Senior Hunger Solutions | Legal Services

Aging in Place

Legal Services and Consumer Protection

From estate planning to consumer issues, there are resources for older adults navigating legal concerns, scams, and abuse, neglect and exploitation.

For more information or questions about the resources below, contact each organization directly.

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Legal Hotline for Texans

Texas Legal Service Center (TLSC) operates a Legal Hotline for Texans. They offer counsel and advice on Medicaid, Medicare, and long-term care. The Hotline can also help callers aged 60 or older navigate consumer issues and estate planning, including debt collection, advance directives, powers of attorney, wills, and Transfer on Death Deeds.

This program provides counsel and advice only. They cannot draft legal documents, engage in negotiations with third parties, or go to court.

Texas Legal Services Center | Legal Hotline for Texans

Monday - Friday | 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM

Phone

806-622-2520, Option 2

Link to Website to Learn More

Learn more about elder law legal issues on their partner site TexasLawHelp.org
The website has information on topics such as Transfer on Death Deeds, Powers of Attorney, and other legal tools essential for estate planning.

Legal Aid

Legal Aid of Northwest Texas works to ensure equal access to justice by providing free civil legal services to low-income individuals and families in the 114 counties we serve across North and West Texas. They have several practice areas relevant to older adults.

Among many areas of assistance, Legal Aid can assist with evictions; landlord/tenant issues dealing with security deposits, utility cutoffs, wrongful lockouts, retaliation, repair and remedy, and discrimination; terminations or issues with public housing, vouchers, and other federally subsidized programs; preventing foreclosure, including those related to tax issues; and preventing homelessness through access to shelters or homeless programs.

To find out if you qualify, you can apply for legal aid help by phone or online.

Legal Aid of Northwest Texas | Amarillo

Phone

806-378-6808

203 SW 8th Ave. Amarillo, TX 79101

Link to Website to Learn More

AARP Estate Planning Kit

The Estate Planning Kit from AARP is a free tool for organizing your estate - saving you time, protecting your assets, and helping you establish your legacy.

The lesson book will help you to set family goals and create a plan, lessen tax burdens, and use trusts to support you, your family, and loved ones. The record book will allow you to keep a digital record of important information, organize everything in one place, and easily update records.

Download the free kit from AARP to get started.

Link to Website to Learn More

Adult Protective Services

Adult Protective Services (APS) investigates abuse, neglect, and exploitation of adults who are elderly or have disabilities and who live in the community. Any adult who has a disability or who is age 65 or older that is in a state of abuse, neglect, or exploitation may be eligible to receive adult protective services.

Victims of abuse, neglect, or exploitation may get short-term help with shelter, home repairs, food, transportation, managing money, medical care, home healthcare services, and mental health services. Sometimes adults who are 65 years old or older or those who have disabilities may become isolated or ill and not have someone who is willing and able to help meet their basic needs. APS can help connect them to community resources and coordinate the care and services they need to live safely in the community.

To report abuse to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, you can go online to the Texas Abuse Hotline (TXAbuseHotline.org) or call the toll-free Abuse Hotline available 24/7 at 1-800-252-5400.

Adult Protective Services

Phone

1-800-252-5400 | TX Abuse Hotline

Link to Website to Learn More

Long-Term Care Complaints

The Area Agency on Aging of the Panhandle (AAA) has a Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program with two main functions: 1) To educate residents on their rights within long-term care facilities; and, 2) To work to resolve concerns and complaints on regular visits to every nursing home and assisted living facility in the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle.

Contact the Area Agency on Aging of the Panhandle for assistance in resolving concerns or complaints.

Area Agency on Aging of the Panhandle

Phone

806-350-7148, Option 1

415 SW 8th Ave. Amarillo, TX 79101

Link to Website to Learn More

To report abuse, neglect, or exploitation in a long-term care facility, you can file a complaint with the regulatory services at Texas Health and Human Services utilizing the Texas Unified Licensure Information Portal (TULIP) or by calling 800-458-9858. Agents answer calls Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Central time. If you call outside those hours, leave a voicemail and an employee will return your call by the next workday.

Link to Website to Learn More

Senior Scams

Senior Texans are targeted everyday through e-mail, regular mail and the telephone. Nearly every scam is designed to trick you into sending money or providing your personal information.

If you have been made victim of a scam, you can file a consumer complaint online with the Attorney General of Texas. You can also find help by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311.

Attorney General of Texas | Office of Consumer Protection

Phone

800-621-0508 | Consumer Protection Hotline

Link to Website to Learn More

US Department of Justice | Office for Victims of Crimes

Phone

833-372-8311 | National Elder Fraud Hotline

Link to Website to Learn More

Medicare Fraud and Abuse

The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) empowers and assists Medicare beneficiaries, their families, and caregivers to prevent, detect, and report health care fraud, errors, and abuse.

If you suspect Medicare fraud or abuse, you can report that to the Senior Medicare Patrol in Texas.

Senior Medicare Patrol | Texas

Phone

1-888-341-6187

1333 West Loop South Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027

Link to Website to Learn More