The severe winter weather of the past week has left many households in Texas without heat and electricity.
This list of disaster resources can provide some assistance to older adults:
- TheNational Disaster Legal Aid Resource Center offers legal resources for those who have been directly affected by a disaster. Includes general information on disaster relief for housing, insurance claims, insurance, employment, and other vital issues: National Disaster Legal Aid Resources for People Who Need Help
- The Red Cross provides an interactive map to locate open shelters, including warming centers: The Red Cross-Find an Open Shelter
- Disaster survivors can find the closest FEMA Disaster Recovery Center or find information for contacting your state’s emergency management agency. Through this resource, you can find assistance, apply online and check status: DisasterAssistance.gov
- This NCOA resource proves seniors with assistance including low-income home energy assistance, weatherization assistance, emergency assistance and more: National Council on Aging (NCOA)-Energy Assistance Benefits
- Ready provides information on preparing for and responding to winter weather including protecting yourself from winter weather and staying safe during winter weather: Ready-Winter Weather
- The NCLC provides resources for consumers dealing with the financial devastation of natural disasters, covering topics like housing relief, avoiding home repair fraud, and utility issues: National Consumer Law Center (NCLC)-Disaster Relief & Consumer Protection
- This free downloadable PDF from the NCLC provides quick tips to help older homeowners access insurance benefits after a disaster: NCLER-Quick Tips to Help Older Homeowners Access Insurance Benefits after a Disaster
This information was adapted from a list of resources compiled by the National Center on Law & Elder Rights.
Elder law attorney, Terry Garrett, is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is an Approved Guardianship Attorney. She assists people in elder law, estate and special needs planning, guardianship and settling estates. She graduated with honors from Cornell University. She was on the Dean’s List at Wharton Business School. She earned her J.D. at Columbia Law School, receiving the Parker Award and a Mellon Fellowship.
