By Desiree Taylor

More than 1,200 seniors from across east Alabama gathered for food and fun at the Area Agency on Aging’s May Day Senior Celebration 2018 event on May 17. Held inside the International Motor Sports Hall of Fame museum in Lincoln, AL, the event titled “Aging Like Champions,” welcomed nearly 20 vendors and live musical entertainment.

Lori H. Corley, Director of the Area Agency on Aging, East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission in Anniston, stated the event is a staple for the agency.

“May Day is our signature Older American’s Month Event,” Corley said. “We celebrate Older Adults each year … May Day celebrates the lives and legacy of Older Adults in the East Alabama region and brings awareness to the services and programs we provide in our communities.”

Such vendors included: LSA’s James Rich, Legal Counsel for the Elderly; the Governor’s Commission on Physical Fitness & Sports in Birmingham; Kindred Hospice of Anniston; Autumn Cove Assisted Living of Anniston; Regional Medical Center of Anniston; and Lincoln Heritage Funeral Advantage of Huntsville, among others.

For James Rich, who attended the event for the first time, the gala is a great way to connect with the area’s older population.

“May Day is the social event of the season, and it provides us with an unparalleled opportunity to reach out to hundreds of seniors and provide them with our information,” Rich stated. “Taking part in May Day is a great opportunity to increase [LSA’s] visibility, and to get the word out about all the free services we provide to the senior community.”​

Through a partnership with the Alabama Department of Senior Services, LSA receives grant funding from the: Central Alabama Aging Consortium (Montgomery, AL), the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission/Area Agency on Aging (Anniston, AL), and most recently from the United Way of Central Alabama (Birmingham, AL).

LSA provides the following services to the elderly:

·         Loss prevention and benefits

·         Foreclosure prevention

·         Guardianship and Conservatorship Defense

·         Community Outreach to educate and empower seniors

·         Estate Planning: Wills, Powers-of-Attorney and Living Wills

·         Assistance with reduced benefits and Medicaid Cessation

·         Assistance with Nursing Home Abuse

For more information, please call LSA’s toll free intake at 1-866-456-4995 or visit our website: www.legalservicesalabama.org.