility Laws’ Incorporation of Provisions of the Fair Housing Act, by Matthew Bernt
Checklist for Emeritus Pro Bono Programs, BY Holly Robinson
Alaska and Mississippi Adopt Emeritus Pro Bono Attorney Rules
ABA Sponsors Mock Social Security Disability Hearing at the U.S. Capitol
Profiles of the Newest Distinguished Members of the ABA Commission on Law and Aging
National Healthcare Decisions Day Set for April 16, 2008
NALC News - Bifocal 28(6) August 2007
Developing Ethical Standards for Elder Mediation, by Kathryn Mariani
Creative Ways to Include and Nurture Volunteer Attorneys in Your Elder Law Practice, by Ellie Crosby Lanier
Three More States Pass Emeritus Pro Bono Attorney Rules, Bills
ABA Adopts Voting Rights and Cognitive Impairment Policy
ABA Commission Welcomes Law Student from France
New Title IIIB Legal Services Directory Online
Changes Urged to Guard Against Representative Payee Abuse of Social Security Benefits
Book Review: Elder Abuse Detection and Intervention: A Collaborative Approach
Dementia Care Practice Recommendations for End of Life in Assisted Living, Nursing Homes
National Aging and Law Conference: Register Now for Early Bird Conference Rates and Hotel Guarantee - BIFOCAL 28(5) June 2007 N.C. Bill Would Allow Inactive Attorneys to Lend a Hand to Legal Services Groups, by Michael Dayton Attributes of a Good Hotline Advocate, by Shoshanna Ehrlich and Cheryl Nolan He’s a Poet? (poem), by Paul Homer Briefing on First Nat’l Symposium on Ethical Standards for Elder Mediation, by Kathryn Mariani N.H. and N.D. Offer Practical Tips to Help States Adapt Health Care Proxy Handbook, by Jamie Philpotts Partnerships in Law and Aging Program Awards, by Holly Robinson Plus: Commission Welcomes Summer Interns; In Remembrance: Joan O’Sullivan; Borchard Foundation Announces Academic Research Grant; ABA Commission Awarded Funding for Pro Bono Legal Services Program; and NALC Announces Scholarships for First-time Attendees
- BIFOCAL 28(4) April 2007
Survey of States’ Health Care Decision-Making Standards; Protections in Medicaid Estate Recovery: Findings, Promising Practices, and Model Notices; Facilitating Voting As People Age: Implications of Cognitive Impairment; Pro Bono—A Win-Win Endeavor; State Emeritus Attorney Pro Bono Rules Gain Momentum; BIFOCAL Readers’ Query: What Is the Law and Aging Resource Book You Would Reach for That You Wish You Had, But Doesn’t Exist?; Steal This Book! Adapt the Health Care Proxy Guide for Your State—We’ll Help!; and Lawyerly Conceits: The Fabric of Life, a poem by Greg Chaimov. - BIFOCAL 28(3) February 2007
North Carolina Tries Mediation for Estate and Guardianship Disputes; Emeritus Attorneys Pro Bono Participation Programs; Book Reviews: Guardianship of Adults: Achieving Justice, Autonomy, and Safety, and Housing Options for Older Adults: A Guide for Making Decisions; Practical Presentations for Elder Law Day; Legislative Agenda for 2007 Legislative Session and 110th Congress; Lawyerly Conceits: Lyrics by Marc Crawford Leavitt . - BIFOCAL 28(2) December 2006
Model Approaches to Statewide Legal Assistance Systems; The State of Veterans' Fiduciary Programs: What Is Needed to Protect Our Nation's Incapacitated Veterans?; 2007 Partnerships in Law and Aging Program RFP; Profile of Nebraska State Bar's Elder Law Section; Book Reviews: Elder Law Clinic Replication Manual and Elder Abuse Detection and Intervention: A Collaborative Approach; Developing Legal Assistance Programs for Older Adults; Lawyerly Conceits: The Eulogy by Timothy J. Nolan. - BIFOCAL 28(1) October 2006
Stopping the Eviction When Seniors Experience Housing Discrimination; ABA President Calls for Second Season of Service After Retirement; ABA Commissioners for 2006; Ideals and High Heels: A Look at Wake Forest University’s Elder Law Clinic; Bar Profile: An Interview with Kevin B. Rack, Chair, Virginia Bar Association’s Elder Law Section; Best (and Worst) Location of a CLE; New ABA Legal Guide for Americans Over 50 and Elder Abuse Detection and Intervention; Lawyerly Conceits: Poem by Sophie Memon; Legal Services in L.A. Collaborate to Create H.E.L.P.ful Guide; Bring Elder Mediation to Your State - BIFOCAL 27(6) August 2006
Legislative Interest in Transfer on Death Deeds Continues to Grow: State Efforts to Help Senior Homeowners; Guardianship: Nat’l Survey of Guardianship Monitoring Practices Shows Courts Lack Verification of Appropriate Care; Wisconsin Passes Major Guardianship Reform; State Elder Bar Profiles: Best (& Worst) Legislation in ‘06; Lawyerly Conceits: Why We Work at Legal Aid (A Poem); Inside the Commission: A Summer Internship; What Every Judge Needs to Know About Capacity Assessment in Guardianship Proceedings - BIFOCAL 27(5) June 2006
