Do I qualify for these services?
The goal of the Senior Legal Services Program is to provide quality legal services for residents of Albany County who are 60 years of age and over. You are particularly encouraged to take advantage of this program if you:
- are low-income
- reside in a nursing home, adult home, or have assisted living needs or live in an assisted living arrangement
- have chronic health problems or problems of access to health care
- are homeless or threatened with homelessness
- live on a subsistence income or are threatened with the loss of a subsistence income
- have limited English proficiency
- are proposed for or under guardianship
- are victims of abuse, neglect or exploitation
- are physically isolated.
Contributions in any amount are appreciated and help to support the program. The suggested contribution for a legal consultation is $10. Contributions are entirely voluntary and have no effect on your receiving services now or in the future.
How can I get these services?
In order to provide the greatest access to the program, a schedule of monthly on-site community visits is maintained at locations throughout Albany County. Seniors are requested to contact their local senior center to make an appointment to meet with the Staff Attorney during these visits.
In addition, for those without access to a senior center or in case of an emergency, the staff attorney can be reached by telephone at the local number (462-6765) or at the toll-free number (1-800-462-2922) on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.
What services are provided?
The program is staffed by an attorney who provides legal advice, other legal services, representation and/or referrals, as appropriate, on a variety of civil legal issues facing elders in this community, including:
- Social Security
- SSI
- Food Stamps
- Pensions
- HEAP
- Tenant Issues
- Home Repair Fraud
- Medicare
- Medicaid
- Nursing Home/Adult Home Issues
- Abuse
- Financial Exploitation
- Americans with Disabilities Act
- Grandparents’ Rights
- Consumer Issues
The program also provides community legal education talks to groups of seniors on topics of particular interest or concern to the group. Past talks have included advance directives (powers of attorney, health care proxies, living wills), wills and estates, avoiding scams, and consumer debt issues.
Where are the services available?
Please call for an appointment at any of these Centers with On-Site Senior Legal Services Intake
Town of Bethlehem Senior Services Department
Town Hall
445 Delaware Ave., Delmar NY 12054
518-439-4955
Cohoes Senior Citizens Multi-Service Center
10 Cayuga Plaza, Cohoes, NY 12047
518-235-2420
Town of Colonie Senior Resources Department
6 Winners Circle, Colonie, NY 12205
518-459-5051
Town of Guilderland Senior Citizens Services
Guilderland Town Hall, Route 20
Guilderland, NY 12084
518-356-1980
Knox Town Hall
2192 Berne Altamont Road
Altamont, NY 12009
518-872-9400
Senior Projects of Ravena
9 Bruno Blvd., Ravena, NY 12143
518-756-8593
Westview Homes Center
680 Central Ave., Albany, NY 12206
518-482-2120
Whitney M. Young Jr. Health Center
920 Lark Drive, Albany, NY 12207
518-465-4771 (press 0 for an operator and mention Senior Legal Services)
For more information, call Senior Legal Services at the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern New York, Inc. at 462-6765 or 1-800-462-2922 between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Funding
This program is supported in part by the Albany County Department for Aging, New York State Office for the Aging, and the U.S. Administration on Aging.
Click here to view the Senior Legal Services Program brochure in English