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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Indiana · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you are an older Hoosier living on a limited income — or you are the adult child of one — please know that Indiana offers real, free help when private senior living is out of reach. That help includes health coverage, in-home care, meals, and people whose job is simply to guide you.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-800-713-9023One free call connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging for in-home care, meals, caregiver help, and benefits screening. Best first call for most senior needs.
Everything on this page comes from a state agency or a trusted nonprofit. No one here is trying to sell you anything.
You do not have to figure it all out today. Start with one phone call, and let a helpful person point you toward the next step.
Tap what fits. You'll jump straight to the right help — no reading through the rest.
Still not sure? Just make the call above — they'll help you figure it out. One call is a great start.
Start here for most families
Indiana wants seniors to be able to stay in their own homes when possible. In 2024, the state launched Indiana PathWays for Aging, a Medicaid managed-care program that coordinates long-term services and supports for seniors. Medicaid can also help cover care services in some assisted living settings (though usually not the room-and-board rent).
Call to learn what home and community-based services you may qualify for.
Call to ask about PathWays for Aging and start a long-term care application.
Indiana Medicaid, run by the Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA), gives free or low-cost health coverage. For seniors, this includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term care — both nursing facility care and services that help you stay home. Many aged, blind, and disabled Hoosiers receive coverage through Hoosier Care Connect.
A note on eligibility: Indiana looks at your income and, for long-term care, your assets. Limits change every year, and there are protections for a spouse who lives at home. Do not assume you earn "too much" before you check — many people qualify who did not expect to. Call to confirm your real numbers.
Apply online at the FSSA Benefits Portal, by phone, or in person at any local DFR office (find one at in.gov/fssa/dfr).
PACE combines all your medical care, prescriptions, therapy, and social support into one coordinated program so you can keep living at home.
Indiana has PACE programs operating in several regions of the state.
Call to check availability in your region.
Find a PACE program (National PACE Association)
Search the national directory to see if a PACE program serves your area.
If you're on Medicare
If your budget is tight, these programs help:
DFR handles Medicare Savings Program applications for Indiana.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
A SHIP counselor can help you apply for both programs — free.
SHIP stands for the State Health Insurance Assistance Program, run by the Indiana Department of Insurance. SHIP counselors give free, unbiased Medicare help. They do not sell insurance and earn no commissions.
They can help you understand Medicare and what it covers, compare drug and Medicare Advantage plans, apply for programs that lower your costs, and fix billing errors and file appeals.
Reach a SHIP counselor for free, unbiased Medicare help.
Everyday essentials
Indiana SNAP helps you buy groceries. Apply online or by calling the DFR benefits line.
Home-delivered and community meals available through your Area Agency on Aging.
If rent, utilities, or staying safely at home worry you, these can connect you to senior housing, rent help, and energy assistance.
Help finding senior housing, rent help, and energy assistance.
Dial 211 for housing, rent, and utility help in your area.
Guidance & protection
Indiana has 15 Area Agencies on Aging, coordinated through the INconnect Alliance and the FSSA Division of Aging. They arrange senior services near you — meals, in-home care, transportation, and caregiver support.
One call connects you to the agency that serves your area.
The national service that can also help you find your local Area Agency on Aging.
Indiana Legal Services — Senior Law Project
Free legal help for eviction, benefits denials, elder abuse, and scams.
You can also ask your Area Agency on Aging for a referral, or call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
If someone you love lives in a nursing home or assisted living and you are worried about their care or rights, the Indiana Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free advocate who works on their behalf.
A free, confidential advocate for residents of long-term care facilities.
National Long-Term Care Ombudsman Resource Center (Consumer Voice)
National fallback resource if you need additional help.
Dial 211 for free, confidential help finding local resources — food, housing, utilities, and more.
Connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging.
Call the ADRC at 1-800-713-9023. Tell them what is going on; they will screen you for services at no cost.
Call for free1-800-713-9023Indiana Medicaid is the state's Medicaid program, run by FSSA. Hoosier Care Connect is the managed-care plan many aged, blind, and disabled Hoosiers use. Both provide free or low-cost coverage — including long-term care — for people with limited income and savings.
Mostly no. Medicare covers short-term skilled care after a hospital stay, not ongoing long-term care. Indiana Medicaid is the program that helps with that.
Very possibly. Limits change yearly and protect a spouse at home. Many people qualify who assumed they earned too much. Call 1-800-403-0864 to check.
Ask about Medicare Savings Programs through DFR (1-800-403-0864) and Extra Help through Social Security (1-800-772-1213). SHIP (1-800-452-4800) can help you apply.
Yes. Through PathWays for Aging, Indiana Medicaid covers many in-home services. Call the ADRC (1-800-713-9023) to start.
Yes. The ADRC (1-800-713-9023) and SHIP (1-800-452-4800) offer free guidance with no obligation.
Asking for help is not a burden — it is how good families and good communities take care of each other. One phone call today can lead to real support.
Program details, income limits, and contact information can change. The agencies linked above can confirm the most current specifics for your situation. This page is for general information and isn't legal or financial advice.
Last reviewed: July 2026. Program details, income limits, and contact information can change — the linked agencies confirm the most current specifics.