Loading...
Free personalized senior living guidance for families
(858) 283-4504Loading...
Wisconsin · Everything here is free · Reviewed July 2026
If you or someone you love is growing older in Wisconsin and the money for care just isn't there, please take a breath. There is real, free help — and Wisconsin happens to have one of the friendliest front doors in the country for finding it. This page is for older adults who have Medicare, Medicaid, or both, and who can't afford to pay privately for senior living.
Not sure where to start? Call for free211Wisconsin's one-stop help desk for seniors — free and unbiased. Find yours by dialing 211, calling the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, or visiting dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc.
We hear from stressed families every day. Maybe a parent is leaving the hospital and needs help at home. Maybe a fixed income has stopped keeping up. Whatever brought you here, the programs below are run or funded by the state and trusted nonprofits, and they exist for this exact moment.
You don't have to figure it all out today. One call is enough to start.
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
Here's what surprises many families: Wisconsin Medicaid can pay for care where you live, not just in a nursing home. Two programs make this possible:
Your ADRC determines which program fits and helps you enroll. Both Family Care and IRIS can help pay for care at home and, in many cases, services in an assisted living or community-based residential setting (though Medicaid generally doesn't cover the rent portion).
Wisconsin's Medicaid covers doctor visits, hospital care, prescriptions, and long-term care. Health coverage for many adults comes through BadgerCare Plus. Long-term care for older adults comes through Family Care and IRIS (see the in-home care section below).
Who qualifies? It depends on your income, your assets, and your care needs. People who are 65+ or who need long-term care have special rules that often let you keep more than you'd expect. These limits change every year, so don't count yourself out — call and check.
Apply for Wisconsin Medicaid
Apply online anytime, or apply through your county or tribal agency — your ADRC can point you there.
Call with questions about applying for Wisconsin Medicaid.
If you need long-term care, your ADRC is the best place to start; they'll guide you through both the medical and financial pieces.
PACE bundles all of a person's care — doctors, therapy, prescriptions, an adult day center, and rides — into one program, usually at little or no cost for people who qualify for Medicaid. It serves people 55+ who need nursing-home-level care but want to stay in the community.
Wisconsin does offer PACE in some areas (for example, through Community Care in the Milwaukee region).
Ask whether PACE serves your area (your ADRC)
Ask your ADRC whether PACE serves your area, or search npaonline.org/find-a-pace-program.
If you're on Medicare
If you have Medicare and a modest income, please read this.
Your Elder Benefit Specialist at the ADRC can help you apply, or call ForwardHealth.
Apply for the prescription drug subsidy through Social Security.
The Medigap Helpline can check all of these with you.
Wisconsin's free Medicare counseling comes through two great lines, both part of the state's SHIP:
For questions about Medicare, supplements (Medigap), and general coverage. Run by the Board on Aging and Long Term Care.
For help choosing and using a drug plan.
These counselors don't sell anything. They can also connect you with your local Elder Benefit Specialist, a free expert on Medicare, Medicaid, and other benefits for people 60+.
Everyday essentials
FoodShare
Wisconsin's food stamp program. Apply online at access.wisconsin.gov or through your county agency — seniors often qualify even on a fixed income.
Home-delivered meals & senior dining sites
Your ADRC can connect you to home-delivered meals and senior dining sites in your area.
Dial 211 for local food pantries.
If rent is a struggle or your home no longer feels safe, help exists.
Senior housing, home repair & weatherization (your ADRC)
Your ADRC can connect you to senior housing, home repair and weatherization, and help with energy bills through the Wisconsin Home Energy Assistance Program (WHEAP).
Dial 211 for local housing options. If you're facing eviction, the legal help below can step in.
Guidance & protection
This is Wisconsin's crown jewel, so we'll say it plainly: start with your ADRC. Every part of the state has one, and they are free, friendly, and unbiased. Whatever your question — care at home, meals, housing, benefits, or "I don't even know what to ask" — the ADRC will help you sort it out and connect you to the right program.
ADRCs are also home to Elder Benefit Specialists and Disability Benefit Specialists, who help you apply for Medicaid, Medicare Savings Programs, FoodShare, and more — at no cost.
Dial 211, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116, or visit dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc to find your local Aging & Disability Resource Center.
Elder Benefit Specialists (through your ADRC)
Free help with benefits, denials, and appeals for people 60+ — that's often the fastest route.
Legal Action of Wisconsin & Wisconsin Judicare
Free civil legal aid for broader civil legal problems, for those who qualify; Wisconsin Judicare serves the north. Your ADRC or 211 can connect you to the right office.
If you suspect an older adult is being abused, neglected, or financially exploited, contact your county Adult Protective Services — find the number through your ADRC or by dialing 211.
If you or a loved one lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility and something isn't right, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman is a free advocate who works for the resident — not the facility. In Wisconsin this is the Board on Aging and Long Term Care.
A free, confidential advocate for residents of long-term care facilities. You can also use the national locator at theconsumervoice.org.
Dial 211 for a real person who knows Wisconsin resources.
Reach your ADRC or Area Agency on Aging.
Find and call your local ADRC (dial 211 or visit dhs.wisconsin.gov/adrc) — this one call covers care at home, benefits, and Family Care/IRIS.
Call for free211It's Wisconsin's main Medicaid health coverage program for people with limited income. Long-term care for older adults comes through Family Care and IRIS.
No. Medicare does not pay for room and board in assisted living. Family Care and IRIS can pay for care services in the community, which helps many people avoid a nursing home.
Yes. These programs are built for people living on Social Security or a small pension. Your ADRC can tell you exactly what you qualify for — for free.
Yes. The QMB Medicare Savings Program can pay your Part B premium (about $185/month) plus deductibles and copays. Ask your Elder Benefit Specialist or call ForwardHealth.
Care at home brings aides and services to you — through Family Care or IRIS — so you can stay where you live. A nursing home provides 24-hour care and is covered by Medicaid when medically needed. Your ADRC helps you weigh the options.
Absolutely — that's exactly what your ADRC is for. Dial 211 or 1-800-677-1116 to find it. The Medigap Helpline (1-800-242-1060) is also free.
You've already taken the hardest step by reaching out. In Wisconsin, one call to your ADRC can set almost everything else in motion — please make it today. These programs exist because Wisconsin wants its older residents cared for with dignity.
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.