Saturday, October 6, 2007

Legal Services Program for the Elderly

Executive Office of Elder Affairs
One Ashburton Place, Room 517
Boston, MA 02108
Toll Free: 1-800-AGE-INFO (243-4636 nationwide)
TTY Toll Free: 1-800-872-0166 (within Mass. only)
Fax: (617) 727-9368
www.800ageinfo.com/
E-mail: 800AgeInfo@umassmed.edu

Under Title III of the Older Americans Act, federal funding is provided through the Executive Office of Elder Affairs and regional Area Agencies on Aging to eleven Legal Assistance Program Grantees for the Elderly. These programs provide free legal assistance to people sixty years of age and older in civil matters, prioritizing those elders in the greatest economic and social need. Although each Legal Assistance office establishes its own case priorities with its Area Agency on Aging, the following types of cases are generally handled on behalf of elderly clients: Denials or terminations of government benefits such as Medicaid, Social Security, SSI, Veteran's Benefits), tenant's rights issues including defense against eviction), denials of applications to public and subsidized housing, defense against unwarranted guardianships or conservatorships, and nursing home residents' rights.