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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Oklahoma · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you or someone you love is getting older and the money just isn't there for assisted living or a private caregiver, please take a breath. You are not out of choices. Oklahoma has free and low-cost programs built for exactly this moment, and most people who qualify never knew the help was there.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-800-211-2116Run by the Oklahoma Department of Human Services, this line helps you find in-home help, meals, caregiver support, and your local aging office. This is your all-purpose starting point.
This page is written for seniors who have Medicare, Medicaid (called SoonerCare in Oklahoma), or both, and who cannot pay for private senior living. Everything listed here is free to call and free to use. No one is going to sell you anything.
You do not have to figure it all out today. Start with one phone call, ask one question, and let the person on the other end point you to the next step. That is how almost everyone gets through this.
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 want to stay in their own home as long as possible. Oklahoma has a program to help make that happen.
Call to ask whether you qualify for the ADvantage Waiver.
Call to ask whether you qualify for the ADvantage Waiver.
A note on assisted living: Oklahoma's Medicaid generally does not pay the room-and-board rent at a private assisted living facility. But the programs above can bring real care to wherever you live, and your Area Agency on Aging can talk through your specific situation.
SoonerCare is Oklahoma's Medicaid program, run by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. For seniors, SoonerCare can cover doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term care, both in nursing homes and (through the ADvantage Waiver, described below) in your own home.
To qualify, your income and your savings need to be under certain limits. These limits change every year, and there are special rules for married couples and for people who need long-term care — so please don't rule yourself out on your own. Call and let them check for you.
Call to ask if you qualify for SoonerCare, including long-term care Medicaid.
Apply online (SoonerCare)
Apply for SoonerCare online.
Call the Senior Info-Line to find and get free, in-person application help from your local Area Agency on Aging.
If you're applying because you need nursing home care or in-home care, tell them that when you call. The rules for "long-term care" Medicaid are different from regular SoonerCare, and they can guide you to the right application.
PACE is a wonderful program for people who need nursing-home level care but want to keep living at home. One team handles everything: your doctors, medicine, therapy, meals, and rides to appointments. For people with both Medicare and Medicaid, PACE usually costs nothing.
Oklahoma has PACE programs, including Valir PACE in Oklahoma City and LIFE PACE serving the Tulsa area. PACE is only available in certain areas.
Ask your Area Agency on Aging whether PACE is available where you live.
Search for a PACE program near you
Search the National PACE Association directory, or check the Oklahoma Health Care Authority's PACE page.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare's monthly cost stretches your budget, two programs can help. Many people who qualify never sign up simply because no one told them.
Call SoonerCare to apply for a Medicare Savings Program.
Let SHIP walk you through applying for a Medicare Savings Program.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
If Medicare confuses you, you are in good company. Oklahoma's SHIP, called the Medicare Assistance Program, gives you free one-on-one help from trained counselors through the Oklahoma Insurance Department.
They can help you understand what Medicare covers and what it costs, compare Medicare drug plans and Medicare Advantage plans, sign up for programs that lower your Medicare costs, and sort out a bill or a denied claim.
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling. This service is free, and the counselors do not earn a commission, so their only job is to help you.
Everyday essentials
Oklahoma's food benefit program. Apply through Oklahoma DHS by phone or online at Oklahoma's benefits portal.
Available through your Area Agency on Aging. Call the Senior Info-Line to find the program near you.
Dial 211 to find a local food pantry near you.
Can point you to senior housing and rental help.
HUD-subsidized senior apartments
Rent is based on your income. Find them at hud.gov or by dialing 211.
Ask about help paying utility bills through Oklahoma DHS, or dial 211.
Guidance & protection
Oklahoma is covered by a network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs). These local offices are one of the best-kept secrets in senior care. They arrange home-delivered meals, help finding an in-home aide, caregiver support, transportation, and more, and much of it is free or based on what you can afford.
Call the Senior Info-Line to be connected to the Area Agency on Aging that serves you.
Serves the Oklahoma City metro area.
If you're facing eviction, a benefits denial, debt, or possible financial abuse, you can get free legal help.
Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma
Free civil legal help to low-income seniors.
Senior Law Resource Center
Also helps older Oklahomans with legal issues.
Report suspected abuse, neglect, or exploitation of an older adult.
If you have a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living and something isn't right, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free advocate who works for the resident. They investigate complaints and protect residents' rights.
Reach Oklahoma's Long-Term Care Ombudsman through the Senior Info-Line.
Find your local ombudsman
Search for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman serving your area.
A free local helpline for food, housing, bills, and more.
A free federal service that connects you to trusted help for older adults anywhere in the country.
Make one call. Start with the Senior Info-Line at 1-800-211-2116. Tell them what's going on in plain words.
Call for free1-800-211-2116SoonerCare is the name for Oklahoma's Medicaid program. It provides free or low-cost health coverage to people with limited income, including many seniors. It can cover doctors, hospitals, prescriptions, and long-term care.
Generally, no. Medicare doesn't pay the monthly rent at an assisted living facility, and it only covers short stays in a nursing home after a hospital visit. For ongoing long-term care, you'll usually be looking at Medicaid (SoonerCare) and programs like the ADvantage Waiver.
Yes. Every program on this page is either free or based on what you can afford. Programs like the Medicare Savings Programs can even put money back in your pocket by paying your Medicare premium.
Very likely. The Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium (about $185 a month), and Extra Help lowers your drug costs. Call SoonerCare at 1-800-987-7767 or SHIP at 1-800-763-2828 to apply.
Care at home means an aide, nurse, or services come to you so you can stay in your own place. A nursing home provides around-the-clock care in a facility. Oklahoma's ADvantage Waiver and PACE are designed to help people stay home when that's the safer, happier choice.
Yes. The Senior Info-Line (1-800-211-2116) and your local Area Agency on Aging exist for exactly this. So does SHIP for Medicare questions (1-800-763-2828). You don't have to do this alone.
Reaching out for help is not giving up, it's taking care of yourself or the person you love. The people who answer these lines do this work because they want to help. Make that first call.
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.