The Postgraduate Course in Elderly Law at the Faculty of Law – Porto School of the Portuguese Catholic University was established to provide specialised training in a growing field, bringing together a multidisciplinary approach that integrates Law, Gerontology, Medicine and the Social Sciences.

Although the Law of Older People is well established in countries such as the United States, it remains a relatively unexplored field in Portugal. This course aims to contribute to the development of this specialisation by offering an integrated overview of the main legal challenges associated with ageing.

Why take this course?

Throughout the course, some of the most relevant legal issues relating to ageing will be addressed, namely:

• legal capacity and support measures;
• asset and estate planning;
• protection against abuse, neglect and violence;
• social rights and social security schemes;
• tax issues applicable to older people;
• the legal framework for social and institutional responses;
• ethical and legal challenges arising from increased longevity.

The programme combines academic rigour with a strong practical component, enabling participants to understand and apply the legal framework in real-world professional contexts.

Objectives

This postgraduate course aims to provide an in-depth and integrated understanding of the law relating to older people, linking its various legal areas with social, medical, gerontological and ethical contexts.

Upon completion of the programme, participants will be equipped to:

• interpret and apply the legal framework relating to ageing;
• address complex legal issues involving older people;
• understand the interplay between law, health and social intervention;
• develop specialist skills in a legal field of growing importance.

Target Audience

This postgraduate programme is primarily aimed at law graduates and professionals in the legal sector who wish to deepen their knowledge of the legal framework surrounding ageing and the legal protection of older people.

It is also aimed at professionals with higher education qualifications and experience in the fields of ageing, social work, gerontology, health or the management of social services, whose professional activities require an in-depth understanding of legal issues relating to older people.

A growing field

Rising average life expectancy, changing family structures and legislative changes are making it increasingly necessary to have professionals with specialist skills in the Law of Older People.

This postgraduate programme offers an opportunity to acquire distinctive knowledge in an emerging field, with practical applications across a wide range of professional contexts.

In collaboration with