A wide range of federal, state, and local programs exist to help older adults with finances, healthcare, housing, food, transportation, legal issues, and daily living. Many of these programs are underused simply because people don’t know about them. Here’s a practical breakdown of the major categories of help and how to access them.
Financial Assistance Programs
Social Security is the most well-known source of income for older Americans, but it’s not the only one. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides additional monthly payments to people 65 and older (or those who are blind or disabled) with very limited income and assets. In 2025, you may qualify for SSI if your total monthly income, including any Social Security payments, is less than $987. Your countable resources also can’t exceed $2,000 for an individual or $3,000 for a married couple. Many people who qualify for SSI don’t realize they’re eligible, particularly those already receiving a small Social Security check.
Medicare and Medicaid Coverage
Medicare covers hospital stays, doctor visits, and short-term skilled care for most Americans 65 and older. What it does not cover is long-term care. That includes ongoing help with everyday tasks like bathing, dressing, cooking, and getting around, whether that care happens at home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home. You pay 100% of those costs out of pocket under Medicare.
Medicaid, which is a separate program run by each state, does cover long-term care for people who meet income and asset requirements. Eligibility thresholds vary by state, but Medicaid is the single largest payer of nursing home care in the country. If a loved one needs ongoing daily assistance and has limited savings, checking Medicaid eligibility in your state is one of the most important steps you can take. Private long-term care insurance is another option, though it’s typically purchased well before care is needed.
In-Home Health Services
Medicare does pay for certain medical services delivered at home, but only under specific conditions. The person must be considered “homebound,” meaning they need a walker, wheelchair, cane, special transportation, or another person’s help just to leave the house, and that leaving home requires considerable effort. They must also need skilled care: nursing, physical therapy, speech therapy, or occupational therapy. If those conditions are met, Medicare covers intermittent visits from a nurse or therapist, typically fewer than seven days a week and less than eight hours a day.
This is different from the kind of help many older adults actually need, like someone to do laundry, prepare meals, or provide companionship. For that type of non-medical support, Medicaid home and community-based waiver programs, state-funded programs, and local nonprofits are the main sources of assistance.
Affordable Housing Options
The federal Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly program funds apartment communities specifically for very low-income adults aged 62 and older. To qualify, a household’s income must be below 50% of the area median income. Residents typically pay just 30% of their adjusted income in rent, with the federal government covering the rest. Many Section 202 properties also provide a service coordinator who connects residents with community support like cleaning, cooking help, and transportation.
Waitlists for these units can be long, so applying early matters. Your local housing authority or Area Agency on Aging can point you to Section 202 properties and other subsidized senior housing in your area.
Food and Nutrition Programs
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP, formerly food stamps) helps cover grocery costs. Seniors get a slightly easier path to eligibility: households with an elderly or disabled member only need to meet the net income limit, not the gross income test that applies to other households. For a single person, that net income limit is $1,305 per month. For a couple, it’s $1,763. Benefits are loaded onto an EBT card and accepted at most grocery stores.
Beyond SNAP, many communities offer home-delivered meal programs (often called Meals on Wheels) and congregate meal sites where older adults can eat together at senior centers, churches, or community buildings. These programs are funded in part through the Older Americans Act and coordinated locally. They serve a dual purpose: nutrition and social connection, which matters enormously for older adults living alone.
Help With Utility Bills
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay heating and cooling costs. Most states set the income cutoff at 150% of the federal poverty level, though some states go higher. A few states give priority to households with a member aged 60 or older. LIHEAP funds can go toward paying a past-due utility bill, preventing a shutoff, or weatherizing a home to reduce future energy costs. Applications typically go through your local community action agency or state energy office, and funds are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis in many areas, so applying early in the season helps.
Transportation Services
Getting to medical appointments, the grocery store, or a pharmacy is a real barrier for older adults who no longer drive. Many communities offer paratransit services: door-to-door or curb-to-curb rides operated by local transit agencies. Under federal law, paratransit fares must be comparable to regular bus fares, making them affordable. Eligibility is based on a person’s functional ability to use regular public transit, not on age or diagnosis alone, and the application process is handled locally by each transit agency.
Beyond paratransit, many Area Agencies on Aging coordinate volunteer driver programs, senior shuttle services, and ride vouchers. Some Medicaid plans also cover non-emergency medical transportation for eligible enrollees.
Support for Family Caregivers
The National Family Caregiver Support Program, funded through the federal government and administered locally, provides five core services to people caring for an older adult: information about available services, help accessing those services, individual counseling and support groups, respite care (temporary relief so the caregiver can rest), and limited supplemental services like home modifications or assistive devices. If you’re caring for an aging parent or spouse, this program exists specifically to keep you from burning out.
Contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find out what caregiver support is available in your community. Respite care alone, even a few hours a week, can make a significant difference in a caregiver’s ability to sustain long-term care at home.
Free Legal Help
The Legal Services for Older Americans Program, funded under the Older Americans Act, provides free civil legal assistance targeted to older adults with economic or social needs. The types of issues covered are wide-ranging and practical: help applying for Social Security, SSI, Medicaid, or veterans benefits; drafting advance directives and powers of attorney; fighting eviction or foreclosure; navigating guardianship proceedings; and addressing elder abuse, consumer fraud, or financial exploitation. If an older person’s independence, housing, or financial security is being threatened, this is a resource worth knowing about.
Finding Local Resources
The single most useful starting point for finding help is your local Area Agency on Aging (AAA). There are more than 600 AAAs across the country, and they serve as a hub connecting older adults and their families to services in their community: meals, transportation, home care, legal assistance, benefits counseling, and more. You can find yours by calling the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or visiting eldercare.acl.gov. A real person will help you identify what’s available based on your specific situation and zip code.