Essential Services

These resources can help you find assistance

When setting up aging services, you may have a cloud of questions and concerns. Fortunately, many Chicago-area organizations provide helpful resources for a range of situations. Start by reviewing these service categories to see what type of resources you might need to consider.

Review lists of specific Chicago-area organizations online at Seniors Blue Book, (seniorsbluebook.com/local/chicago) and Elderwerks Educational Services (elderwerks.org). An excellent primer to have around is Who Will Take Care of Me When I’m Old? by local writer Joy Loverde. 

As always, quality is important in choosing service providers. Consider whether a provider is an active member of a local healthcare group such as the Illinois Continuity of Care Association (il-coc.org).Or check a provider’s star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (cms.gov). These umbrella agencies connect older adults and caregivers to community services: AgeOptions in suburban Cook County (ageoptions.org), AgeGuide in the collar counties (ageguide.org), and Chicago Department of Family & Support Services in the city of Chicago (cityofchicago.org/aging).

Types of Services You May Require

Community resources

• Advocacy for seniors

• Area agencies on aging

• Home-delivered meals

• Housing assistance

• LGBTQ+ resources

• Nutrition and food services

• Pet care and services

• Protective services

• Transportation

• Travel

• Veteran centers and services

End-of-life resources

• Funeral, cremation, and mortuary services

• Hospice services

• Palliative care  

Financial

• Financial assistance and services

• Reverse mortgages

• Social Security consulting

• Veterans benefits

Health and care insurance

• Health insurance information and counseling

• Long-term care insurance

• Medicare and Medicaid information and counseling

Home transitions

• Bathroom conversions

• Community placementspecialists

• Downsizing and relocation services

• Estate clean out

• Home improvements 

and modifications

• Home safety evaluations

• Move management and organizers

• Moving services

• Real estate services

• Stair lifts

Housing and care referrals

• Affordable housing

• Assisted living

• Home care 

• Home healthcare

• Independent living

• Long-term skilled nursing resources

• Respite care

• Sheltered care

• Short-term rehabilitation

• Supportive living

Legal

• Crime prevention

• Elder abuse

• Elder law

• Estate planning

• Guardianship/conservatorship

• Long-term-care ombudsmen

Physical and mental health

• Associations for specific illnesses

• County health departments

• Dental resources

• Hearing resources

• Home medical equipment and supplies

• Incontinence care

• Lending closets

• Memory assessment programs

• Mental health and counseling

• Oxygen services

• Prescription assistance and discounts

• Vision services

Programs and support

• Adult day care programs

• Community centers with senior activities

• Continuing education opportunities

• Pet resources

• Programs for those with disabilities

• Senior centers

• Senior organizations and services

• Support groups

Chicago and Suburban Resources

Home-delivered Meals

• City of Chicago Family & Support Services: 

chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/senior/svcs/home-delivered-meals.html

• Meals on Wheels: mealsonwheelschicago.org or call: (312) 744-4016

End-of-life Resources 

• Aging with Dignity: agingwithdignity.org/five-wishes

• Advance directives: dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/health-care-regulation/nursing-homes/advance-directives

• Practitioner Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatments: polstil.org

General Information 

• The Chicago Department of Family and Support Services: chicago.gov/city/en/depts/fss/provdrs/senior.html

• Chicago Senior Services Hotline: (312) 744-4016 (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.)

Email: Aging@CityofChicago.org

• AgeOptions: ageoptions.org

(800) 699-9043

• AgeGuide: ageguide.org

(800) 528-2000

• Chicago Department of Family and Support Services: cityofchicago.org/aging

Financial information

• The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/educator-tools/resources-for-older-adults/

• Social Security: ssa.gov or (800) 772-1213 

For Information on Medicare and Medicaid

• Medicare: medicare.gov
(800) 633-4227/TTY users should call 

(877) 486-2048. 

• Medicaid: Toll-Free: (877) 267-2323

Local: (410) 786-3000

TTY Toll-Free: (800) 877-8339

TTY Local: (410) 786-0727

Veterans’ Resources

• Veterans Affairs: va.gov, (800) 698-2411 

• Jesse Brown Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center: 

va.gov/chicago-health-care

main phone: 

(312) 569-8387; 

mental health care: (312) 569-7225 

LGBTQ+ Housing

SAGE: sageusa.org. The crisis hotline number is: (877) 360-LGBT(5428)

Legal Assistance

• Illinois Department on Aging: ilaging.illinois.gov/programs/legalassistance.html

• Report elder abuse to the Illinois Department of Aging: Adult Protective Services Hotline: (866) 800-1409

Dementia and Alzheimer’s Information

• Alzheimers Association: alz.org

• Alzheimer’s caregiving navigator: alzheimersnavigator.org

Dental Care

• Chicago Dental Services Clinic for low-income dental care: cds.org/smile/find-a-dentist

• University of Illinois-Chicago’s dental clinic offers reduced pricing: (312) 996-7555

Hearing Aid Assistance 

• Illinois Department of Human Services: 

idhhc.illinois.gov/resources1/hearingaidresources.html

• Chicago Hearing Society Audiology Clinic: ChicagoHearingSociety.org

Prescription Assistance 

• Illinois Department on Aging: ilaging.illinois.gov/resources/prescriptiondrugassistance.html 

or (800) 252-8966 (711 TRS)

• Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services: hfs.illinois.gov/medicalclients/health/prescriptions.html or 

(800) 825-3518 or (217) 524-5983, 

TTY: (800) 547-0466