Chicago-area resources for aging safely at home
A safer bathroom is one piece of staying at home. These public agencies and programs cover much of the rest. Here is who serves where, and what to ask them.
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How the aging network is organized here
Illinois's aging services are coordinated by the Illinois Department on Aging, which works through regional Area Agencies on Aging. In the Chicago area, which agency you call depends on where you live: the City of Chicago has its own, suburban Cook County has another, and the collar counties share a third. Many suburban townships add their own senior services on top.
We are a walk-in tub and accessible shower provider, not part of any of these agencies. We list them because families ask us, and because the right agency can help with things we cannot, from in-home care to Medicare counseling.
Statewide: Illinois Department on Aging
Senior HelpLine
1-800-252-8966 (711 for relay), weekdays. A starting point for any aging-related question, including how to reach your local care coordination unit.
ilaging.illinois.govCommunity Care Program
Helps people 60 and older who might otherwise need nursing home care to stay at home, mainly through in-home services such as homemaker help and adult day services. Age, residency and asset rules apply.
CCP detailsSenior Health Insurance Program
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling, reachable through the Senior HelpLine.
Home modification resources
The Illinois Department of Human Services keeps a list of private and government home modification resources.
IDHS resources
City of Chicago
Department of Family and Support Services, Senior Services
Designated by the Illinois Department on Aging as the Area Agency on Aging for the city, serving residents 60 and older. Programs include information and assistance, regional and satellite senior centers, home-delivered meals and in-home help. Information line: 312-744-4016.
DFSS Senior ServicesSmall Accessible Repairs for Seniors (SARFS)
Run by the Department of Housing through delegate agencies. Provides accessibility and safety repairs such as grab bars for Chicago residents 60 and older earning no more than 80 percent of area median income. Some agencies serve specific wards, and the waiting list has been closed at times, so confirm current status.
chicago.gov/sarfsHome Repair Program
A separate Department of Housing grant program for income-eligible owners, focused on roofs and porches rather than bathrooms. Registration opens only in some years.
DOH homeowner programs311
The city's service line can route questions about senior services, housing programs and warming centers.
Suburban Cook County
AgeOptions
The Area Agency on Aging for suburban Cook County, based in Oak Park, serving older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers.
ageoptions.orgTownship senior services
Many Cook County townships run senior programs. Schaumburg Township's Disability and Senior Services offers Medicare counseling and transportation. Orland Township keeps a minor home repair list of vetted handymen. Oak Park Township's senior services include case management and caregiver support.
City of Evanston
Evanston's Senior Services and the Levy Senior Center offer programs and the Access Evanston application, which includes handyman program assistance for eligible residents.
Evanston Senior Services
DuPage, Kane, Will, Lake and nearby counties
AgeGuide Northeastern Illinois
The Area Agency on Aging for DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, McHenry and Will counties.
ageguide.orgLocal care coordination
Care coordination units connect residents to the Community Care Program. In Kane County, Senior Services Associates serves this role; in Will County, Senior Services Center of Will County. The Senior HelpLine can confirm yours.
City of Naperville
Naperville maintains a senior services and resources page listing local and regional help.
naperville.il.us
Protecting older adults
Older adults are frequent targets for home-improvement scams, from door-to-door "inspections" to pressure to sign same-day contracts. If you suspect someone is being exploited, abused or neglected, Illinois's Adult Protective Services program, run by the Department on Aging, takes reports through a statewide hotline at 1-866-800-1409. For an emergency, call 911.
For any bathroom project, get the scope and price in writing, check licenses, and remember that the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule gives three business days to cancel many sales made in the home.
Key numbers
- Illinois Senior HelpLine: 1-800-252-8966
- Adult Protective Services: 1-866-800-1409
- Chicago DFSS: 312-744-4016
- Chicago city services: 311
Property tax relief in Cook County
The Cook County Assessor offers a Senior Exemption for homeowners 65 and older who live in the home, a Low-Income Senior Citizens Assessment Freeze, a Persons with Disabilities Exemption and a Home Improvement Exemption that can shield up to $75,000 of added value from improvements for up to four years. Check the Assessor's site for current eligibility and filing deadlines. DuPage, Kane, Will and Lake counties have their own supervisors of assessments.
Official link
What to ask when you call
In-home help
"Are there programs that help with bathing or personal care? How do we get assessed, and is there a waiting list?"
Home safety
"Are there programs for grab bars or accessibility repairs in our area? Does our township have a handyman list?"
Caregivers
"What respite, training or support groups exist for family caregivers here?"
Benefits
"Can we meet with a Medicare counselor? Could we qualify for the Community Care Program or Medicaid services?"
Resource questions
Who is the Area Agency on Aging for Chicago?
The City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services is the Area Agency on Aging for the city. Its information line is 312-744-4016.
Who serves seniors in suburban Cook County?
AgeOptions is the Area Agency on Aging for suburban Cook County. Many townships also run their own senior services.
Does Chicago help seniors pay for grab bars?
The city's Small Accessible Repairs for Seniors program provides repairs such as grab bars for income-eligible residents 60 and older, through delegate agencies. Confirm whether it is accepting new applicants.
What is the Illinois Senior HelpLine number?
The Illinois Department on Aging Senior HelpLine is 1-800-252-8966, with 711 for relay users.
How do I report suspected elder abuse in Illinois?
Call the Illinois Adult Protective Services hotline at 1-866-800-1409. In an emergency, call 911.
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