Many of our senior relatives, friends, and neighbors find that they come face to face with situations that require legal assistance and advice. The Texas Legal Services Center (TLSC) provides free or reduced-cost legal services for eligible low income, elderly Texans who need the help of an attorney.  In addition, there are government agencies that can counsel and assist seniors in addressing the many issues they face. 

What I am providing here is a list of services that are available.  You may wish to keep this column for future reference. The Legal Hotline for Older Texans offers assistance to Texans over the age of 60 who are below 125% of the federal poverty level and are having problems with healthcare, housing, government benefits or other legal problems.  Elderly Texans can access the hotline by calling 1-800-622-2520 to learn more about the hotline and other services offered by TLSC.  Callers should be aware that the line is often busy, and it may be necessary to leave a message with the receptionist or an answering machine, for later call back by an attorney. 

A Hotline staff member or volunteer will be able to assist with review of the facts of an individual’s specific case to help determine the type of legal services needed.  Interested individuals can also visit the TLSC website at www.tlsc.org.
Our senior neighbors can request helpful publications on a variety of subjects.  A partial list of the pamphlets available include: Alternatives to Guardianship Under Texas law, Durable Power of Attorney Act, Bankruptcy, Consumer Complaints, Free and Low-Cost Prescription Drugs, TANF Benefits for Grandparents, Nursing Home Complaints, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Healthcare Rights, Duties of an Independent Executor, SSI, Food Stamps, and Medicaid, and Living Trusts.  Several of these publications are available online at http://www.tlsc.org./hotline.html.

Additional resources may be available at The Texas Legal Service Center, as they  also represent low-income Texans before state administrative agencies which oversee medical, nutrition, financial assistance, and workforce development services.  TLSC also offers litigation support through co-counseling, identification of expert witnesses, and other assistance on certain types of court cases.

Here is a brief list of agencies involved in Senior issues, and their contact information: The Long-Term Care Ombudsman at the Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services:  Austin (512)438-4356, Web site  http://www.dads.state.tx.us
The National Association of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) - Texas Chapter:  Patricia F. Sitchler, President (210)224-4491, e-mail  pfsitchler@scs-law.com
The Texas Attorney General’s Office-Austin: (512)463-2100, Web site  http://www.oag.state.tx.us
For “social service” matters not requiring legal services, the Alamo Service Connection (ASC), the Aging and Disability Resource Center for Bexar County, is another resource for long term services and supports for older adults, people with disabilities and their families in Bexar County. The ASC Web site is www.alamoserviceconnection.org  and the phone number is (210)477-3275.

I know that legal services often can be difficult to obtain for our senior citizens in Texas.  If you need the help of an attorney, I encourage you to consider the services offered by the Texas Legal Service Center.  Again, their phone number is 1-(800)622-2520 and their Web site is  www.tlsc.org.  
In addition, the State Bar of Texas provides a lawyer referral service through the San Antonio Bar Association.  If you are not eligible for TLSC services or they do not provide the type you need, the San Antonio Bar Association Lawyer Referral Service will help you select a lawyer who best suits your needs.  You can find out which ones handle the kind of legal services you seek through the hotline at (210)227-1853, or visit www.sabar.org.