We provide legal advice and representation to Palm Beach County residents who are 60 years of age or older and have been the victims of abuse and exploitation by relatives, merchants or others.
Our staff handles Social Security, Medicare and housing matters and offers special assistance to grandparents raising grandchildren.
Public Guardianship is another vital service. We offer a full range of guardianship and legal services to indigent, adjudicated incapacitated elders who are without family or friends care for or assist them.
More specifically, Legal Aid Society aims through the following services to enhance the quality of life for the elderly with economic and social needs while respecting their personal dignity and right to self-determination:
Abuse and Exploitation:
• Representation of victims of domestic violence to obtain protective orders against abusers
• Exploitation by family member
Housing Issues:
• Landlord Tenant
• Public/subsidized housing
• Eviction Defense
Health and Public Benefits:
• Food Stamps
• SSI and Social Security
• Medicaid
• Medicare
• Managed Care and Long-Term Care
Consumer Issues:
• Foreclosure Defense
• Bankruptcy (to save home)
• Debt Collection Defense
• Defending Garnishment of Social Security and Wages
Naturalization Project:
• Assistance to individuals seeking citizenship to qualify for public benefits
• Assistance with medical and fee waivers
Public Guardianship Project:
This project provides a full range of guardianship and legal services to indigent, adjudicated incapacitated individuals who are without family or friends to care for or assist them. The project’s goal is to enhance the quality of life for these persons while respecting their personal dignity and right to self-determination.
Veterans Advocacy Project:
The LASPBC Veteran’s Advocacy Project (LASPBC VAP), funded by the Retirement Research Foundation, was created to assist Palm Beach County’s Senior veteran population and those least connected to existing service networks, such as widows and family members of elderly veterans.
The LASPBC VAP represent veterans 65 and up in three main focus areas (1) Benefit Advocacy ensuring that elderly veterans have access to the care, benefits and support earned by their military service, specifically, assisting senior wartime veterans, eligible survivors, and women’s auxiliary service members apply for Aid and Assistance and Pensions
(2) Justice Advocacy representation in administrative and challenge wrongful denials of federal and state veterans benefits and in administrative and court appeals to seek remedies for those who unjustly received a less-than-honorable military discharge;
(3) Estate Planning Project Advocacy through providing veterans and their families access to estate and financial planning in matters such as wills, trusts, advanced directives, guardianships.
LASPBC VAP has also established a Legal Partnership with the West Palm Beach VA in Palm Beach County. There is a clinic held at the VAMC WPB the 3rd Thursday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m in Room BC-263.
The LASPBC VAP Helpline provides qualifying Veterans a way to reach the Veterans Advocacy Project for assistance in Veterans issues or brief legal advice in other issues. The Helpline can be reached at (561) 655-8944 x 366 or via email VAP@legalaidpbc.org.
RESOURCES
For more information and resources for seniors, please visit the Area Agency on Aging Palm Beach/Treasure Coast website at www.youragingresourcecenter.org.
CONTACT US
If you are in need of any of these services, please call 561-655-8944 or toll free at 1-800-403-9353. Also, call us if you want us to do a presentationon legal issues affecting the elderly.
Our services rely on support from the community. Please donate here.
We are always in need of more lawyers through our Pro Bono Program. Please click here to learn more.
