Here you’ll find a complete list of Community Resources in The Villages to help you age in place. Whether you’re looking for elder benefits, veterans’ benefits, or other resources to help you stay in your home, you’ll find the links to take you directly to their home page. If you need assistance please feel free to reach out to us and we can help you navigate or answer questions.
COMMUNITY RESOURCES IN THE VILLAGES
Department of Elder Affairs
The Department of Elder Affairs provides most direct services through its Division of Statewide Community-Based Services, which works through the state’s eleven Area Agencies on Aging and local service providers to deliver essential services to a vital segment of the population. The Department also directly administers a wide range of programs, ranging from the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, Office of Public and Professional Guardians, and the Livable Florida Initiative to SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) and CARES (Comprehensive Assessment and Review for Long-Term Care Services).
Questions about Programs and How to Apply for Services
Call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-96-ELDER (1-800-963-5337) to find out if you or your loved ones are eligible to receive benefits and services from one or more of their programs.
Home and Community-Based Programs and Services
- Adult Care Food Program
- Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative
- Community Care For the Elderly (CCE)
- Comprehensive Assessment & Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES)
- Congregate Meal and Nutrition Sites
- Elder Farmers Market Nutrition Program
- Emergency Home Energy Assistance Program (EHEAP)
- Health & Wellness
- Home Care for the Elderly (HCE)
- Medicaid Long-Term Care Services
- Memory Disorder Clinics
- National Family Caregiver Support Program
- Nutritional Education for Older Adults
- Nutrition Programs
- Nutrition Services Incentive Program
- Older Americans Act (OAA)
- Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE)
- Respite for Elders Living in Everyday Families (RELIEF)
- Senior Companion Program
- Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Long-Term Care Program (SMMC LTC)
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
Other Programs and Services
- Adult Protective Services
- Comprehensive Assessment & Review for Long-Term Care Services (CARES)
- Disaster Preparedness
- Elder Abuse Prevention Program
- Elder Helpline
- Hospice and End-of-Life Care
- Insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid
- Housing
- Nursing Home Services (Agency for Health Care Administration Website)
- Public Guardianship
- Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP)
- Senior Legal Services & Senior Legal Helpline
- Silver Alert and ListServ
- Transportation
Agency for Health Care Administration
They are primarily responsible for the state’s estimated $25.2 billion Medicaid program that will serve a projected 4.27 million Floridians in SFY 2016-17, the licensure of the state’s 48,500 health care facilities and the sharing of health care data through the Florida Center for Health Information and Policy Analysis.
The following links provide resources for consumers seeking services from health care providers.
- gov–locate healthcare facility/providers
- Health Care Alerts — register for email updates
- File a Complaint about a Health Care Provider
- Health Care Advance Directives-
- HIPAA Privacy and Security Compliance Office
- Inspections and Complaint Reports
- Nursing Home Guide
- Subscriber Assistance Program
- Abuse Registry
- Agency for Persons with Disabilities
- Americans with Disabilities Act Information Line
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)
- Department of Financial Services
- Department of Health-Division of Medical Quality Assurance
- Department of Veterans Affairs
- Developmental Disabilities Council, Inc.
- Guardian ad Litem Program
- Social Security Administration
Florida SHINE
SHINE (Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders) is a free program offered by the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and your local Area Agency on Aging.
Specially trained volunteers can assist you with your Medicare, Medicaid, and health insurance questions by providing one-on-one counseling and information. SHINE services are free, unbiased, and confidential.
VA Aid And Attendance And Housebound Allowance
VA Aid and Attendance or Housebound benefits provide monthly payments added to the amount of a monthly VA pension for qualified Veterans and survivors. If you need help with daily activities, or you’re housebound, find out if you qualify for this important program.
The pension allowance goes towards the cost for care in the home, nursing home care, or in an assisted living community.
Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Florida’s Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program was founded in 1975 as a result of the federal Older Americans Act, which grants a special set of residents’ rights to individuals who live in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult family care homes. Volunteer ombudsmen seek to ensure the health, safety, welfare, and rights of these residents throughout the State of Florida.
The Ombudsman Program operates under the authority of federal and state law. Click HERE to read Florida Statutes regarding the Ombudsman Program.