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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Missouri · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
When savings run short and senior care feels unaffordable, it's easy to feel stuck. Please know this: Missouri has real, free help for older adults who live on Social Security, a small pension, or very little at all.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-800-235-5503This connects you straight to your local Area Agency on Aging for information, in-home care, meals, transportation, and more. A great first call.
This page is for people who qualify only for Medicare or Medicaid and can't afford private senior living. Everything here is free or low-cost, run by the state or a trusted nonprofit.
You don't have to understand all of it today. 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 get help at home than move into a facility. Missouri has programs for that.
Call to start, contact the Department of Health and Senior Services, or ask when you apply for MO HealthNet.
MO HealthNet is Missouri's Medicaid program. It covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, nursing home care, and long-term help at home for those who qualify.
Long-term care: MO HealthNet pays for nursing home care and, through the Aged and Disabled Waiver and other home- and community-based services, for care that lets you stay in your own home instead.
Eligibility: MO HealthNet for seniors (often called MO HealthNet for the Aged, Blind, and Disabled) looks at income and assets, with protections for a spouse who still lives at home. These limits change every year, so don't rule yourself out — call 1-855-373-9994 and let them check.
Apply online or by phone through the Family Support Division.
Get free help applying for MO HealthNet from your local Area Agency on Aging.
For help with a benefit you already have.
Missouri has PACE in some areas. PACE bundles all your medical care, prescriptions, therapy, a day-health center, and rides into one program — usually free if you have MO HealthNet. You must be 55 or older, need a nursing-home level of care, and live in a PACE service area.
For example, PACE KC serves the Kansas City / Jackson County area.
PACE KC
Serves the Kansas City / Jackson County area.
Search for PACE availability (mydss.mo.gov)
Search "PACE" on the Missouri Department of Social Services site to learn more.
National PACE Association — Find a PACE Program
Search the national directory of PACE programs.
Call to check availability in your area.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare feels expensive, help is available.
A Missouri SHIP counselor can help you apply.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
Missouri's free Medicare counseling program is Missouri SHIP, long known as CLAIM. Trained, unbiased counselors help you compare Medicare plans, understand your bills, sign up for cost-saving programs, and fix problems — all free, and they never sell anything.
Leave your name and question, and a counselor will call you back.
Everyday essentials
Apply through the Missouri Department of Social Services. Many seniors qualify.
Arranged through your Area Agency on Aging — call the Missouri Senior Resource Line.
Dial 211 to find one near you.
Affordable & senior housing (Missouri Housing Development Commission)
Contact the Missouri Housing Development Commission, your local housing authority, or call 211.
Help with heating and cooling bills — apply through the Department of Social Services or dial 211.
Dial 211 any time.
Guidance & protection
Missouri has 10 Area Agencies on Aging that arrange local help — home care, meals, transportation, and caregiver support.
Enter your ZIP code and it routes you to your local agency.
Another way to find the Area Agency on Aging that serves you.
Missouri Legal Services
Free civil legal aid provided by regional programs across the state. Find your local office at lsmo.org.
Takes applications for free civil legal aid in southern Missouri.
Call to report elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
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.
A free, confidential advocate for residents of long-term care facilities. Services are confidential.
Free, 24/7, connects you to local help of every kind.
Points you to senior services in your area.
Call the Missouri Senior Resource Line at 1-800-235-5503. Explain your situation in plain words. They will connect you to your local Area Agency on Aging and the right services.
Call for free1-800-235-5503It's Missouri's Medicaid program. For low-income seniors, it can cover doctors, prescriptions, nursing home care, and help at home.
No. Regular Medicare doesn't cover assisted living or long-term custodial care. The Aged and Disabled Waiver through MO HealthNet is what can help with home-based long-term care.
Yes. These programs are built for people with limited income. Start with the Senior Resource Line at 1-800-235-5503.
Yes — the Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium (about $185/month) and sometimes more. Apply through MO HealthNet or ask a Missouri SHIP counselor.
Most people prefer home, and the Aged and Disabled Waiver helps make that possible. If more care is needed, MO HealthNet can help with a nursing home too. Your Area Agency on Aging can help you weigh it.
Yes. Missouri SHIP counselors and your Area Agency on Aging do exactly that, for free. Call 1-800-390-3330 or 1-800-235-5503.
Reaching out for help isn't giving up — it's taking care of the people you love. Missouri built these programs for families exactly like yours. Make one call today, and let someone help carry the 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.