Senior Resource & Locator Tools
Nine free locator tools for finding local help — Area Agency on Aging, SHIP Medicare counseling, prescription assistance, free and paid caregiver support, hearing/vision assistance, elder abuse resources, funeral/burial assistance, and legal aid.
Not every benefit question has a calculator answer — sometimes what you actually need is a person or a local office. This category exists for exactly that: free, unbiased, government-backed resources that connect seniors and their families to local help, rather than another eligibility figure.
Finding Local Services: Area Agencies on Aging
Every region of the country is covered by an Area Agency on Aging (AAA), a local organization mandated under the Older Americans Act that coordinates services like meal delivery, transportation, in-home care, and benefits counseling. It's usually the single best starting point when you don't know which specific program applies to your situation. The Area Agency on Aging Locator finds the one serving your area.
Unbiased Medicare Help
Choosing between Medicare plans is where a lot of seniors encounter sales pressure from insurance agents. SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counselors are a free, unbiased alternative — trained volunteers or staff who don't sell insurance or earn commissions, funded specifically to give neutral guidance. The SHIP Counselor Locator connects you to your state's program. Separately, the State Pharmaceutical Assistance (SPAP) Finder covers state-run programs that help with prescription drug costs beyond what Medicare Part D and Extra Help provide.
Caregiver Support: Free Services vs. Getting Paid
Family caregivers usually mean one of two different things when they search for help: free support services, or actually getting paid to provide care. The Family Caregiver Support Eligibility Checker covers the free path (the National Family Caregiver Support Program — respite care, counseling, no income test, but no direct payment). The Paid Family Caregiver Eligibility Checker covers the paid path, which runs through Medicaid self-directed care and the care recipient's own eligibility instead — and flags the narrower rules that apply specifically to a spouse or the parent of a minor child. And if you suspect elder abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation, knowing who to call matters — Adult Protective Services is the primary reporting channel in every state, and the Elder Abuse Resource Locator connects you to the right one for immediate next steps.
Hearing and Vision: A Coverage Gap Medicare Leaves Open
Original Medicare doesn't cover routine hearing aids or eyeglasses, and a lot of what's searchable about "free hearing aids" is vague about who actually qualifies. The Hearing Aid & Eyeglass Assistance Finder checks your income against the 200% federal poverty line threshold most national programs use, then links directly to the specific programs — Miracle-Ear Foundation, the National Hearing Aid Project, EyeCare America, and VSP Eyes of Hope — with their real, current eligibility rules.
Legal Help Without a Private Attorney's Price Tag
Powers of attorney, guardianship questions, a wrongly denied benefit, undoing a scam — these are legal problems, but they don't have to mean an expensive lawyer. The Senior Legal Aid Locator covers the two federal-funded networks that provide free help (the Eldercare Locator and Legal Services Corporation), plus a directory for finding a paid elder law specialist when a matter genuinely needs one.
Funeral and Burial Costs: What's Real Beyond the $255 Myth
Social Security's one-time $255 death payment gets mistaken for a funeral benefit constantly, but it hasn't changed since 1954 and was never meant to cover real costs. The Funeral & Burial Assistance Finder covers what actually exists beyond it: FEMA funeral assistance (disaster-related deaths only), county-level indigent burial and cremation programs, and nonprofit resources for lowering costs before a death happens. Veterans should check the VA Burial Benefits Checker first, since those benefits are larger and more consistent than anything covered here.
Every Resources & Locators Tool
Related Reading
Is There Really Free Government Money for Seniors?
What real assistance exists, and how to spot the "free money" scams that target retirees.
Read more → Elder ProtectionWhat to Do If You Suspect Elder Abuse
Clear, calm steps — who to call for immediate danger, and who to call to report it.
Read more → Financial HardshipFinancial Assistance Programs for Medical Bills
Hospital charity care, sliding-scale clinics, and where medical debt help actually comes from.
Read more → Financial HardshipEmergency Financial Assistance Programs for Seniors
What to do when a utility shutoff, eviction notice, or empty pantry needs help fast.
Read more → Financial HardshipFinancial Hardship Assistance Programs: A Senior's Guide
The main federal safety-net programs worth checking first.
Read more →Frequently Asked Questions
What does an Area Agency on Aging actually do?
Area Agencies on Aging are local organizations, mandated under the Older Americans Act, that coordinate and often directly provide services like meal delivery, transportation, caregiver support, and benefits counseling for seniors in a specific region.
Is a SHIP counselor free, and are they trying to sell me insurance?
SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counseling is free and unbiased by law — counselors are trained volunteers or staff who don't sell insurance or receive commissions, which distinguishes them from insurance agents.
Can family caregivers get paid?
In most states, yes, through Medicaid self-directed care programs that let a care recipient hire a family member or friend as their paid caregiver — though a spouse or parent of a minor child faces a narrower path under federal rules. Availability, program names, and exact rules vary by state.
Does Medicare cover hearing aids or eyeglasses?
Original Medicare doesn't cover routine hearing aids or eyeglasses. Several national nonprofit programs offer free or low-cost help based on income, typically at or below 200% of the federal poverty line.
Where can seniors get free or low-cost legal help?
The Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) connects seniors to Older Americans Act-funded legal assistance with generally no strict income cutoff. The Legal Services Corporation's Find Legal Aid tool locates general civil legal aid organizations by ZIP code, using an income guideline around 125% of the federal poverty line.
Who do I call if I suspect elder abuse?
For immediate danger, call 911. To report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation that isn't an emergency, Adult Protective Services in your state is the primary reporting agency, and the Eldercare Locator can connect you to it.
What funeral or burial assistance exists for non-veterans?
Social Security's $255 lump-sum death payment is the only fixed federal amount, and it isn't meant to cover real funeral costs. Beyond that, FEMA funeral assistance applies only to disaster-related deaths, and county indigent burial or cremation programs — which vary widely by location — are the realistic fallback for families with no other resources.
This page is for general educational purposes and is not affiliated with the U.S. Administration for Community Living or any state agency. See our Data Sources page for how we source figures.