Twenty years from now seniors are expected to account for 25% of Canada’s total population.  As Canada’s population ages, elder care issues become more pressing including a movement to improve seniors’ access to legal services and legal information.

While reading Queen’s law alumni review magazine over the weekend, I came across the announcement of the launch of Queen’s Elder Law Clinic.  The clinic, staffed with law students overseen by lawyers, will offer legal services to seniors who otherwise are unable to afford a lawyer.  The clinic will also provide seniors with information about their legal rights by conducting education seminars to various community groups.  

The Advocacy Centre for the Elderly, a legal clinic funded by Legal Aid Ontario, specializes in providing legal services to low-income seniors. The clinic provides legal advice on diverse issues including- advance care planning, elder abuse, long-term care homes and retirement facilities.  It also works towards legal reforms and public education to benefit seniors.

The Canadian Centre for Elder Law is a non-profit group that studies issues affecting older Canadians.  Their mandate includes supporting legal research of elder law issues.  Aside from legal advocacy, Sheridan College’s Elder Research Centre recently received a federal grant of $2.3 million for a project that works towards improving the quality of life of older Canadians and their families through technological advancements.   

Canada’s aging population means that more resources are being invested in areas that serve the needs of Canadian seniors. As a result, the practice of elder law continues to grow and define itself.

Enjoy your weekend,

Diane Vieira