Community resources
Resources We Trust
The organizations and programs we point Tucson-area families to most often, for help paying for care, support with dementia, and honest information.
Finding the right care is only part of the journey. Paying for it, understanding a diagnosis, and knowing your options all raise their own questions. These are the resources we recommend most often to the families we work with. If you are not sure which of them applies to your situation, call us and we will help you sort it out.
Help Paying for Care
Medicare does not pay for assisted living or other long-term care, which it calls custodial care. It covers hospital stays, doctor visits, and a limited stay in a skilled nursing facility for rehab. Under Original Medicare, that rehab stay is only covered after at least three days in a row as a hospital inpatient, and time spent under observation or in the emergency room does not count. For questions about a specific plan, the Pima Council on Aging (below) offers Medicare counseling.
AHCCCS (pronounced "access") is Arizona's Medicaid program. Its everyday coverage helps people who meet its income limits with medical costs like doctor visits and hospital stays, but not with the cost of assisted living.
ALTCS, the Arizona Long Term Care System, is the part of AHCCCS that covers long-term care. For those who qualify medically and financially, it can cover care in an assisted living setting or at home at little or no cost. Applications go through Health-e-Arizona Plus or by phone at 1-888-621-6880, and we can talk through whether applying makes sense for your family.
VA Aid and Attendance is a monthly benefit paid on top of the VA pension to veterans and surviving spouses who need help with daily activities. It can make a real difference toward the cost of assisted living or in-home care. The application uses VA Form 21-2680, and we can point you to people who help families apply.
Long-term care insurance is a private policy that can help pay for assisted living, memory care, or in-home care, depending on its terms. Fewer people have one than you might expect, but it is worth checking old paperwork for a policy a loved one bought years ago. Most start paying once someone needs help with a set number of daily activities, often after a waiting period, and we can talk through how a policy fits into your plan.
Support for Dementia and Alzheimer's
The Alzheimer's Association, Desert Southwest Chapter offers education, local support groups, and a free 24/7 helpline at 800-272-3900 for anyone navigating Alzheimer's or another form of dementia, whether you are the person diagnosed or the one caring for them.
Local Support and Advocacy
The Pima Council on Aging has served Pima County older adults and family caregivers for more than 55 years, with help ranging from caregiver training and respite to Medicare counseling and home-delivered meals.
AZ Care Check is the Arizona Department of Health Services lookup for licensed care facilities, where you can see a home or community's licensing status and inspection history. We check it as part of every recommendation we make.
Understanding Your Options
If the vocabulary of senior care is new to you, our own terms and definitions page explains it in plain English, and our FAQ answers the questions families ask us most.