Elder Law and Aging Seminar Being Held at SMC

07/10/09

SPARTANBURG, SC -- More than half a dozen community organizations, several local attorneys and representatives of the Spartanburg County judicial system will conduct an “Elder Law and Aging Seminar” this summer as part of the Spartanburg Methodist College’s Paralegal Certificate Program.

“Elder law is one of the fastest growing areas of legal specialty and we want our students to be at the forefront and trained in this very important and emerging area of the law,” says assistant 7th circuit solicitor Tony Leibert.

The course will cover several topics over the course of the 10-class session, ranging from senior benefits, wills and trusts, age discrimination and health care decision making.

According to the U.S. Administration on Aging, in 2004 there were 36.3 million people in America over the age of 65.  However, the population of older Americans will double by 2030, to 71.5 million people.  The reason for the increase is simple -  people are living longer due to medical advances, better nutritional habits, and improved living conditions.

“The goal of this course is to give helpful information about these legal issues from the perspective of one of the fastest growing segments of society – people over the age of 50.  Whether you are contemplating retirement, retired or trying to assist older friends or your parents or grandparents – we hope this seminar will help you make informed decisions,” says Yvonne Harper, director of the SMC Paralegal Certificate Program.  

As America’s population ages, culture, economic and legal changes follow.  Increasing age, usually means increasing medical costs and caregiver burdens.  Today’s demographic trends show dispersion of adult children and their siblings; the diminished rank of potential female family caregivers who are employed fulltime; and delayed childbearing , which has produced the “sandwich generation” phenomenon of caring for young children and older parents simultaneously.  The results of these trends is that more care of older persons is being “contracted out” to institutions and other third party “providers” which raises legal questions. 

 “In addition, older Americans have more accumulated wealth than ever before – which basically means that older Amercians face an increasing number of legal questions involving entitlement to public benefits, protection of property interests, utilization of medical resources, heath care decision-making, and interaction with legal and financial institutions of various sorts,” Harper adds

The seminar starts Tuesday, July 14 and runs through Aug. 13. 

A total of 20 courses, with each course meeting 10 times, and a 40-hour internship are required for completion of SMC’s Paralegal Certification Program.

All legal specialty courses within the program are taught by local judges, attorneys and/or paralegals.   The cost for the course is $300, however, the general public is welcome to audit the full 10-session seminar for $150, or $15 per session.  To register or learn more, visit www.smcsc.edu  A full listing of the seminar topics is also available online.

For more information, please contact Yvonne Harper, harpery@smcsc.edu or (864) 266-7409.

Spartanburg Methodist College is in its 98th year of providing quality education to students in a Christian environment.  More than 90 percent of SMC graduates continue their education at other institutions of higher learning.

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