Sep 11, 2026 · 16 min · 8 segments
If you are a caregiver, whether you’re helping a spouse, parent, another adult relative or a friend with a disability, health need or medical crisis, you don’t have to go it alone. You can read the…
Number one, no matter where you live, there's a front door for finding help.
You may not know its name or exactly what it does, but wherever you are in the U.S., there's already an organization in your area that can help caregivers to older adults and people with disabilities.
It's called an Area Agency on Aging, and it receives funding from the federal government.
Area agencies on aging exist all over the country.
Some serve a city or a few counties.
Others cover broader areas.
Quote, Your AAA is the front door to services in your area, from food and transportation help to in-home assistance and caregiver support programs, Dr. Solway says.
She goes on, quote, it may run some programs directly, or it may provide information about programs that other local organizations offer, end quote.
AAA staff can provide information on the age ranges, income levels, and other criteria for each program.
But despite AAAs being available across the country, 63% of Americans aged 50 and over have never heard of area agencies on aging.
And another 30% have heard of them but not used them, according to NPHA data from September 2025.
Only 7% say that they have used Area Agency on Aging services, though caregivers were more likely than non-caregivers to have heard of AAAs.
But more than half, 56%, of caregivers hadn't heard of Area Agencies on Aging, and only 11% had used one.
Despite the helpful support that Area Agencies on Aging can provide to caregivers, Michiganders over 50 were more likely than people in other states to have heard of or used AAAs at 48% versus 36%, with Michigan caregivers more likely than caregivers in other states to have heard of or used one at 59% versus 44%.
Once you've found your local area agency on aging, bookmark its website, follow its social media pages, and join its email list to stay up to date on what it has to offer.
You may also want to use the benefits checkup tool from the National Council on Aging to see which programs the person you care for might qualify for.
Number two, insurance coverage matters and free help is available.
If a person has a health condition or disability serious enough to warrant caregiver support, what kind of health insurance they have can really make a difference.
Monthly premium costs, co-pays, plan-specific networks of doctors and hospitals, and coverage for specific drugs and services can vary a lot between plans.
Some people may qualify for special programs but not realize it.
If the person you care for has Medicare, they can change their plan once a year during the open enrollment period from October 15th to December 7th, with changes taking effect the following January.
But there may be a lot of options depending on where they live, and it can get very confusing.
The biggest decision regarding Medicare coverage is whether to go with traditional Medicare run by the federal government or a Medicare Advantage plan run by an insurance company.
Number one, no matter where you live, there's a front door for finding help.
You may not know its name or exactly what it does, but wherever you are in the U.S., there's already an organization in your area that can help caregivers to older adults and people with disabilities.
It's called an Area Agency on Aging, and it receives funding from the federal government.
Area agencies on aging exist all over the country.
Some serve a city or a few counties.
Others cover broader areas.
Quote, Your AAA is the front door to services in your area, from food and transportation help to in-home assistance and caregiver support programs, Dr. Solway says.
She goes on, quote, it may run some programs directly, or it may provide information about programs that other local organizations offer, end quote.
AAA staff can provide information on the age ranges, income levels, and other criteria for each program.
But despite AAAs being available across the country, 63% of Americans aged 50 and over have never heard of area agencies on aging.
And another 30% have heard of them but not used them, according to NPHA data from September 2025.
Only 7% say that they have used Area Agency on Aging services, though caregivers were more likely than non-caregivers to have heard of AAAs.
But more than half, 56%, of caregivers hadn't heard of Area Agencies on Aging, and only 11% had used one.
Despite the helpful support that Area Agencies on Aging can provide to caregivers, Michiganders over 50 were more likely than people in other states to have heard of or used AAAs at 48% versus 36%, with Michigan caregivers more likely than caregivers in other states to have heard of or used one at 59% versus 44%.
Once you've found your local area agency on aging, bookmark its website, follow its social media pages, and join its email list to stay up to date on what it has to offer.
You may also want to use the benefits checkup tool from the National Council on Aging to see which programs the person you care for might qualify for.
Number two, insurance coverage matters and free help is available.
If a person has a health condition or disability serious enough to warrant caregiver support, what kind of health insurance they have can really make a difference.
Monthly premium costs, co-pays, plan-specific networks of doctors and hospitals, and coverage for specific drugs and services can vary a lot between plans.
Some people may qualify for special programs but not realize it.
If the person you care for has Medicare, they can change their plan once a year during the open enrollment period from October 15th to December 7th, with changes taking effect the following January.
But there may be a lot of options depending on where they live, and it can get very confusing.
The biggest decision regarding Medicare coverage is whether to go with traditional Medicare run by the federal government or a Medicare Advantage plan run by an insurance company.
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