Information and Assistance Services

Social and demographic trends are making information and assistance services increasingly important to the average American family. Americans live longer and require more help to cope with chronic conditions and frailties. Older adults often live alone, with no younger family members residing in the immediate area. Family members are likely to live several miles away or in other states. Even when adult children live near their parents, both are likely to work.

With so many overlapping federal and state programs and their different requirements, older adults and their caregivers often need help to understand what services are available and whether they qualify. Beginning with a simple telephone call to one of Illinois’ local information and assistance providers, an older person or a family caregiver can receive up-to-date information on a wide range of community-based programs such as respite services, transportation, home-delivered meals and in-home services.

Information and Assistance service providers can also provide information on Prescription Drug Assistance Programs, Income Tax Assistance Programs, Property Tax Assistance Programs, Medicare, Medicaid and many more. When calls come in, specially trained staff are ready to share facts about available services and public benefits programs to help older persons and those who care for them.

Contact

Information and Assistance sites are available throughout Illinois for telephone or walk-in inquiries.

To locate a site in your community, contact...

• the Senior HelpLine, Illinois Department on Aging's statewide toll-free information and assistance service, is a great source for information on available services and public benefit programs.



• your local Area Agency on Aging; or



• your local Senior Center.

National Service

For Information and Assistance on a national level, check out this service:

• Eldercare Locator
  The Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, offers this nationwide service to help families and friends easily access information about community services for older people anywhere in the U.S. and its territories. Call 1-800-677-1116 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. (CST).