Where to Start: California Aging & Disability Help

Here are the easy-to-miss angles — the early-eligibility rules and quiet ways families leave money or help on the table. Each one is explained in full below.

Every part of California has an Area Agency on Aging (AAA) that coordinates services for adults 60 and older and adults with disabilities at the local level. Many areas also have an Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC), a "No Wrong Door" partnership led by Area Agencies on Aging and Independent Living Centers so that people of any age, income, or disability can call one place and be connected to long-term services and supports. Use the state's county lookup to find your local office.

Dialing 2-1-1 (or visiting 211.org) connects you, free and confidentially, to local help with housing, utilities, food, health care, and caregiver resources. It is a good first call when you do not know which program fits your situation and want a live person to point you in the right direction.

The California Department of Aging oversees the network of local Area Agencies on Aging. Its statewide senior information line, 1-800-510-2020, helps you locate the Area Agency on Aging in your area and learn about services for older adults and caregivers.

Medi-Cal Dental is the dental benefit for people enrolled in Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program). It covers exams, X-rays, cleanings, fillings, extractions, root canals, crowns, and dentures, plus emergency services. For help understanding your coverage or finding a dentist who takes it, call the Medi-Cal Dental member line at 1-800-322-6384.

Covered California is the state's official health insurance marketplace for residents who do not have coverage through a job, Medicare, or Medi-Cal. Most enrollees qualify for financial help that lowers their monthly premium. This is often the right door for a caregiver or a family member who is under 65.

Two separate programs can lower phone and internet bills for lower-income households. California LifeLine gives discounts on home phone, cell, or internet service for households that qualify by income or by taking part in programs like Medi-Cal or CalFresh. The separate federal Lifeline program provides a monthly discount of up to $9.25 (up to $34.25 on qualifying Tribal lands) on phone, internet, or bundled service. A qualifying household may be able to receive both. You apply through a participating phone or internet company, not through the state directly.

California has a statewide network of 21 nonprofit Regional Centers that serve people with developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and autism. They do assessments, determine eligibility, and coordinate services through an Individual Program Plan. This is a separate system from the aging network and is the right door for a family member with a lifelong developmental disability.

The State Controller's Property Tax Postponement program lets qualifying homeowners defer current-year property taxes on their primary home. For the 2025-26 cycle, you generally must be 62 or older (or blind or disabled), have at least 40% equity in the home, and have annual household income of $55,181 or less; the postponed taxes become a lien that must eventually be repaid, with interest. Funding is limited and the filing period runs October 1 through February 10.

Confirm the current income limit, interest rate, and deadlines with the program before you rely on them, because these figures change each year.

Through the federal Older Americans Act, Area Agencies on Aging fund two kinds of meals for adults 60 and older: congregate meals served in a group setting (with a chance to socialize), and home-delivered meals (often called Meals on Wheels) for people who have trouble leaving home or preparing meals. There is no set charge, though every participant is given the opportunity to contribute voluntarily toward the cost. Ask your local Area Agency on Aging to sign up.

If you have a concern about a loved one's care in a nursing home or assisted-living (residential care) facility, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program investigates and helps resolve issues such as poor care, abuse, residents' rights, and improper discharge. Services are free and confidential. The statewide CRISISline is 1-800-231-4024, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.