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Resources for Aging

Cheerful Caucasian senior woman smiles while talking on a smart phone. She is wearing a light blue cardigan and is sitting comfortably in her living room. She has gray hair and glasses.

In-Home Services/Case Management

Help Navigating Elder Services
When you call the Elder Helpline at (866) 413-5337, an unbiased, trained professional will assess your needs and refer you to Senior Friendship Centers or one of the many organizations that provide case management services to older adults in Southwest Florida. In partnership with the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging, the helpline staff determines your needs and assigns a case worker to you, if appropriate. Your case worker will contact you directly to further asses your situation and determine which programs are the best fit for you.young asian woman with elderly woman in her homr

After a case worker is chosen for you, he/she will visit your home or call you to manage your case and help you access the support you need through federal or state-funded social services.

For an assessment to see if you qualify for case management services through a state or federally-funded program, your first step is to call the Elder Helpline: (866) 413-5337. Call Senior Friendship Centers at (941) 955-2122 for general information about services.

Friendship at Home

Older adults often deal with challenges related to isolation when they choose to age in place. Especially if a spouse or partner passes away, survivors sometimes fail to thrive on their own without intervention. Through the work of dedicated volunteers, this program offers many benefits to seniors who are home-bound or unable to travel unaided. We provide these programs:

  • Telephone Reassurance — Volunteers will make a cheeryCheerful Caucasian senior woman smiles while talking on a smart phone. She is wearing a light blue cardigan and is sitting comfortably in her living room. She has gray hair and glasses. phone call once or twice a week to check on their clients and engage them in conversation.
  • Friendly Visitor Program — Volunteers are matched with a senior who requests a friend to come and chat, help with errands, play games or just enjoy companionship.
  • Supportive Intervention Programs — Our Friendship at Home coordinators can help clients with limited mobility access community resources to meet their needs. This program also offers limited, temporary help for individuals facing a one-time financial crisis through various donations, alternate funding and through Season of Sharing grants in Sarasota County.

If you would like to volunteer for Friendship at Home, or if you know of an older adult who may need help, please call the Center in your area:

Medicare, Medicaid and Food Assistance

SHINEshine-logo
Serving Health Insurance Needs of Elders (SHINE) is a free program offered through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs and the Area Agency on Aging. Trained counselors are available to help older adults understand the ins and outs of Medicare, Medicaid and health insurance. One–on-one counseling through SHINE is free, unbiased and confidential.

Senior Friendship Centers in Sarasota and Venice are approved counseling sites through the program. Call the Elder Helpline at (866) 413-5337 to be paired with a SHINE counselor.

ACCESS
ACCESS (Automated Community Connection to Economic Self Sufficiency) is a program The Department of Children and Families offers via its online portal here. Programs available include food assistance or SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, previously known as “food stamps), temporary cash assistance, Medicaid, and refugee assistance.

Each of these programs has its own eligibility rules, but you may apply for any (or all) of these programs at one time using the same online application. If you need help applying for assistance, ACCESS partners with Senior Friendship Centers locations in Sarasota and Charlotte Counties. You can call the following numbers to ask about applying for assistance through ACCESS.

 

Legal Assistance

Financial Security Joe Johnson Rose Burke for Living with Support Help in Difficult Times

Senior Friendship Centers offers legal assistance at its Sarasota and Venice campuses through partnerships with local legal service providers and volunteer attorneys. These professionals provide a free 30-minute consultation by appointment. Hours and days of availability vary; please call the location nearest you to learn more about attorney availability. In Sarasota call (941) 955-2122) and in Venice call (941) 584-0052).

 

Support Groups

Senior Friendship Centers provides a welcoming, safe place for older adults through loss/grief and discussion groups offered regularly through the Activity Center. Find out more by viewing our weekly calendar.