Living and Leaving Life on One's Own Terms: Certain Legal Rights of Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities.

While attention has been focused on granting equal rights based on race, religion, and gender, the rights of older and disabled persons have been overlooked for many years. Existing laws were of limited scope or were not enforced. However, with the adoption of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the recognition and adoption by various states of living wills and related protections, the legal rights of older and disabled persons in attempting to live as normal a life as possible and to deal with serious or terminal illnesses have been greatly expanded. This article provides an overview of existing law in these areas.