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Free personalized senior living guidance for families
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Texas · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
Texas is a big state, and finding senior care here can feel overwhelming — especially when money is tight and you only qualify for Medicare or Medicaid. Please take a breath. There is a lot of free help out there, and this page will help you find it.
Not sure where to start? Call for free1-800-252-9240Connects you to your local Area Agency on Aging for free benefits counseling and help with Medicare and long-term care.
Whether you are a senior looking out for yourself or an adult child trying to help a parent from across town or across the country, you do not have to navigate this alone. Texas has programs that can help pay for care at home, lower your Medicare costs, and connect you with people whose job is to guide you — all at no cost.
You do not have to understand every program today. Just start with one phone call below, and let a real person point you toward 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 people want to stay in their own home as long as they safely can. Texas Medicaid helps make that possible through STAR+PLUS.
To ask whether you qualify, call your Area Agency on Aging or check YourTexasBenefits.com.
Texas Medicaid is run by Texas Health and Human Services (HHS). For older adults, it can cover medical care, prescriptions, and long-term care — both in nursing homes and through in-home services under a program called STAR+PLUS (more below).
Eligibility is based mainly on your income and assets. The limits change each year, and there are special rules for long-term care and for married couples. Please don't count yourself out based on a guess — let them check. Many Texans qualify who assumed they earned too much.
Apply online (YourTexasBenefits.com)
Apply for Texas Medicaid online.
Dial 211, then choose the benefits option, to apply for Texas Medicaid by phone.
Ask your Area Agency on Aging for help understanding and starting the Medicaid application process.
PACE brings together all your medical care, prescriptions, and support services under one team — great for people who need nursing-home-level care but want to keep living in the community. Texas has several PACE programs in different regions of the state.
Ask your Area Agency on Aging to check availability, or search the National PACE Association site to find a PACE program near you.
If you're on Medicare
If Medicare feels expensive, this section could help right away.
Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com or dial 211.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
Your local benefits counselor can help you apply for free.
Texas offers free Medicare counseling through its Health Information, Counseling and Advocacy Program (HICAP), also called Benefits Counseling, delivered by Area Agencies on Aging. This is Texas's version of the national SHIP program. Trained counselors — who do not sell anything — can help you:
Understand your Medicare and drug-plan choices.
Compare plans during Open Enrollment.
Apply for programs that lower your costs.
Sort out billing and coverage problems.
Reach benefits counseling through your local Area Agency on Aging. It is free.
Everyday essentials
Helps pay for groceries. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com or by dialing 211.
Home-delivered meals and senior dining sites — ask your Area Agency on Aging.
Feeding Texas food banks
Free groceries statewide, including senior programs.
Dial 211 to find a nearby food pantry today.
Dial 211 for help with rent, utilities, and finding affordable housing.
Local public housing authority
Contact your local public housing authority about senior and low-income housing.
Can point you to housing and home-repair programs.
Lists housing resources by area.
Guidance & protection
Texas has 28 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA) covering every county. To reach yours for free help — meals, transportation, caregiver support, in-home services, and benefits counseling — call 1-800-252-9240.
Connects you to free help — meals, transportation, caregiver support, in-home services, and benefits counseling — in your area.
A national service to find services near you.
Run by the Texas Legal Services Center. Gives free legal advice by phone to Texans 60 and older, on issues like advance directives, powers of attorney, Medicare, Medicaid, and consumer problems.
TexasLawHelp.org
Offers free legal information and can help you find a local legal-aid office.
For nursing-home or assisted-living concerns, contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman below.
If you or a loved one lives in a nursing home or assisted-living community and something is wrong — poor care, mistreatment, or a question about resident rights — the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is your free advocate.
Reaches an ombudsman in your area. Ombudsmen work for the resident, not the facility, and your call can be confidential. You can also find help through theconsumervoice.org.
A real person helps you find food, housing, health, and senior services near you.
Connects you to trusted local help for older adults.
Make one call. Start with your Area Agency on Aging (1-800-252-9240) or dial 211. Explain your situation in plain words.
Call for free1-800-252-9240It is the state's health-coverage program for people with low income and limited assets. For seniors, it can cover medical care, prescriptions, and long-term care at home or in a nursing facility — often filling gaps Medicare leaves behind.
Usually not. Medicare does not cover room and board in assisted living. Texas Medicaid, through STAR+PLUS, may help pay for certain care services. Call 1-800-252-9240 to explore your options.
Yes. Nearly everything here is designed for people on a fixed or limited income, and most of it is free. A tight budget is exactly why these programs exist.
Yes. Medicare Savings Programs can pay your Part B premium (around $185/month) if you qualify. Apply at YourTexasBenefits.com or dial 211, and a benefits counselor (1-800-252-9240) can help.
Care at home means getting daily help while staying in your own place — often through STAR+PLUS. A nursing home provides around-the-clock care. Texas Medicaid can help pay for either, based on your needs.
Yes. Benefits counselors, your Area Agency on Aging, the Legal Hotline for Older Texans, and 211 all help for free. You should never have to pay to learn what you qualify for.
Texas is big, but you are not on your own. The people behind these numbers help families across the state every day, and they would be glad to help yours. Pick one number above and make that first call today — it is the hardest step, and everything gets easier after it.
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.