Name:  LaTanya D. Rhines

Title:  Elder Law Attorney

How long have you been at TARCOG and what do you do? I’ve worked here for 24 years and two months. I provide legal assistance and legal advice to senior adults. I also provide legal assistance to the Ombudsman Program and provide community education to seniors about legal matters.

What did you want to be when you grew up?  An attorney or English professor.

What do you hope to accomplish within the next year?   I want to be healthier and to enjoy each day as it comes.

Who is your hero and why?  I do not really have any heroes but there are several people who I admire. These are not necessarily famous people, but people I have seen in my family and community who exhibit strength, resilience and integrity. People who choose to do the right thing, even when it is not easy or popular.

If you could choose to do anything for a day, what would it be?  Find a nice, comfortable and quiet place where I could relax with a good book and read.

What is the best piece of advice someone has given you?   What is popular is not always what is right, and what is right is not always what is popular. You cannot control the way other people treat you, but you can control the way you treat other people.

What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?  I am not a big risk taker. When I was teenager, I once got on a ride at an amusement park after standing in line waiting for it to be repaired, however, in retrospect, that was probably more stupid than daring. I cannot say that I’ve ever really done anything “daring.”

Who knows you the best?  My Mom.

What would you do if you won the lottery?  Good question. After paying tithes and taxes, I would do: 1) Something for others, like donate to different charities and share with my family; 2) something responsible like paying off bills; and 3) Something for myself like take a trip to New Zealand, then Hawaii; and 4) something wise like putting some into savings.

More than 1,000 gifts were delivered by staff to 373 recipients of TARCOG’s Winter Wishes Drive during the 2023 holiday season.

“We are so appreciative to all of the sponsors and our staff who made these wishes come true,” said Sheila Dessau-Ivey, director of TARCOG’s Area Agency on Aging. “The impact of these acts of generosity and kindness cannot be underestimated. Our case managers have shared story after story of the delight and smiles that the gifts brought to our clients during a time that could have been especially sad and lonely for them.”

TARCOG’s Medicaid Waiver Program serves more than 800 clients of all ages in DeKalb, Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Marshall counties. The holiday campaign, which was previously called Santa for Seniors, started in 2002 as a simple gesture to pass on kindness and joy to those in need. This year the name was changed to Winter Wishes because while TARCOG serves mostly seniors, it also has clients from every age groups.