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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Iowa · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you are an older Iowan living on a fixed income — or you are helping a parent who is — please know real, free help is available when private senior living is out of reach. That includes health coverage, in-home care, meals, and people whose whole job is to guide you.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-866-468-7887One free call connects you to in-home services, meals, caregiver support, and benefits screening across Iowa. Best first call for most senior needs.
Every resource here comes from a state agency or a trusted nonprofit. Nobody on this page is trying to sell you anything.
You do not need to solve everything at once. Start with one phone call, and let a knowledgeable person help you take 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
Iowa works to help seniors stay in their own homes. Medicaid can also help cover care services in some assisted living settings (though usually not the room-and-board rent).
They'll walk you through your options, including the Elderly Waiver.
Ask about the Elderly Waiver and long-term care.
Iowa Medicaid, run by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), provides free or low-cost health coverage. Most members — including many seniors — get their care through IA Health Link, Iowa's Medicaid managed-care program. For seniors, coverage includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term care, both in nursing facilities and through services that help you stay home.
A note on eligibility: Iowa looks at your income and, for long-term care, your assets. The 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 (HHS Benefits Portal)
Apply for Iowa Medicaid and IA Health Link online through the HHS Benefits Portal.
Or call LifeLong Links at 1-866-468-7887 for help getting started.
Apply in person (local HHS office)
Find your local HHS office to apply in person.
PACE bundles all your medical care, prescriptions, therapy, and social support into one coordinated program so you can keep living at home.
Iowa has PACE programs, though not in every county. Providers include Immanuel Pathways (serving the Council Bluffs and Windsor Heights/Des Moines areas) and UnityPoint Health PACE (serving the Sioux City, Bettendorf/Quad Cities, Hiawatha/Cedar Rapids, and Waterloo areas).
Call to check availability, or search the National PACE Association directory to find a program near you.
If you're on Medicare
If your budget is stretched, these programs help:
Apply for a Medicare Savings Program (Iowa HHS)
Apply online, or ask Medicaid Member Services at 1-800-338-8366.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
A SHIIP counselor can help you apply for both — free.
SHIIP stands for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program, run by the Iowa Insurance Division. SHIIP 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.
Call for free, unbiased Medicare counseling from the Iowa Insurance Division, or visit the website.
Everyday essentials
Iowa's food assistance program helps you buy groceries. Apply online, or call with questions.
Home-delivered and community meals are available through your Area Agency on Aging. Call LifeLong Links to find the program near you.
If rent, utilities, or staying safely at home worry you, these can connect you to senior housing, rent help, and energy assistance like LIHEAP.
Help finding affordable senior housing and utility or rent assistance, including LIHEAP.
Dial 211 for free, confidential help finding local housing and utility resources.
Guidance & protection
Iowa's Area Agencies on Aging arrange senior services close to home — meals, in-home care, transportation, and caregiver support. The easiest way to reach yours is through LifeLong Links at 1-866-468-7887 (lifelonglinks.org), or use the national Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116.
One call connects you to the agency that serves your area.
Iowa Legal Aid — Legal Hotline for Older Iowans
Free legal help for eviction, benefits denials, elder abuse, scams, and other issues facing older Iowans.
You can also ask LifeLong Links 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 Office of the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free advocate who works on their behalf.
A free advocate for residents of long-term care facilities. (National fallback: theconsumervoice.org.)
Dial 211 for free, confidential help finding local resources.
Connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging.
Call LifeLong Links at 1-866-468-7887. Tell them what you need; they will screen you for services at no cost.
Call for free1-866-468-7887Iowa Medicaid is the state's Medicaid program, run by HHS. IA Health Link is the managed-care system most members 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. Iowa 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 1-800-338-8366 to check.
Ask about Medicare Savings Programs through Iowa HHS (1-800-338-8366) and Extra Help through Social Security (1-800-772-1213). SHIIP (1-800-351-4664) can help you apply.
Yes. Iowa's HCBS Elderly Waiver covers many in-home services. Call LifeLong Links (1-866-468-7887) or Medicaid Member Services (1-800-338-8366) to start.
Yes. LifeLong Links (1-866-468-7887) and SHIIP (1-800-351-4664) offer free guidance with no obligation.
You have given a lot to your family and your community, and it is more than okay to accept help now. One phone call today can open the door to the support you deserve.
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.