The National Council on Aging (NCOA), a non-profit service and advocacy organization in Washington, D.C., established a valuable web resource in 2001 for elders, their caregivers and aging professionals to connect older persons with resources and programs that help pay for prescription drug costs, health care expenses, utility bills and other basic needs. Since that time the site has helped millions of people find savings and assistance. Watch their public service announcement on the site:
There are often state and federal resources available to help that older people and professionals are unaware of. Navigating those services and programs, let alone staying on top of what the qualification requirements are, is a full-time job onto itself. The NCOA’s site, BenefitsCheckUp, holds an up-to-date database of more than 1,750 public and private benefits programs across all 50 states. These programs help with:
- Prescription drugs
- Food and Nutrition
- Energy assistance
- Financial services
- Legal assistance
- Health care
- Social Security
- Housing
- Tax relief
- In-home care
- Transportation
- Employment
The site connects elders with services through online questionnaires that determine what services and programs an individual may qualify for. Staff persons at Area Agencies on Aging and other senior service organizations use this site to assist elders looking for help, but so long as someone has basic internet skills, the site can be easily navigated by the individual him/herself.
Check BenefitsCheckUp to see if you or the one you care for is receiving all of the help he/she qualifies for.