Free legal seminar to address elderly issues

Acadiana Legal Services will host a free educational seminar Tuesday, June 26, at 10 a.m. at the Council on Aging site at 210 South State Street in Jennings.

This seminar will focus on legal issues that are most pressing to the elderly community such as designating power of attorney and living wills. Free advice will be offered and questions answered from attendees answered.

Kim Benoit, activity coordinator with the Council on Aging, said representatives of Acadiana Legal Services routinely visit Jennings on the second Thursday of each month at 10 a.m. to share legal advice. She said the seminar is a direct way to educate the public on legal matters.

“A number of senior citizens ask us about the legal topics covered by Acadiana Legal, so we thought we should educate the seniors on whatever topics they happen to have questions about,” she said. “Acadian Legal wanted an open education for the seniors this month to educate them about important topics in a more direct way. They’ve handled everything from divorces to lawsuits, and there’s a number of things they can do to help people.”

Benoit shared a situation that she said highlights the need for educational semi nars within the elderly community.

“We had a case recently where a woman received her summary, her bill from Medicare,” Benoit said. “She kept gettin billed every month after she broke her hip and someone helped her find a durabl medical equipment company. She wa being charged $50 a month for a wheel chair she assumed Medicare had alread paid for. She brought the summary to u and we had to get to the bottom of it.”

For more information on the seminar please call Acadiana Legal Services offic at (337)-439-0377 or the COA at (337) 824 5504.