Loading...
Free personalized senior living guidance for families
(858) 283-4504Loading...
South Carolina · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you're an older South Carolinian worried about how to pay for care, or you're an adult child trying to help a parent, please take a breath. When paid senior living is out of reach, South Carolina 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 free1-800-868-9095Your one-stop line for finding in-home care, meals, caregiver support, Medicare counseling, and your local aging office.
This page is for people who have Medicare, Medicaid (called Healthy Connections in South Carolina), or both, and who can't afford private senior living. Everything here is free to call and free to use.
You don't have to figure it all out today. Start with one phone call and let a friendly voice point 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
Most seniors want to stay in their own home, and South Carolina Medicaid has a program to help.
Call to ask about the Community Choices Waiver.
Call to ask about the Community Choices Waiver and get help applying.
Healthy Connections is South Carolina's Medicaid program, run by the Department of Health and Human Services (SCDHHS). For seniors, it can cover doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term care, both in nursing homes and, through a special waiver, in your own home.
To qualify, your income and 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. Please don't count yourself out. Let them check for you.
Call to ask about or apply for Healthy Connections, South Carolina's Medicaid program.
Apply online (SCDHHS)
Apply for Healthy Connections online.
Your local Area Agency on Aging can help you apply for free.
If you're applying because you need long-term care, say so when you call. The long-term care rules differ from regular Medicaid, and staff can point you to the right application.
PACE is a terrific option for people who need nursing-home level care but want to stay in their own home. One coordinated team handles everything: doctors, medicine, therapy, meals, and rides to appointments. For people with both Medicare and Medicaid, PACE is usually free.
South Carolina has PACE programs, including Prisma Health SeniorCare (in the Upstate) and Palmetto SeniorCare (in the Midlands), among others. PACE is only available in certain areas.
Call GetCareSC, ask the SCDHHS about PACE, or search the National PACE Association's program finder.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare's monthly cost is stretching your budget, two programs can bring real relief. Many who qualify never sign up because no one told them.
Apply for a Medicare Savings Program.
Let I-CARE help you apply for a Medicare Savings Program.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
If Medicare confuses you, South Carolina's I-CARE program (Insurance Counseling Assistance and Referrals for Elders) offers free, one-on-one counseling with no sales pitch. This is South Carolina's SHIP, run through the Department on Aging.
Counselors 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 sort out a bill or a denied claim.
Call and ask for I-CARE / Medicare counseling. It's free.
Everyday essentials
SNAP (food stamps) adds money to a card for the grocery store. Apply through the SC Department of Social Services; find the number by dialing 211, or apply online.
Available through your Area Agency on Aging.
Dial 211 to find a food pantry near you.
Can point you to senior housing and rental help.
Set rent based on your income. Find them at hud.gov or by dialing 211.
Ask about help paying utility and heating bills through your local Community Action agency or 211.
Guidance & protection
South Carolina is served by a network of Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs), coordinated by the South Carolina Department on Aging. These local offices arrange home-delivered meals, in-home care information, family caregiver support, transportation, and more, much of it free or based on your ability to pay.
They'll connect you to the agency serving your county, and you can also search for services online.
Offers free civil legal help to low-income seniors.
To report suspected abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. In an emergency, call 911.
If a loved one is 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 the ombudsman program through GetCareSC, or find your local ombudsman online.
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 GetCareSC at 1-800-868-9095 and describe your situation in your own words.
Call for free1-800-868-9095Healthy Connections is the name for South Carolina's Medicaid program. It provides free or low-cost health coverage to people with limited income, including many seniors, and it covers long-term care both at home (through the Community Choices Waiver) and in nursing homes.
Generally, no. Medicare doesn't pay assisted living rent and only covers short nursing home stays after a hospital visit. For ongoing long-term care, you'll look to Healthy Connections and programs like the Community Choices Waiver.
Yes. Every program here is free or based on what you can afford. Some, like the Medicare Savings Programs, actually put money back in your pocket each month.
Very likely. The Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium (about $185 a month). Call Healthy Connections at 1-888-549-0820 or I-CARE at 1-800-868-9095 to apply.
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. South Carolina's Community Choices Waiver and PACE are built to help people stay home when it's safe.
Yes. GetCareSC and your local Area Agency on Aging (1-800-868-9095) exist for exactly this, and I-CARE handles Medicare questions. You don't have to do it alone.
Reaching out for help is an act of courage and love, whether it's for yourself or someone you care about. The people who answer these lines do this work because they want to help. Please 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.