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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Oregon · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you're an older Oregonian worried about how you'll afford care, or you're an adult child trying to help a parent from near or far, this page is for you. When paid senior living is out of reach, Oregon still offers real, free help, from care in your own home to programs that lower your Medicare bills.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-855-673-2372This is your one-stop line for finding in-home care, meals, caregiver support, and local services. Also written as 1-855-ORE-ADRC.
The programs here are for people who have Medicare, Medicaid (the Oregon Health Plan), or both. They're all free to contact and free to use.
You don't need to understand every program before you pick up the phone. Just start with one call and let someone friendly guide you to 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
Oregon is a national leader in helping seniors get care outside of nursing homes, and its programs are among the most generous in the country.
Through the Oregon Health Plan, older adults who need a nursing-home level of care can often receive services at home or in the community instead.
Call to start the process and learn what home-and-community-based services you qualify for.
Call to start the process and learn what home-and-community-based services you qualify for.
Importantly, Oregon Medicaid can help cover services in some assisted living and residential care settings (the care portion, though not always the full room-and-board). This makes Oregon unusual and worth asking about directly.
The Oregon Health Plan is Oregon's Medicaid program. For seniors, OHP can cover doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, dental, and long-term care, both in facilities and in your own home.
To qualify, your income and savings need to fall under certain limits. These limits change each year, and there are special rules for married couples and for people who need long-term care. Please don't assume you won't qualify. Let them check for you.
Call (7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific, Monday–Friday) or apply online for Oregon Health Plan coverage.
Get free help applying at a local Oregon Department of Human Services office or through your ADRC.
If you're applying because you need long-term care, say so when you call. The rules for long-term care coverage differ from regular OHP, and staff can steer you to the right process.
PACE is a terrific option for people who need nursing-home level care but want to stay in their own home. One coordinated team manages everything: doctors, medicine, therapy, meals, and rides to appointments. For people with both Medicare and Medicaid, PACE is usually free.
In Oregon, PACE is offered through Providence ElderPlace, which serves parts of the Portland metro area and surrounding counties. PACE is only available in certain regions.
Call to check availability, or search the National PACE Association site to learn more.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare's monthly cost is squeezing your budget, two programs can bring big relief. Many people who qualify never enroll simply because no one told them.
ONE Customer Service handles Medicare Savings Program applications for Oregon.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
A SHIBA counselor can help you apply — free.
If Medicare feels like a maze, Oregon's SHIBA (Senior Health Insurance Benefits Assistance) program can walk you through it, free of charge, with no sales pitch. SHIBA is part of the Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services and uses trained, unbiased counselors.
They can help you understand what Medicare covers and what it costs, compare Medicare drug and Medicare Advantage plans, enroll in programs that lower your Medicare costs, and untangle a confusing bill or denied claim.
It's a free public service with no sales pitch.
Everyday essentials
Adds money to a card you use at the grocery store. Apply through ONE Customer Service or at one.oregon.gov.
Available through your Area Agency on Aging. Reach them via the ADRC.
Dial 211 to find a food pantry near you.
Can help you find senior housing and rental assistance.
Sets rent based on your income. Find them at hud.gov or by dialing 211.
Ask about help paying heating and electric bills through Oregon's energy assistance programs, available via 211 or your local Community Action agency.
Guidance & protection
Oregon is served by a network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), often working hand-in-hand with the ADRC. These local offices arrange home-delivered meals, help finding in-home care, family caregiver support, transportation, and more, much of it free or based on your ability to pay.
They'll connect you to the office that serves your county.
Legal Aid Services of Oregon & Oregon Law Center
Free civil legal help to low-income seniors.
Report suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an older adult. Available 24 hours a day.
If a loved one lives in a nursing home, assisted living, or adult foster home and something seems wrong, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free advocate who works for the resident. They investigate complaints and defend residents' rights.
A free advocate for residents of long-term care facilities. You can also find help at theconsumervoice.org.
A free local helpline for food, housing, bills, and more.
A free federal service connecting you to trusted help for older adults anywhere.
Make one call. Start with the ADRC at 1-855-673-2372 and describe your situation in your own words.
Call for free1-855-673-2372The Oregon Health Plan (OHP) is Oregon's Medicaid program. It gives free or low-cost health coverage to people with limited income, including many seniors, and it can cover long-term care at home or in a facility.
Usually not. Medicare doesn't pay assisted living rent and only covers short nursing home stays after a hospital visit. For ongoing long-term care, look to the Oregon Health Plan, which, unlike many states, can help cover care in some assisted living and residential settings.
Yes. Everything on this page is free or based on what you can afford. Some programs, like the Medicare Savings Programs, actually put money back in your pocket.
Very likely. The Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium (about $185 a month), and Extra Help lowers your drug costs. Call ONE Customer Service at 1-800-699-9075 or SHIBA at 1-800-722-4134.
Care at home brings an aide or nurse to you so you can stay in your own place. A nursing home provides 24-hour care in a facility. Oregon strongly favors helping people stay home or in small community settings when it's safe.
Yes. The ADRC (1-855-673-2372) is designed for exactly this, and SHIBA (1-800-722-4134) handles Medicare questions. You don't have to sort it out alone.
Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. The people on the other end of these lines want to help you or your loved one live safely and with dignity. Please make that first call today.
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.