October 1993

Cover

 
  • How the Failure to Pay Social Security Taxes Impoverishes Older Women

    Many domestic workers who are retired or disabled–as well as their dependents or survivors–do not receive the full social security benefits to which they are entitled because of their employer' failure to pay social security taxes.

    By Ethel Zelenske

  • Three Issues Still Remaining in Guardianship Reform

    Three issues remain in guardianship reform: (1) the use of durable powers of attorney as an alternative to guardianship; (2) a respondent's right to be present at the guardianship hearing; and (3) the role counsel should play in guardianship proceedings. This article discusses what progress has been made in these areas since guardianship reform was proposed in 1987.

    By Lori A. Stiegel, DaCosta R, Mason, Dwayne Morris, Vicki Gottlich, and Michael Rave

  • Kinship Care: The Legal Problems of Grandparents and Other Relative Care Givers

    "Kinship care" givers face numerous law-related problems, including lack of legal authority with respect to children in their care, inadequate public benefits, and housing problems.

    By Naomi Karp

  • Public Guardianship: Where Is It and What Does It Need?

    The precise definition of public guardian varies from state to state. This article examines the laws in every state to ascertain the status of public guardianship in the U.S., and it outlines five basic models for providing public guardianship services.

    By Dorothy Siemon, Sally Balch Hurme, and Charles P. Sabatino

  • Board and Care: How Effective Are Licensing Standards?

    Countless numbers of at-risk elderly individuals and individuals with disabilities live in board and care homes. This article discusses the concept of board and care, including the difficulties states have regulating and monitoring facilities, and offers some recommendations for improving the situation.

    By Michael Schuster

  • The Americans with Disabilities Act and Reductions in Health Benefits

    This article discusses the application of the Americans with Disabilities Act to reductions in private employer-sponsored health insurance and state-administered Medicaid program benefits.

    By Patricia DeMichele, Vicki Gottlich, Joan Bennett, Zita Dresner, and Dorothy Siemon

  • Court Access Under the Americans with Disabilities Act: Recent Developments

    Court access encompasses a broad array of issues, including planning accommodations in new judicial facilities, adding ramps to existing facilities, revising court forms, restructuring jury boxes, and training judges and court personnel. This article summarizes recent developments in three areas of court access under the Americans with Disabilities Act: architectural guidelines for new facilities, enforcement of guidelines for existing facilities, and action by interdisciplinary state court access committees.

    By Erica F. Wood

  • Senior Attorney Volunteers: A Resource for Legal Services Programs

    An untapped resource for pro bono attorneys is retired or semi-retired attorneys. This article suggests how to recruit senior attorney volunteers and describes the types of contributions that they can make to programs serving low-income clients.

    By Stephanie Edelstein and Jan May

  • Reverse Mortgages: Mandatory Counseling and Other Protections for the Elderly Homeowner

    This article examines the reverse mortgage and the safeguards necessary to protect elderly homeowners considering its use.

    By the National Consumer Law Center