2006-07 Partnerships in Law and Aging Program Awards; What Every Judge Needs to Know About Capacity Assessment in Guardianship Proceedings; New Guide Helps Adults Faced with Making Medical Decisions for Someone Else; Reports Describe Medicaid Eligibility, Managed Long-term Care for People with Dementia; Reauthorization of OAA, WHCoA Final Report; Staff Changes; Practice Tips: Advance Planning for Lawyers
- BIFOCAL 27(4) April 2006
Exploring Medical Decision-making for Incapacitated and Unbefriended Older Persons in San Francisco; Oklahoma AG's Legal Opinion Eliminates Restrictions on Refusals of Nutrition and Hydration; Two Guides to Help Md. Adults Acting As a Health Care Proxy; Brochure to Help Attorneys Effectively Serve Their Pro Bono Clients; Practical Presentations for Elder Law Day; Charles P. Sabatino Honored with Theresa Award, 2006 NALC Award to Michael C. Parks, and Nancy Coleman “Advocacy in Aging Lecture” Series Established; Call for Nominations for Aging Innovations and Achievement Awards
- BIFOCAL 27(3) February 2006
Medicare Part D: A Crash Course for Practitioners (Two-Hour Teleconference and Live Audio Webcast, Thursday, March 2, 2006, 1:00-3:00 p.m. ET); Fair Lending Outreach to Elders Project in Santa Clara County, California; Practical Presentations for Elder Law Day; Free Tool to Help Beneficiaries Choose Medicare Rx Coverage; 2005 Annual Adult Guardianship State Legislative Update; Survey Question for State Elder Bar Sections and Committees: What Are the Advantages, and Disadvantages, of a Combined Elder/Disability Bar?; Top 10 Resolutions from White House Conference on Aging; NALC 2006: Scholarships Available to Attend 2006 NALC; Town Hall Meeting with National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys; Funding Opportunity: Borchard Foundation Academic Research Grants; Fellowship Opportunities: John Heinz Senate Fellowship Program; 2006-2007 Borchard Fellowship in Law & Aging; New Resource: Twenty Common Nursing Home Problems and How to Resolve Them
- BIFOCAL 27(2) December 2005
Legal Trends in End-of-Life Health Care Decision-Making; Marriage Rights Initiative for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgendered Elders; Serving Elders of Diverse Lifestyles; Report Urges Paradigm Shift in Approach to Dying; Resources: Estate Planning for Same-Sex Couples, Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams: A Replication Manual; Multilingual Hotlines Help Non-English Speaking Elders with Medicare Part D Enrollment; Partnerships in Law and Aging Program and Borchard Foundation Academic Research Grant; Call for Nominations for NALC Award
- BIFOCAL 27(1) October 2005
Survey of State Guardianship Laws: Statutory Provisions for Clinical Evaluations; Commissioners for 2005-06; In Memory of Richard B. Allen; Resident Rights in Assisted Living: Sources and Resources; Resources: Advance Health Care Directives: A Handbook for Professionals, Abuse and Neglect of Vulnerable Adult Populations; Half Seeking Assistance from LSC-funded Programs Are Turned Away
- BIFOCAL 26(4) Summer 2005
A Replication Manual for Elder Abuse Fatality Review Teams; Partnerships in Law and Aging Program Awards; Mediating Disputes in Long-term Care; Six More Mediation Projects; 2006 National Aging and Law Conference, National Study of Public Guardianship
- BIFOCAL 26(3) Spring 2005
Promoting Pro Bono Service of Low-Income Elders Through Creative Linkages; Assessment of Older Adults with Diminished Capacity; Director Nancy Coleman Leaves ABA Commission; Tribute; Twenty-Five Years, and Counting, of Advocacy for Elders; State Elder Bar Updates
- BIFOCAL 26(2) Winter 2005
Innovative Model Represents Future of Pro Bono Legal Services; Building Community Partnerships to Prevent Predatory Lending; Partnerships in Law and Aging Offers Two Separate Funding Opportunities; Mini-conference on Legal Services Recommends Increased Availability, Specialized Training
- BIFOCAL 26(1) Fall 2004
Voting by Residents of Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities: State Law Accommodations; Guardianship and Voting Rights; ABA Commission Welcomes Three Distinguished New Members; Bar Profile of the Alaska Bar Association; Mini-Conference on Legal Services to Be Held in Preparation for 2005 White House Conference in Aging.
