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When Jane's spouse unexpectedly passed, she was heartbroken. She also was panicked: along with her partner, the 68-year-old Missouran had lost a major source of income. She didn’t even know if she could eat after the small supply of food in her pantry ran out.
Sadly, Jane’s story isn’t uncommon. In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic especially, many people like her found themselves in financially precarious situations. Fortunately, like Jane did, they also used NCOA's BenefitsCheckUp® to find crucial help paying for food, prescription medications, and more. For instance, Jane learned she was eligible and successfully applied for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a Medicare Savings Program (MSP), and Medicaid.
While the economy is slowly recovering, it’s important to know that BenefitsCheckUp® can connect older adults, caregivers, and the professionals who serve them to a wide range of other financial and social supports, too. With thousands of public and private benefits programs available, this free, confidential online tool can identify resources to boost your budget and participation in the community. Here’s how.
Employment, volunteering, and skills-building
BenefitsCheckUp® contains dozens of employment programs that can help you to assess your career objectives and find a resource to enhance your job search. You also can find assistance with improving your potential employment prospects through training and free online job search resources.
If you’re not ready to, or interested in, reentering the paid workforce, you can explore volunteer programs to use your skills in service to your community:
- The Senior Companion Program offers volunteer opportunities to support older adults with physical, mental, or emotional impairments. Services may include short-term care assistance, non-medical personal care, and social or recreational activities.
- The Foster Grandparent Program matches older adults with children who have special needs.
- If you are a business professional interested in mentoring to others, there are two programs to look into: Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) and Active Corps of Executives (ACE).
In addition, search BenefitsCheckUp for educational programs that can provide free college tuition, skills improvement, or other continuing education resources.
Help for Caregivers
Caring for an older adult or a person living with a disability can take its toll—emotionally, physically, and financially. Fortunately, there are programs that offer information and assistance specifically for caregivers.
If you have a loved one entering or residing in a long-term care facility, use BenefitsCheckUp® to connect to your local Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. This program can help you choose a long-term care facility, understand residents’ rights, and help if you or a family member has a problem in a long-term care facility.
BenefitsCheckUp® also contains dozens of programs that offer waivers or financial assistance for adult day service programs and respite care, particularly those that serve clients with Alzheimer’s disease. The screening tool includes information on programs that provide homemaker services and assistance with the activities of daily living (ADLs) on a sliding fee scale.
Other Discounts and Savings
Did you know that BenefitsCheckUp® also contains links to find discounts on recreational activities?
- For people with disabilities, the America the Beautiful Access Pass offers a free lifetime entrance permit to visit national parks, monuments, and recreation areas which normally charge entrance fees. It also provides a discount on federal use fees for facilities and services such as: camping, swimming, boat launching, and guided tours.
- Older adults age 62+ can purchase a discounted America the Beautiful Senior Annual or Lifetime Passes to the National Parks & Federal Recreation Lands. These passes are for national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and national wildlife refuges which normally charge entrance fees.
Whether you’re looking to save money on critical needs such as health care, food, and housing, or seek new opportunities for employment and socialization, BenefitsCheckUp® can help you identify a wide variety of programs that may meet your needs.
