The short answer: In Florida, help for older adults, adults with disabilities and family caregivers starts with one call to the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337). It connects you to your county's Aging and Disability Resource Center, which explains what is available, screens you for programs and puts you on any waitlist. This page explains what those services are, who qualifies, and who to call where you live.
What Is an Aging and Disability Resource Center?
An Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) is the local agency that serves as the single place to start for older Floridians, adults with disabilities and caregivers looking for long-term care help. Florida has 11, one for each planning and service area. Staff give information and referrals, check eligibility, screen people for state and Medicaid long-term care programs, and manage the waitlists for them. (Source: Florida Department of Elder Affairs.) Each ADRC is also the area's Area Agency on Aging, which funds local providers such as meal programs and senior centers.
Types of Senior and Disabled Services in Florida
Help at home and personal care
Florida's Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) program serves people 60 and older who are functionally impaired, as found in an assessment. Services include personal care, homemaker and chore help, home health aide visits, home-delivered meals, adult day care, respite for caregivers, emergency alert buttons, emergency home repair, transportation, counseling and legal help. People referred by Adult Protective Services come first. (Source: Elder Affairs.) Our in-home care guide explains the other ways to pay for help at home.
Medicaid long-term care
Florida Medicaid's long-term care program pays for care at home, in assisted living or in a nursing home for people 18 and older who need nursing-home level care and meet income and asset limits. Our Medicaid long-term care guide has the 2026 limits and the waitlist steps, and our Medicaid managed care guide explains choosing a plan. PACE is an all-in-one alternative in some areas.
Meals and food
Older Americans Act programs serve hot lunches at senior centers and deliver meals to people who are homebound. SNAP helps with groceries; see our guide to Florida SNAP for seniors.
Transportation
Medicaid rides, county paratransit and Florida's Transportation Disadvantaged program help people who cannot drive. See transportation for seniors in Florida.
Caregiver support and respite
Family caregivers can get breaks, training, counseling and supplies, and some can be paid. See our family caregiver support guide.
Housing, repairs and utility bills
Elder Affairs lists home repair and safety changes through state and Older Americans Act programs, and emergency energy help (EHEAP) for low-income households with someone 60 or older. (Source: Elder Affairs.) See our guide to low-income and subsidized senior housing.
Protection, legal help and work
If someone is being abused, neglected or exploited, report it to the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873. The Florida Senior Legal Helpline, 1-888-895-7873, gives free legal advice to people 60 and older who meet an income test. For people who can no longer make decisions and have no one to help, see public guardianship in Florida. For job training and part-time work, see senior employment programs.
Services for people with developmental disabilities
The Agency for Persons with Disabilities (APD) serves Floridians 3 and older whose disability began before age 18, including intellectual disability, severe autism, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, Prader-Willi syndrome and Phelan-McDermid syndrome. Its iBudget Florida Medicaid waiver pays for services at home and in the community. Apply online or through a local APD office. (Source: Agency for Persons with Disabilities.) For help finding or keeping a job, adults with any disability can apply to Florida Vocational Rehabilitation.
Who Qualifies?
| Program | Who it helps | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|
| Older Americans Act services (meals, caregiver help) | 60 and older; caregivers of people 60 and older | Elder Helpline or ADRC |
| Community Care for the Elderly | 60 and older with a functional impairment | ADRC |
| Medicaid long-term care | 18 and older, nursing-home level of need, income and asset limits | ADRC screening, then DCF |
| iBudget Florida waiver | 3 and older with a developmental disability that began before 18 | APD |
| Vocational Rehabilitation | People with a disability who want to work | Florida VR |
How to Apply, Step by Step
- Call the Elder Helpline or your ADRC. Explain what is hard right now: bathing, meals, getting to the doctor, paying bills, or caregiver burnout.
- Complete the screening. A phone screening asks about health, daily tasks, living situation and caregiver help. It decides which programs fit and your place on any waitlist.
- Get an in-person assessment when a program has space or you are released from the waitlist.
- Gather papers, such as ID, proof of income, Medicare and Medicaid cards and a list of medicines.
- Call back if things change. A fall, a hospital stay or the loss of a caregiver can raise your priority.
Find Your Local Aging and Disability Resource Center
Choose your county for its resource center, local senior services provider and statewide hotlines, or use the table below. (Source: Florida Department of Elder Affairs.)