DokuDocsdokudocs.com- Phone
- 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337), free statewide
- Who can call
- Anyone 60 or older, or a family member or caregiver calling for them
- What it connects to
- Your parent's local Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC), run by one of 11 Area Agencies on Aging
- Cost
- The call and the information are free. Some services have waitlists or a sliding-scale co-pay.
- Run by
- Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agencies on Aging
When families start looking for help for an aging parent, they usually start with Google and end up with fifty tabs: home care agencies, Medicaid websites, assisted living directories, a lawyer's blog. In Florida there's a shorter path. Call 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337).
That number is the Elder Helpline, and it connects you to the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) that serves your parent's county. Every county in Florida is covered by one of 11 Area Agencies on Aging, nonprofit organizations that receive federal and state money to fund services for people 60 and older. They're the front door for most of the programs in this guide.
What the helpline can actually do for you
Think of the person who answers as a benefits specialist who knows your parent's county. They can:
- Explain which local programs your parent might qualify for, including ones you've never heard of
- Start a screening for Florida Medicaid long-term care (the waiver that pays for in-home help and assisted living services)
- Refer your parent for home-delivered meals, congregate meals at senior centers, transportation and homemaker help
- Connect you with SHINE, the free Medicare counseling program
- Refer you to caregiver support, respite and Alzheimer's programs
- Point you to free legal help for people 60+, which many agencies fund
- Help with emergency energy assistance for households with someone 60 or older
They don't sell anything, and they aren't steering you toward a particular provider.
The 11 Area Agencies on Aging
The Elder Helpline routes you automatically, but it helps to know who serves your parent and to have their direct number.
| PSA | Agency | Counties served | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwest Florida Area Agency on Aging | Escambia, Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton | (850) 494-7101 |
| 2 | Advantage Aging Solutions | Bay, Calhoun, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Madison, Taylor, Wakulla, Washington | (850) 488-0055 |
| 3 | Elder Options | Alachua, Bradford, Citrus, Columbia, Dixie, Gilchrist, Hamilton, Hernando, Lafayette, Lake, Levy, Marion, Putnam, Sumter, Suwannee, Union | (352) 378-6649 |
| 4 | ElderSource | Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns, Volusia | (904) 391-6600 |
| 5 | Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas | Pasco, Pinellas | (727) 570-9696 |
| 6 | Senior Connection Center | Hardee, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Polk | (813) 740-3888 |
| 7 | Senior Resource Alliance | Brevard, Orange, Osceola, Seminole | (407) 514-0019 |
| 8 | Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida | Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Glades, Hendry, Lee, Sarasota | (239) 652-6900 |
| 9 | Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast | Indian River, Martin, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, St. Lucie | (561) 684-5885 |
| 10 | Area Agency on Aging of Broward County | Broward | (954) 745-9567 |
| 11 | Alliance for Aging | Miami-Dade, Monroe | (305) 670-6500 |
PSA means Planning and Service Area. Phone numbers are from the Department of Elder Affairs directory as of November 2026. If a number has changed, 1-800-96-ELDER will always route you correctly.
How to make the call go well
These calls tend to run long, and the specialist will ask a lot of personal questions. A little preparation saves a second call.
- Call with your parent if you can. A three-way call or speakerphone visit lets your parent confirm details and give permission for you to speak for them.
- Describe a normal day, honestly. Specialists need to hear what your parent can't do: "She can't get in and out of the tub," "He forgets whether he took his pills." Families often downplay this out of pride, and it can lower the help offered.
- Mention every change. A recent fall, a hospital stay, a caregiver who's burning out, a spouse who died. These affect priority for several programs.
- Ask about waitlists directly. "Is there a waitlist for that, and what moves someone up it?" is a fair question.
- Write down the name and date. Note who you spoke with, what they're referring your parent to, and any reference number.
Have this in front of you before you dial
- Your parent's full name, date of birth, address and county
- Monthly income (Social Security, pensions) and a rough idea of savings
- Medicare card and any Medicaid, supplement or Medicare Advantage cards
- List of diagnoses and medications
- Who lives in the home and who helps now
- Your durable power of attorney or health care surrogate, if you have them
If those documents live in different drawers, or different houses, consider scanning them into a shared DokuDocs vault first. You'll be asked for the same items again by Medicaid, SHINE and almost every program after this.
What happens after the call
Depending on what your parent needs, you may get:
- Information only: phone numbers and websites for local services, which is often enough for meals or transportation
- A referral to a provider: a meals program, a senior center or a legal aid office will contact you
- A screening: for Medicaid long-term care and some state programs, a longer phone assessment that may lead to a waitlist placement
- A home assessment: for programs like Community Care for the Elderly, a case manager may visit
Not every program has room right away. If your parent ends up on a waitlist, keep the agency's direct number handy and call back when anything changes.
If your parent lives outside Florida
Every state has Area Agencies on Aging, but the phone numbers and program names differ. Our Eldercare Locator guide explains how to find the right office anywhere in the country, and the Florida Medicaid long-term care guide covers the screening the helpline often starts.
One more thing to set up The helpline asks, early on, whether anyone has legal authority to make decisions for your parent. If the answer is "yes, but I'm not sure where the papers are," that's worth fixing now. DokuDocs keeps the power of attorney, health care surrogate and insurance cards encrypted and reachable from any phone.
Questions families ask
Can I call the Elder Helpline for my parent, or do they have to call?
You can call. Family members and caregivers call all the time. For some services, like the Medicaid long-term care screening, the agency may also want to speak with your parent or confirm you're authorized to act for them.
What if my parent lives in Florida but I live in another state?
Call the Florida Elder Helpline anyway. It routes by your parent's county, not yours. Long-distance caregivers are a big share of callers.
Is there a waitlist?
For information and referral, no. For programs funded by the state, such as in-home services, there often is. Ask the specialist how the waitlist works in your parent's area and what to do if their situation changes.
Where do I report suspected elder abuse or exploitation?
Call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-96-ABUSE (1-800-962-2873). If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
This guide explains public programs in plain language. It is not legal, medical or financial advice. Program rules, dollar amounts and phone numbers change, so confirm details with the agency before you apply. DokuDocs is not affiliated with any government agency.