Who do I call for senior help?

What this means

• One call is enough to start. The Eldercare Locator is run by the federal Administration for Community Living and covers every county in the country.
• They do not sell anything, they do not need your Social Security number, and there is no charge.
• The office they send you to — your Area Agency on Aging — is the single place that can look at your whole situation instead of one bill at a time.

What to do first

1. Call 1-800-677-1116, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. Have your ZIP code ready. That is the whole first step.
2. Tell them the one thing that worries you most today. They will name the local office and give you its direct number.
3. If it is after hours or you want help tonight, dial 211 instead.
4. When you reach the local office, ask for a benefits check-up so nothing gets missed.

What you'll need

• Your ZIP code
• A rough idea of your monthly income
• Paper and a pen to write down the local office name and number

Where to go

• Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116 or https://eldercare.acl.gov/Public/Index.aspx. A person answers and asks for your ZIP code, then names your local agency.
• 211: dial 211 from any phone or visit https://www.211.org/ for after-hours and weekend help.