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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Ohio · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you're getting older in Ohio and worried about how to afford care, please take a breath. There's real, free help across the state — from Cleveland to Cincinnati to the small towns in between — and the people who run these programs are kind and used to helping seniors and their families.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-866-243-5678Also reachable at 1-866-24-OHIO. This connects you to the aging office serving your community — your one-stop for in-home care, senior meals, and local help.
Ohio Medicaid can help pay for doctors, prescriptions, in-home caregivers, and even nursing-home care for people with low incomes. There are also free counselors who help you understand Medicare and lower your costs.
This page walks you through the important phone numbers and what each one does, in plain language. 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 in their own home, and Ohio Medicaid can help.
Both PASSPORT and the Assisted Living Waiver are coordinated through your local Area Agency on Aging.
Medicaid can also help pay for nursing-home care when that level of care is needed.
Ohio 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; seniors who also have Medicare may be enrolled in MyCare Ohio, which coordinates Medicare and Medicaid together.
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. Don't assume you earn "too much" — many seniors qualify once medical costs are counted. Income limits change yearly, so call to check before you rule yourself out.
Apply online at benefits.ohio.gov or call the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline. You can also apply in person through your county Department of Job and Family Services (JFS).
Call your Area Agency on Aging if you're not sure where to begin.
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.
Ohio has PACE programs serving the Cleveland and Cincinnati areas.
Ask your Area Agency on Aging, or search the National PACE Association's program finder.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare's costs are stretching your budget, two programs can help — and many who qualify never apply.
Apply through your county JFS or the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
An OSHIIP counselor can help you apply for Medicare Savings Programs and Extra Help — free.
Ohio's State Health Insurance Assistance Program is called OSHIIP (Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program), run by the Ohio 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, enroll in programs that lower your Medicare and drug costs, sort out billing problems and denials, and navigate open enrollment.
Ohio's State Health Insurance Assistance Program, run by the Ohio Department of Insurance.
Everyday essentials
SNAP (food stamps)
Apply at benefits.ohio.gov or through your county Department of Job and Family Services (JFS). Many seniors qualify.
Available through your Area Agency on Aging.
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 toward senior housing and home-repair help.
Guidance & protection
Ohio's Area Agencies on Aging run senior meals, transportation, caregiver support, and the PASSPORT in-home care program.
Also reachable at 1-866-24-OHIO. One call connects you to the aging office serving your community.
A free national service you can also call to find the aging office serving your community.
You have the right to free legal help with benefits, housing, and elder abuse.
Free legal advice and referrals for any Ohio resident age 60 or older, regardless of income (weekdays, 9 a.m.–3 p.m.).
Ohio Legal Help
Can also connect you to local free legal aid.
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.
A free advocate for residents' rights. You can also find your local ombudsman at theconsumervoice.org.
Dial 211 for free, local help with food, housing, and utilities.
Free senior services help anywhere in the country.
Call your Area Agency on Aging at 1-866-243-5678. Explain what's going on. They'll listen and point you to the right programs, including in-home care.
Call for free1-866-243-5678It's Ohio'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 — through Ohio's Assisted Living Waiver and other programs — is what helps with long-term care.
Yes. These programs are made for people on fixed and low incomes. Call your Area Agency on Aging at 1-866-243-5678 or the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline at 1-800-324-8680.
Ask about the Medicare Savings Programs through your county JFS or the Ohio Medicaid Consumer Hotline (1-800-324-8680). The QMB level pays your ~$185 monthly Part B premium plus copays. OSHIIP (1-800-686-1578) 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 24-hour care in a facility. Ohio Medicaid can help pay for either — the PASSPORT waiver focuses on keeping people at home.
Yes. Your Area Agency on Aging (1-866-243-5678) 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. Ohio has built these programs so its elders can live safely and with dignity. Make the calls, ask your questions, and use what's yours.
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.