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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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North Carolina · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you're getting older in North Carolina and worried about money, please take heart. There's real, free help available across the state — from the mountains to the coast — and the people who run these programs are kind and used to answering questions from seniors and their families.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-888-245-0179Call with questions about Medicaid or your application. Open weekdays, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.
Medicaid in North Carolina can help pay for doctors, prescriptions, in-home caregivers, and even nursing-home care for people with low incomes. On top of that, there are free counselors who help you understand Medicare and lower your costs.
This page walks you through the important phone numbers and what each one is for. Go one step at a time — you don't have to solve everything today.
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 seniors would rather stay home, and NC Medicaid can help make that possible.
Start with your county DSS or call to ask about long-term care.
Reach out to your Area Agency on Aging for local support.
NC Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital stays, prescriptions, mental health care, and long-term care. Most members get their care through a managed-care health plan that coordinates their services.
Who qualifies? Medicaid looks at your income and, for long-term care, your savings and assets. The limits change every year and depend on the type of help you need. Please don't assume you earn "too much" — many seniors qualify once medical costs are considered. Income limits change yearly, so call to check before you rule yourself out.
Apply online (ePASS)
Apply online — on the application, NC Medicaid is listed as "Medical Assistance".
Apply through your county DSS
Apply in person, by phone, or by mail through your county Department of Social Services (DSS).
Call for free help completing your Medicaid application.
Call with questions about NC Medicaid or your application.
Applying is free — you never pay to apply.
PACE is ideal for seniors who need nursing-home-level care but want to stay at home. It bundles your doctors, therapy, prescriptions, and adult day care into one program — usually free if you have Medicaid.
North Carolina has PACE programs in several regions of the state.
Ask SHIIP or your Area Agency on Aging, or search the site to find a program near you.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare's costs are stretching your budget, two programs can help — and many people who qualify never apply.
Apply through your county DSS or the NC Medicaid Contact Center.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
A SHIIP counselor can help you apply — free.
North Carolina's State Health Insurance Assistance Program is called SHIIP (Seniors' Health Insurance Information Program), run by the NC Department of Insurance. Their counselors give free, unbiased Medicare help — no sales pitch.
They can help you compare Medicare Advantage and Part D drug plans so you don't overpay, sign up for programs that lower your Medicare and drug costs, untangle billing problems and denials, and navigate open enrollment.
Reach a SHIIP counselor for free, unbiased Medicare help.
Everyday essentials
Food and Nutrition Services (SNAP)
Apply at epass.nc.gov or through your county DSS. Many seniors qualify.
Available through your Area Agency on Aging — reach it via the Eldercare Locator.
Dial 211 to find food pantries near you.
If keeping your home is a worry:
Free help with rent, affordable housing, and avoiding eviction or foreclosure.
Dial 211 for local rental and utility assistance.
Can point you to senior housing and home-repair help.
Guidance & protection
North Carolina's Area Agencies on Aging run senior meals, transportation, caregiver support, and family-caregiver help, and they serve as local aging and disability resource connections.
Call to reach the Area Agency on Aging serving your county, or dial 211.
Free legal help for North Carolinians age 60 and older (weekdays, 9–11 a.m. and 1–3 p.m.).
If you or a loved one lives in a nursing home or assisted living and something isn't right, an Ombudsman is a free advocate for residents' rights. North Carolina's ombudsmen are based at the regional Area Agencies on Aging.
Reach your local ombudsman through the Eldercare Locator or find them at theconsumervoice.org.
Dial 211 for free, local help with food, housing, and utilities.
For senior services anywhere in the country.
Call SHIIP at 1-855-408-1212 or the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. Explain your situation — they'll point you to the right programs and your local aging office.
Call for free1-888-245-0179It's North Carolina's health-coverage program for people with low incomes. It covers health care and long-term care, usually at little or no cost.
Generally no. Medicare covers doctors and short-term care, not ongoing assisted living or long-term nursing-home costs. Medicaid is the program that helps with long-term care.
Yes. These programs are made for people on fixed and low incomes. Call the NC Medicaid Contact Center at 1-888-245-0179 or SHIIP at 1-855-408-1212.
Ask about the Medicare Savings Programs through your county DSS or the NC Medicaid Contact Center (1-888-245-0179). The QMB level pays your ~$185 monthly Part B premium plus copays. SHIIP can help you apply.
Care at home brings an aide or services to you so you can stay in your own place; a nursing home provides round-the-clock care in a facility. NC Medicaid can help pay for either — the CAP/DA waiver focuses on keeping people at home.
Yes. SHIIP (1-855-408-1212) and the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) are free and glad to help.
Reaching out isn't giving up — it's taking care of yourself or someone you love. North Carolina has these programs so its elders can live safely and with dignity. Make the calls and use what's available to you.
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.