Local Programs and Services

California Department of Aging – Services by county (including transportation to appointments, home delivered meals, assistance with landlord issues, legal assistance, reporting elder abuse or neglect, etc.). They can also be reached at (800) 510-2020.

2-1-1 – Information and referral helpline to community, social, government and health services that is searchable by county. Directs callers to a wide variety of services, including services for those 60+, disabled persons, and those who do not speak English. Transportation resources include travel training and paratransit "dial-a-ride." They can also be reached by dialing 2-1-1.

The following list provides links to organizations best able to provide answers to common issues and is organized alphabetically.

Advance Care Planning

PREPARE for Your Care—find resources in English and Spanish to help you and your family with advance care planning.
The Office of the Attorney General—find help for you and your family with advance care or end-of-life care planning, finances, and other decisions.

Caregiving

Department of Social Services—Caregiver Background Check Bureau—find information how to do a caregiver background check.
California Department of Aging—Family Caregiver Services—find caregiver services in your area.
Caregiver Resource Centers—find a caregiver resource center in your area.
AARP Family Caregiving Resources—get help creating a caregiving plan.
Caregiver Support Groups—find a general caregiver support group or one for caregivers who care for someone with the same illness or disability as your loved one.

Department of Public Health-Licensed Facility (Nursing Home, Skilled Nursing Facility or Hospital) Complaints

File a complaint about a CDPH-licensed health care facility—for hospitals, nursing homes, and skilled nursing facilities. Complaints can also be filed by calling (916) 440-7360.

Department of Social Services-Licensed Facility (Assisted Living Facility, Board and Care Home, or Room and Board Facility) Complaints

File a complaint about a Department of Social Services-licensed facility—for assisted living facilities, board and care homes, or room and board facilities. Complaints can also be filed by calling (844) 538-8766 or by emailing letusno@dss.ca.gov.

Developmental (Mental and Physical) Disability Resources

Department of Developmental Services—find resources for those with developmental disabilities.

Educational Resources

AARP—an organization dedicated to empowering people to choose how they live as they age
NCOA—an organization dedicated to helping those aged 60+ age well through a variety community rograms, services, online help and advocacy.

End-of-Life Information (Aid-in-Dying)

For end-of-life information, visit the End of Life Option Act which allows an adult diagnosed with a terminal disease, who meets certain qualifications, to request the aid-in-dying drugs from their attending physician.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness Tip Sheets—provides information on how to prepare for a variety of emergencies.

Exercise and Health Promotion Classes

Find classes to help with increasing physical activity, managing chronic diseases and preventing falls.

California Department of Aging—contact your local Area Agency on Aging to find  classes near you.
California Healthier Living Coalition—a map of classes searchable by county.

Falls Prevention

For information about falls and falls prevention, visit CDC's Facts About Falls. To find fall prevention classes in your area, visit California Department of Aging—County Services or call (800) 510-2020. You can also visit the California Healthier Living Coalition for a searchable map of classes near you. If you are a caregiver concerned about someone you care for falling, find information from the National Council on Aging. To find information on doing a home assessment to make your home safer, visit USC Falls Prevention Center of Excellence.

Housing

Department of Social Services Housing Programs— find information on housing programs funded by Department of Social Services.

Staying in Your Home

The In-Home Support Services (IHSS) Program helps pay for services so that people over 65 years old can stay safely in their home, rather than move into a nursing home or care facility.  To find out if you're eligible for the program visit Department of Social Services—In-Home Supportive Services. For more programs that provide help to those who would like to stay in their home, please visit The Department of Healthcare Services' Long-Term Care Alternatives webpage.

Immunizations/Vaccinations

County Health Departments— find out how to receive a vaccination in your county.
Information About Vaccines—find answers to frequently asked questions.

Legal Services

California Department of Aging - Legal Services—legal services are available to assist older adults and adults with disabilities with a variety of legal problems concerning housing, consumer fraud, elder abuse, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Medicare, Medi-Cal, age discrimination, pensions, nursing homes, protective services, conservatorships, and other matters.

LGBT Resources

AARP—Finding LGBT-Friendly Care—provides information on finding LGBT-friendly care and support.

Long-Term Care Facility Assistance

Long-Term Care Ombudsman Office—get help for residents in long-term care facilities with issues related to day-to-day care, health, safety, and personal preferences.

Low Income Assistance

Medi-Cal—find information about Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program. This is a public health insurance program which provides health care services for low-income individuals. 
Department of Social Services—find resources for low-income assistance, food & nutrition services, in-home support services, finding licensed care, reporting abuse, and more.

Marijuana

Ask your doctor if marijuana or CBD products may be right for you. For or a list of frequently asked questions about Medical Marijuana Identification Cards (MMIC), please visit the Medical Marijuana Identification Card Program. For general information on marijuana, visit Let's Talk Cannabis.

Medical Bill Issues

To file a complaint with your health plan or talk to someone about an error on your medical bill, visit Department of Managed Health Care—File a Complaint or call (888) 466-2219.

Medicare (Supplemental Coverage)

For Medicare counseling, visit California Department of Aging—HICAP.

Nursing Homes, Skilled Nursing Facilities or Hospital Information

CDPH Licensing and Certification—Find information on hospitals, nursing homes, and skilled nursing facilities.

Nutrition & Healthy Eating

CDPH Nutrition Education Obesity Prevention Branch—find nutrition information and resources.

California Department of Aging—Congregate Meal Nutrition Sites and Home Delivered Meals – Contact your local Area Agency on Aging

California Department of Social Services – CalFresh Food—CalFresh is for people with low-income who meet federal income eligibility rules and want to add to their budget to put healthy and nutritious food on the table. Beginning June 1, 2019, recipients of SSI/SSP benefits may be eligible for CalFresh Food benefits for the first time. There is no change to the SSI/SSP monthly benefit.  For more information on how to apply for CalFresh Food benefits, visit CalFreshFood.org, call 1-877-847-3663, or find your local county office contact. 

CalFresh Farmers' Market "Market Match"—find information on California's healthy food incentive program that provides a $1 for $1 match of customers' federal nutrition assistance benefits at farmers' markets.

Senior Farmers' Market Nutrition Program—this program is through CDFA and $20 coupons are distributed annually by Area Agencies on Aging. 

Prescription Pain Medications (Opioids)

For information on prescription pain medications, visit Your Pain is Real. So Are the Risks.

Renter/Landlord Issues

CDPH California Housing Code Enforcement—a searchable database lists local agencies to contact for enforcement of the California Housing Code in rental properties with potentially substandard conditions.

Transportation

California Department of Aging—find transportation services in your county.  They can also be reached at (800) 510-2020.   2-1-1—available transportation resources include travel training and paratransit "dial-a-ride." They can also be reached by dialing 2-1-1.

For more information contact HealthyAging@cdph.ca.gov