New Guilford County Elder Law Clinic - North Carolina NPR News

New Guilford County Elder Law Clinic

August 20, 2012 |

A new free service is being offered to some Triad elderly.
Monday, August 20th, the Elon University School of Law opens an Elder Law Clinic in Greensboro downtown. According to Clinic Practitioner-in-Residence Hannah Vaughan, 2nd and 3rd year law students will be supervised as they provide legal services to Guilford County's low-income elderly. Vaughn describes a growing need. "The U.S. Census Bureau estimates by the year 2030, one in five Guilford County residents will be over the age of 60.", she explains. "There are plenty of senior citizens in the area who don't have family nearby, who don't have people who can get them the services they need. Having a phone number they can call and somebody they can talk to about their specific legal problems will help them feel that they are not forgotten and not alone."

Those eligible must be 60 years or older and have a monthly household income of $1,700 or less, if single or a monthly income of $2,200 or less, if married. Legal services will include end of life planning, Medicare and Medicaid, Social Security, and Veterans benefits. Vaughan also explains this clinic will benefit the law students. "They will be handling all phone calls, looking at the legal issues, doing the research, and coming up with potential solutions and sharing that with the clients." Temporarily, the Elder Law Clinic is operating in Bank of America on 101 W. Friendly Avenue. In November, it will move to its permanent location, 219 W. Friendly Avenue. For more information, call 336-279-9314 or email elderlaw@elon.edu.