Common questions on this page
- What is the Elder Helpline number for the Nature Coast?
- Do I have to be on Medicaid to get help?
- What does this site cost, and do you sell my information?
- My parent shouldn't be driving anymore. How will they get around?
- Does Medicare pay for a caregiver at home?
- How do I find a home care agency I can trust?
- I have a list of phone numbers. Which one do I call first?
- I'm the son or daughter, and this is all falling on me. What help is there for me?
What do you need help with?
Choose a guide with local information and help.
Thinking about moving here?
What it's like to retire on the Nature Coast.
How do I get help caring for my parent?
Respite, the Elder Helpline, and where to start.
How do I get help at home for someone?
Aides, therapy, meals, and rides, and who pays.
How do I make a home safe to stay in?
Grab bars, ramps, walk-in showers, and fall prevention.
How do I keep a parent safe from afar?
Medical alerts, cameras, and video check-ins.
Who do I call for help around the house?
Repairs, yard work, cleaning, and deliveries, and how to check a license.
How do we pay for all this?
Medicare, Medicaid, and help sorted by your income.
What legal rules do we need to know?
Power of attorney, Medicaid and the house, lady bird deeds, probate, guardianship.
How do I downsize, or clear out a home?
Step by step, including after a death.
Under 65 with a disability?
Benefits and help that still apply before Medicare.
Not sure who to call first?
Match your situation to the first step. Every one of these is free.
| Your situation | Call first |
|---|---|
| Find out what a parent qualifies for | Elder Helpline -- Citrus/Hernando 1-800-262-2243, Pasco 727-217-8111 |
| You need a break (respite) | Elder Helpline, then see caregiver help |
| Help paying for care | Elder Helpline (Medicaid screening), then how to pay |
| Medicare questions | SHINE free counseling -- 1-800-963-5337 |
| A veteran needs care | VA benefits & local Veterans Service Offices |
| The home isn't safe | Fall prevention and home safety |
| You need a private caregiver now | Local in-home care agencies |
| A crisis, or someone is in danger | Call or text 988; report adult abuse/neglect 1-800-962-2873 |
Find local help by county
Common questions
- What is the Elder Helpline number for the Nature Coast?
- For Citrus and Hernando counties, call 1-800-262-2243. For Pasco, call 727-217-8111, or Florida's statewide Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337. The call is free and screens seniors and adults with disabilities for meals, in-home help, and programs that help pay.
- Do I have to be on Medicaid to get help?
- No. Many programs have no income test. The Older Americans Act, reached through the Elder Helpline, opens meals, in-home help, and respite to anyone 60 and older, no matter their income.
- What does this site cost, and do you sell my information?
- It's free to use. The only thing we ever ask for is an email address, and only if you sign up for our monthly email. We never sell or share it. We're an independent guide, not a government agency and not a sales pitch.
- What area do you cover?
- Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco counties, Florida's Nature Coast, from Crystal River and Homosassa to Spring Hill, Brooksville, New Port Richey, and Dade City.
- My parent shouldn't be driving anymore. How will they get around?
- Every county on the Nature Coast offers a free or reduced senior bus fare. Door-to-door van rides are there too, once your parent registers and qualifies. And if your parent is on Medicaid and has no other way to get there, Medicaid covers rides to medical visits. How senior rides work →
- Does Medicare pay for a caregiver at home?
- Only for short-term skilled care a doctor orders, like nursing or therapy while your parent is homebound. It doesn't pay for ongoing help with bathing, dressing, or meals. Medicaid can pay for daily help, and in some cases it can even pay a family member. In-home care, what it costs and who pays →
- How do I find a home care agency I can trust?
- Talk to two or three. Look each one up on Florida's FloridaHealthFinder before you sign. Ask whether every caregiver passed a Florida Level 2 background check (fingerprints, state and FBI), and ask for proof the agency is insured. How to choose a home care agency →
- I have a list of phone numbers. Which one do I call first?
- Call the Elder Helpline for your parent's county: Citrus and Hernando 1-800-262-2243, Pasco 727-217-8111. It screens your parent and points you to the right local programs. Your parent doesn't have to be on Medicaid, and there's no income test for anyone 60 or older. Your first calls →
- I'm the son or daughter, and this is all falling on me. What help is there for me?
- Ask for respite care. That's a planned break where someone else takes over for a few hours, a day, or up to 30 days. Free caregiver support groups and counseling come through the same local aging offices. Help for family caregivers →
Free, independent, and not a sales pitch.
We point you to real programs and local providers, in plain English, and we explain what things actually cost. We never sell or share your information.
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Nature Coast Senior News is a short email, once a month, for people in Hernando, Citrus and Pasco County. We send local help you can use -- what is free, who to call, and what to do before a storm.
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