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Help for lonely or isolated seniors in Citrus, Hernando and Pasco County

Free phone calls, daily check-ins, senior centers with lunch and company, volunteer work, and grief groups. This page covers what's open to an older adult who spends too many days alone, and to the family member who's worried about them.

Checked against the CDC, the U.S. Surgeon General, county senior services, the Hernando County Sheriff's Office, and the nonprofits listed at the bottom. Programs change, so call before you go. Last reviewed: October 5, 2026.

The short version:

Why it matters

Loneliness is the feeling of being alone. Social isolation means having few people around you, or little contact with them. You can have one without the other.

Both can affect health, not only mood. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says on its page on the health effects of isolation and loneliness that they can raise the risk of heart disease and stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression and anxiety, dementia, and earlier death. The CDC also says about 1 in 3 U.S. adults report feeling lonely.

The U.S. Surgeon General's 2023 advisory on loneliness and isolation says chronic loneliness and isolation can raise an older adult's risk of dementia by about 50%. That's a reason to treat a quiet, shrinking life as something worth fixing, the same way you'd treat a new health problem.

We can't tell you whether someone is depressed or just lonely. If you're worried, mention it to their doctor.

Where to start

What to do for lonely seniors?

Start with one contact that happens on a schedule, so nobody has to remember to reach out. A weekly phone call from the same volunteer, or lunch at a senior center on the same weekdays, gives a person something to count on.

Your county's Elder Helpline is a free call that can tell you what's open nearby, including meals, rides, and in-home help. In Citrus and Hernando, call Elder Options at 1-800-262-2243. In Pasco, call 1-800-963-5337, or 727-217-8111 if you're calling from outside the area.

If getting there is the problem, see rides for seniors. If the person can't get out at all, see home-delivered meals. For phone calls, video calls, and check-in tools, see our checking in on a parent page.

Are there groups for senior citizens who find themselves alone?

Yes. Each county has senior centers built for exactly this, with a lunch and activities on weekdays.

For classes, clubs, and outings beyond the senior centers, see recreation for seniors and libraries, arts and indoor activities.

Where is the best place for seniors to make friends?

Somewhere you can go back to on a regular schedule, such as a senior center lunch, a class, or a volunteer shift. Seeing the same people each week gives you a chance to get to know them.

Senior centers are the easiest place to start, because they're set up for socializing. Volunteering is another. In Citrus, the county's Nature Coast Volunteer Center places volunteers in schools, libraries, senior center kitchens, Meals on Wheels delivery, and state parks. Call 352-527-5959.

In Pasco, Seniors in Service of Tampa Bay matches volunteers with food pantries, meal delivery, and visits with isolated seniors. Its Pasco volunteer coordinator is at 813-492-8921.

Friendly visitors, phone calls, and daily check-ins

What is a friendly visitor?

A friendly visitor is a volunteer who comes by on a regular schedule to keep an older person company. They're not a nurse or a home health aide. The visit is about conversation.

In Pasco, Seniors in Service lists friendly visiting and wellness calls among its volunteer roles for isolated seniors.

If what your parent needs is hands-on help with bathing or meals, that's paid care, not a friendly visitor. See in-home care for those options.

What does a companion do for the elderly?

A companion keeps the person company and helps with small, everyday things. AmeriCorps describes its Senior Companion Program as giving "assistance and companionship to older adults who have difficulty with daily living tasks, such as shopping or paying bills." Its volunteers are 55 and older.

Seniors in Service's Senior Companion visits are free, and companions come to the home weekly to talk, share hobbies, and help with simple tasks and errands. As of October 2026, that program serves Hillsborough and Pinellas, just outside the area. We didn't find a Senior Companion Program serving Citrus, Hernando, or Pasco. Your Elder Helpline can tell you whether companionship is offered locally.

Weekly phone companionship is available in Pasco. Seniors in Service's TelePals program matches an older adult with a volunteer who calls each week. It's free and covers Pasco, Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Polk. You can refer yourself or a parent by calling 813-819-0725.

In Hernando, the Sheriff's Office runs a free Care Line for people who live alone. It's a safety check, not a chat. You call in every morning between 6:00 and 9:30 a.m. If you don't, a clerk calls you, then the neighbors or family on your form, and then a deputy can come check on you. Call 352-754-6830, ext. 53660, for an application.

How can I become a telephone befriender for someone?

Sign up with a program that trains volunteers and matches them with someone who wants calls. That way you're not cold-calling strangers, and the person on the other end chose to take part.

In Pasco, Seniors in Service trains TelePals volunteers, who call from home on a flexible schedule. Call 813-819-0725. In Citrus, ask the Nature Coast Volunteer Center at 352-527-5959 what's open. The simplest version needs no program: a regular call to a neighbor or relative who lives alone.

Grief support

How to find a grief support group?

Call a hospice. Two that serve this area say their grief groups are open to people whose loved one was never in their care:

If your loved one was in VITAS hospice care in Citrus, VITAS has free phone-in and Zoom grief groups for hospice families. Its Citrus and Nature Coast office is at 352-527-2020.

For the practical side of a death, see after a death and when someone dies.

If it's more than loneliness

If loneliness has turned into thoughts of not wanting to live, or someone you love has said something like that, you can call or text 988. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and open 24 hours a day. It's also there if you just need someone to talk to. You can chat online at the same site.

If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.

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