Students’ Seminar Topics for “Health, Law, Policy & Ethics in an Aging World,” Fall 2026 at Penn State Dickinson Law

This is my second Fall Semester offering students at Penn State Dickinson Law the opportunity to dig deeply into a wide range of topics that connect to concerns of older people. I encourage students to identify topics where they will be able to interview “real” people.

Here is a partial list of topics they have identified for their research:

• Legal and Financial regulations for “Adult Family Homes” in the state of Washington
• Services available for Older Persons who identify as Limited English Proficiency (LEP)
• How are obligations of “fiduciaries” to their principals enforced under laws?
• Are businesses regulated that advertise “anti-aging” services, spas, or products?
• What planning options exist for people with traumatic brain injuries who need lifetime supports and are likely to survive parents or other family members as guardians?
• Could the United States adopt “preventative healthcare visitation” programs such as the program implemented in Denmark?
• Potential for disparate financial impacts from “damage caps” for younger versus older victims of medical malpractice or tortious injuries?
• Significance of “Do Not Resuscitate Orders” that conflict with other forms of advance directives.
• How does “supported decision making” work with older adults, especially if they have a progressive cognitive impairment?
• Will the United States recognize written choices in favor of “medical assistance in dying” if the individual becomes cognitively incapacitated later in life?
• What is a “professional guardian” and how do their duties differ from family members as guardians?
• What is the future of hybrid life insurance policies that have riders offering the alternative of long-term care coverage?
• What long-term care options exist under universal health insurance in Taiwan?
• Who are the parties opposing minimum staffing standards for nursing homes in the U.S. — and why?

One of the great parts of this class is that we have regular visiting faculty and experts, including Professor Vanessa Gruben, head of the University of Ottawa’s Centre for Health Law Policy and Ethics, and the Honorable Karen Miller, a retired New York judge who offers keen insights into senior living options.