The term "elderlaw" is a relatively new one. Over the past decade, the
legal profession has begun to recognize a cluster of specialized legal
areas as being particularly important to older persons. Elderlaw
encompasses traditional areas of legal practice such as estate planning
and probate, as well as public benefits such as Medicare and Social
Security, and issues such as planning for long-term care placement and
health-care decisionmaking. Some attorneys have begun to identify
themselves as elderlaw specialists. Most of these attorneys do not
specialize in all of the areas covered by the broad term elderlaw
(described below) and therefore you should ask which areas a particular
attorney handles. Many of the attorneys who specialize in the elderlaw
area are also familiar with the networks of other professionals (such as
ombudsmen, social workers, geriatric care managers, or other elder care
professionals) who can provide related services to older persons. They
may also be trained in the mental and physical effects of the normal
aging process.

The broad range of legal areas covered by "elderlaw" includes:

Estate planning including the management of an estate during the
person's lifetime and planning how the estate will be divided upon the
person's death through wills, trusts, asset transfers, tax planning, and
other methods.