Plain answers & local help for Nature Coast families

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For family caregivers on the Nature Coast: where to start

If you've suddenly become responsible for a parent's care, you are not alone, and you don't have to work it all out by yourself. This page is your starting point: the first call to make, the help you can get (including a real break for you), and where to turn for each piece.

Last reviewed: August 7, 2026

The short version:

Start here: your first calls

Almost every kind of help runs through your local aging office, called an Aging and Disability Resource Center. One call gets you screened and pointed to the right programs.

  1. Call the Elder Helpline for your county (numbers just below). Tell them what's happening and what you're worried about.
  2. Ask for a caregiver assessment and for respite, so you get a break too.
  3. If the goal is care at home, or being paid to provide it, ask about Medicaid Long-Term Care.
  4. If there's memory loss or dementia, call the Alzheimer's Association Helpline at 1-800-272-3900, open 24 hours.
One free call your Elder Helpline Respite (a break for you) In-home care & meals Being paid to care Dementia support screened & connected to help
One free call is screened and routed to the help you need.

What do you need help with?

Each of these opens a full guide with local companies and what things cost.

Care at home

In-home aides, therapy, meals, and rides.

Make the home safe

Walk-in showers, grab bars, ramps, stair lifts.

How to pay for care

Medicare, Medicaid, and help by income.

Downsize or clear a home

Right-size now, or handle a house after a loss.

Get a break: respite care

Respite means a planned break, so you can rest, work, or just breathe, while someone else cares for your parent. It can be a few hours of in-home help, a day at an adult day center, or a short stay in a facility, and Florida programs can fund up to 30 days. Caregivers who never step away burn out fastest, so this isn't a luxury. Ask for respite when you call the Elder Helpline.

Can I get paid to care for my parent?

Sometimes, yes. If your parent qualifies for Florida Medicaid Long-Term Care, its participant-directed option lets them hire and pay their own caregiver, and that caregiver can be a family member. A separate state program, Home Care for the Elderly, adds a small monthly subsidy for caring for someone at home. Both run through the Elder Helpline. We walk through the details, and the spouse question, on how to pay for care.

What if you don't qualify for Medicaid?

A lot of help doesn't depend on Medicaid at all, and it's the same free phone call. Services through the Older Americans Act network for anyone 60 and older -- respite, home-delivered meals, caregiver counseling and support, and rides -- have no income test, and you can't be turned away because you can't pay. Many are free; some ask a small voluntary donation or a sliding fee based only on income. So don't rule yourself out.

Caring from a distance

You can help a lot even from another state. Set up in-home care and meal delivery, keep a shared list of doctors and medications, ask a trusted neighbor to check in, and arrange respite so the person doing the day-to-day work gets a break. The National Institute on Aging's long-distance caregiving guide is a solid, plain place to start.

The hard conversation

The talk about accepting help, downsizing, or moving goes better before a crisis, not during one. Bring it up early and gently, ask what your parent wants rather than telling them, and give it more than one conversation. The National Institute on Aging and AARP both have calm, practical guides for starting it.

Don't burn out: support for you

You matter in this too. Free caregiver counseling, training, and support groups are available through the aging offices above, and Florida's aging network runs one-on-one caregiver coaching. For dementia specifically, the Alzheimer's Association (24/7 at 1-800-272-3900) runs support groups across Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco. Ask the Elder Helpline or the Association for a group near you, since meeting times change.

Common questions

Where do I start as a new caregiver?
Call the Elder Helpline for your county (Citrus and Hernando: 1-800-262-2243; Pasco: 1-800-963-5337). One call screens you and connects you to in-home help, respite, and the programs that pay.
Can I get paid to care for a family member in Florida?
In some cases, yes. If your parent qualifies for Florida Medicaid Long-Term Care, its participant-directed option lets them hire and pay a family caregiver. See our how-to-pay-for-care guide.
What is respite care?
A planned break for the caregiver. Someone else cares for your parent for a few hours, a day, or up to 30 days, at home, at an adult day center, or in a facility. Ask for it through the Elder Helpline.
Who do I call about dementia or memory loss?
The Alzheimer's Association 24/7 Helpline at 1-800-272-3900. It's free, staffed any hour, and offers advice, local referrals, and support.

Sources

Please read: Nature Coast Senior Home is an independent guide. We are not a government agency and are not affiliated with Medicare, Medicaid, or any program listed. This page is general information, not medical, legal, or financial advice. Program details, eligibility, and phone numbers change, so confirm with the Elder Helpline or the official source before you rely on them. We don't collect or sell your information.