Right to the Point Part V

by Joy Loverde

Question:

Mother lives in Georgia, my sister in Alabama, and I in Ohio. Mother, who is 87, is a very difficult person with little trust of others. Mother’s recent health problems and other issues cause my sister and I to think Mother needs oversight.

Neither my sister nor I have the financial resources to hire professional staff to declare Mother incompetent or to pay legal fees to pursue this matter. Where can we turn for assistance?

Answer:

I have good news. There are professionals you can turn to for legal assistance when money is tight. Here are a few resources to consider:

AARP Legal Hotlines

Website: www.legalhotlines.org

National Guardianship Association

526 Brittany Drive
State College, PA 16803
(814) 238-3126, Fax: (814) 238-7051

Website: www.guardianship.org

National Senior Citizen Law Center

1101 14th Street, NW, Suite 400
Washington, DC 20005
(202) 289-6976, Fax: (202) 289-7224

Website: www.nsclc.org

Question:

My step-mother who is a 78 yr. old lady, who has a touch of Alzheimer’s, heart disease, is legally blind. Mrs. Jones rents a room in my home. Her IHSS worker provider lived in the house with us, but recently moved out.

The IHSS social worker has maliciously cut the workers hours to 19 hours a month which on the 10th of this month she quit which has left Mrs. Jones destitute, and I am NOT able to care for her as I myself am a disabled person, due to heart disease and diabetes, osteo arthritis, etc. etc.

It is not fair to Mrs. Jones or myself, and especially my husband as he is a farm laborer who gets up early in the morning cooks Mrs. Jones breakfast and myself. Goes to work, comes home from work cooks again, cleans house etc. and Mrs. Jones is on a no salt diet.

Who do we call or who do we see as Mrs. Jones needs to find another place to live that provides assisted living?

Answer:

Start your search for assistance and housing with the Social Security Administration’s SSI (Supplemental Security Income) program which provides income support to individuals who are aged 65 or older, blind or disabled who have little or no income, and it provides cash to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.

The website for SSI is:  www.socialsecurity.gov/ssi. The toll-free number is 800-772-1213.

Also, the California Department of Aging contracts with the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) to coordinate a wide array of services to seniors with disabilities. You can locate a AAA in your area by calling 1-800-510-2020 and ask them for their list of assisted-living communities where Mrs. Jones can reside.

Another place to get assistance with housing for Mrs. Jones is the California Registry, a state licensed free referral agency for seniors and their families. They have been providing senior housing information, counseling, referrals and facility evaluations free of charge since 1939. The phone number is: 800-777-7575.