Preventing Elder Abuse and Neglect Through Advance Legal Planning

Recent trends in adult protective service literature and legislation reflect a growing interest in advance planning to prevent elder abuse and neglect. This article provides basic planning guidelines and discusses in general terms the most important legal planning documents: the living will, the durable power of attorney for health care, the durable power of attorney, and the last will and testament. It also presents in general terms potential legal, medical, and financial planning tools that may function as alternatives to guardianship. Both the benefits and limitation of these documents and tools are discussed.