Elder Services

FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF ELDER AFFAIRS

The Florida Department of Elder Affairs has several programs to assist seniors.  For information call the Elder Care Helpline toll-free number at (800) 963-5337, or to view their website click http://ElderAffairs.state.fl.us. Some of the programs include:

• SHINE

  SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) provides counseling to seniors regarding health insurance, including Medicare, Medicaid, long-term care insurance, prescription assistance programs, and other health insurance issues. For more information click www.FloridaShine.org.

• Sunshine for Seniors

  Sunshine for Seniors helps eligible seniors, 60 years or older, enroll in programs that help with the cost of prescription drugs.

• CARES

  CARES (Comprehensive Assessment Review and Evaluation Services) provides an assessment of a person to see what help is needed to keep the person in his or her own home or to help the person with placement in a nursing home. They also provide help getting home and community based services, if needed. For more information click http://ElderAffairs.state.fl.us/english/cares/html

• Medicaid

  Medicaid waiver programs to help pay for home and community-based services.

• Other programs

  Other programs include Older Americans Act, Community Care for the Elderly, Home Care for the Elderly, the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative, and Emergency Home Energy Assistance for the Elderly.

REFERRAL

For people 55 years or older, the National Council on Aging has a website that provides referrals to government programs that may help with the cost of prescription drugs, health care, rent, utilities, property taxes, meals, and other needs.  You can complete a brief questionnaire on the website and obtain a report on all the programs you might be eligible for and instructions how to enroll.  To view the website, click www.BenefitsCheckUp.org.

OTHER RESOURCES

Be sure to look at the other topics listed in the Medical Help Section by clicking Referral Links.

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