- BIFOCAL 25(4) Summer 2004
State Bar Emeritus Rules Encourage Pro Bono; Government Girls of World War II: Then and Now; ABA Report Addresses Liability Issues in Consumer-Directed Personal Assistance Services; Medicare Fact Sheets Explain Prescription Drug Discount Card, Savings Programs; Bar Profile: Elder Law Section of the Alabama State Bar; Project Examines Theory of Cumulative Disadvantage Among “Government Girls” of 1940s; Senate Hearing Focuses on Guardian Monitoring and Accountability - BIFOCAL 25 (3) Spring 2004
Wyoming Creates Statewide Emergency Guardianship Response; Developing a Consumer Handbook for Guardians of Nursing Home Residents; Hawaii’s Elder Law Section Celebrates Ten Years; Partnerships Program Awards Mini-Grants; Brochure Helps Family Members Understand the Relationship Between Lawyer and Elderly Client; N.C. Initiates Pro Bono Adoption Program - BIFOCAL 25(2) Winter 2004
Advocacy in a Post-HIPAA World; Caregiver Legal Assistance Network; Commission Studies State Public Guardianship Programs; Project to Examine Medicaid Estate Recovery Programs; Our Failure to Care for Individuals with Alzheimer’s Disease and Behavioral Complications - BIFOCAL 25(1) Fall 2004
Report Urges Laws and Practices To Address Problems of Elderly Patients Incapable of Making Health Care Decisions; De-Balkanizing State Advance Directive Law; New Commissioners for 2003-04 - BIFOCAL 24(4) Summer 2003
Legal Issues Related to Bank Reporting of Suspected Elder Financial Abuse; Health Care Decision-Making: A Guardian’s Authority; Winners of the 2003 Law and Aging Student Essay Competition; GrandDriver Program Steers Public Awareness to Aging’s Effects on Driving; California Publishes Consumer Legal Guide for Seniors - BIFOCAL 24(3) Spring 2003
Includes articles: (Re)Training Native American Elders to Be Mediators; Reaching Out to Homebound Elderly - BIFOCAL 24(2) Winter 2003
Includes articles: Reforming Durable Power of Attorney Statutes to Combat Financial Exploitation of the Elderly; Interview with Natalie K. Thomas; The Impact of Electronic Benefits Transfer Programs on Elderly Benefits Recipients - BIFOCAL 24(1) Fall 2002
Includes articles: Harlem Project Combines Legal, Psychiatric Services; Senior Nutrition Program Adds Legal Issues to Menu for Latino Elders; Shape the Debate for Seniors - BIFOCAL 23(4) Summer 2002
Includes articles: Financial Abuse of the Elderly: Risk Factors, Screening Techniques, and Remedies; Profile of the Elder Law Section of the Florida Bar - BIFOCAL 23(3) Spring 2002
Includes articles: Preserving Homeownership Among Low-income, Elderly Landlords; Profile of the Elder Law Section of the Washington State Bar Association; Theory Collides with Practice in Developing An Elder Mediation Project - BIFOCAL 23(2) Winter 2002
Includes articles: Alzheimer’s Disease and the Role of State Law; Partnering with Local Bar Improves Hotline Services to the Elderly; Profiles of Vermont’s Elder Law Committee and Needs of the Elderly Committee of the Utah State Bar; Recruiting Retired Lawyers for Senior Mediations; In Their Own Language and Community: Providing Legal Services for Latino Elders; Medicare Takes Steps to Eliminate Discrimination of Alzheimer’s Patients - BIFOCAL 23(1) Fall 2001
Includes articles: Assisted Living: Federal and State Options for Affordability, Quality of Care, and Consumer Protection; Policy Development and Training for Small-Home Providers - BIFOCAL 22(4) Summer 2001
Includes articles: Assessing Clients with Diminished Capacity; Model for Reform: Oklahoma Law Establishes, Defines Role of Legal Services Developer; Profile of Elder Law Section of the Illinois State Bar Association - BIFOCAL 22(3) Spring 2001
Includes articles: Olmstead: Catalyst to Expand Services for Elderly; Reauthorization of the Older Americans Act; Profile of the New Elder Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia - BIFOCAL 22(2) Winter 2001
Includes articles: Coordinating the Efforts of Courts and SSA’s Representative Payment Program; Reinventing Insurance Regulation for the Benefit of Consumers-A Time for Change
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The ABA Commission on Law and Aging distributes Bifocal for free six times a year to elder bar section and committee members, legal services providers, elder law and other private practitioners, judges, court staff, elder advocates, policymakers, law schools, elder law clinics, law libraries, and other professionals in the law and aging network.
Subscribe to Bifocal by e-mailing your name and professional affiliation to Trisha Bullock at Bullockt@staff.abanet.org. Include the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject heading.
