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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Michigan · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
When the savings run low and the cost of senior care feels impossible, it's easy to feel stuck. Please know this: Michigan has a whole network of free programs built for older adults living on Social Security, a small pension, or very little at all.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-800-803-7174Free, unbiased counseling on Medicare and Medicaid. This is often the best first call for anyone confused about their coverage.
This page is for people who qualify only for Medicare or Medicaid and can't afford private senior living. Everything listed here is free or very low-cost, run by the state or a trusted nonprofit.
You don't need to figure it all out at once. Make one phone call. A real person will 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
Most people would rather stay home than move to a facility. Michigan has programs for that.
Contact your regional MI Choice waiver agent through your Area Agency on Aging, or call MMAP to get pointed the right way.
Ask your MDHHS caseworker, or call the Beneficiary Help Line, about the Home Help Program.
Michigan Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, nursing home care, and long-term help at home for those who qualify.
Long-term care: Michigan Medicaid pays for nursing home care and, through the MI Choice Waiver, for care that lets you stay in your own home or an assisted living setting instead.
Eligibility: Michigan Medicaid for seniors looks at your income and assets, with special protections for a married spouse who still lives at home. These limits change every year, so don't count yourself out — call the Beneficiary Help Line at 1-800-642-3195, or MMAP at 1-800-803-7174, and let them check for you.
Apply for Michigan Medicaid (MI Bridges)
Apply online, or in person at your local MDHHS (Michigan Department of Health & Human Services) office.
MMAP and your Area Agency on Aging can walk you through the application for long-term care and waiver help.
Michigan has a strong PACE network (branded PACE Michigan). PACE bundles all your medical care, prescriptions, therapy, a day-health center, and rides into one program — usually free if you have Medicaid. You must be 55 or older, need a nursing-home level of care, and live in a PACE service area.
Find your local PACE Michigan program
Search for a PACE program in your area.
National PACE Association directory
Another way to find a PACE program near you, or ask MMAP whether PACE serves your area.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare feels expensive, help is available.
Apply through the Michigan Medicaid Beneficiary Help Line or your MDHHS office. MMAP can help you apply.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
MMAP (the Michigan Medicare/Medicaid Assistance Program) is Michigan's free Medicare counseling program — the state's version of what's called SHIP nationally. Trained, unbiased counselors help you pick a Medicare plan, understand bills, sign up for cost-saving programs, and fix problems. They never sell anything.
It's free and confidential.
Everyday essentials
SNAP (food stamps)
Apply through MI Bridges or your MDHHS office. Many seniors qualify.
Arranged through your Area Agency on Aging — call MMAP or the Eldercare Locator to find yours.
Dial 211 to find one near you.
Affordable & senior housing (MSHDA)
Contact your local housing commission or the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, or call 211.
Heating and utility help (LIHEAP / State Emergency Relief)
Michigan's LIHEAP/State Emergency Relief helps with energy bills — apply through MI Bridges or dial 211.
Dial 211 any time.
Guidance & protection
Michigan has 16 Area Agencies on Aging that arrange local help — home care, meals, transportation, and caregiver support. In the metro Detroit area, AAA 1-B and AgeWays serve older adults; other regions have their own agencies.
Call MMAP, the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116), or visit the Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan to find the agency that serves your county.
Free legal help for Michigan residents age 60 and older, run by Elder Law of Michigan. They handle nursing home issues, consumer problems, benefits, and more.
Michigan Legal Help
Connects you to local legal aid.
If someone lives in a nursing home or assisted living and something feels wrong, a free advocate called an ombudsman will step in for them.
Calls are free and confidential.
Free, 24/7, connects you to local help of every kind.
Points you to senior services in your area.
Call MMAP at 1-800-803-7174. Tell them plainly what's going on. They'll help you understand your Medicare and Medicaid options.
Call for free1-800-803-7174It's the state's Medicaid program. For low-income seniors, it can cover doctors, prescriptions, nursing home care, and help at home.
No. Regular Medicare does not cover assisted living or long-term custodial care. The MI Choice Waiver through Michigan Medicaid is what can help with those costs.
Yes. These programs are made for people with limited income. Start with MMAP at 1-800-803-7174.
Yes — the Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium (about $185/month) and sometimes more. Apply through the Beneficiary Help Line or ask MMAP.
Most people prefer home, and the MI Choice Waiver helps make that possible. If more care is needed, Medicaid can help with a nursing home too. MMAP or your AAA can help you decide.
Yes. MMAP counselors do exactly that, for free. Call 1-800-803-7174.
Asking for help is a sign of strength, not defeat. Michigan built these programs for families just like yours. One phone call today can lighten the whole load.
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.