Legal Assistance

Rhode Island Legal Services Senior Citizens Program helps low income persons 60 and older with legal advice and assistance. This program assists seniors with problems relating to housing, Social Security, Medical Assistance, Medicare, Food Stamps, and other problems. Rhode Island Legal Services is located at 56 Pine Street, Providence, RI 02903. Call 274- 2652, or 272-5335 (TTY), or 1-800-662-5034 for information. The Newport office is located at 50 Washington Square, Newport, RI 02840. The telephone number is 846-2264 or 1-800-637-4529.

The Rhode Island Bar Association’s Legal Information and Referral Service for the Elderly, 115 Cedar Street, Providence, RI 02903 helps anyone 60 and older obtain legal services and advice. Seniors may receive a free initial consultation of up to 30 minutes. A reduced-fee program is available for moderate income seniors. A no-fee program is available for certain low-income seniors. Call or 521-5040 (Voice) or 421-1666
(TTY). Collect calls are accepted.

Advance directives are written instructions indicating which medical care that persons wish or don't want to receive, if they are unable to communicate their wishes.

The durable power of attorney for health care permits persons to appoint an agent to make health care decisions on a person's behalf, if the need arises.

With a living will, individuals direct their physicians to withhold or withdraw life-sustaining procedures.

Individual copies of the Rhode Island form for the durable power of attorney for health care and living will are available from DEA by calling 462-3000. Advanced directives may also be downloaded from the RI Attorney General's web site at www.riag.state.ri.us.

Advance directives should be completed long before a health care crisis arises and they may be revoked at any time.

The COMFORT ONE bracelet program enables emergency medical service personnel to honor a terminal patient’s request to avoid resuscitation in his/her last minutes. Call 222-2401.