St. Louis Help for Older Adults and Families: Who to Call
52 services and programs from public agencies and non-profit organizations that help older adults, adults with disabilities and family caregivers in St. Louis City, St. Louis County and St. Charles County. Most entries include a phone number.
Last verified: . Every phone number below was checked against the organization's own website on that date.
In an emergency, call 911. In a mental health crisis, call or text 988.
Start here
Not sure who to call? These three lines exist to point you to the right local office.
Missouri Senior Resource Line
Connects callers to the Area Agency on Aging that serves their ZIP code.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
1-800-235-5503Official website of Missouri Senior Resource Line (opens in a new tab)
United Way 2-1-1
Referral line, answered day and night, that connects callers with help for food, utility bills, housing and other basic needs.
Serves: Missouri and Illinois
211 or 1-800-427-4626Official website of United Way 2-1-1 (opens in a new tab)
Eldercare Locator
National referral service from the U.S. Administration for Community Living that finds local services for older adults and caregivers.
Serves: Nationwide
1-800-677-1116Official website of Eldercare Locator (opens in a new tab)
Area Agencies on Aging
Which agency serves you depends on where you live. Both arrange meals, rides and caregiver support and can explain what else is available.
St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA)
The City's aging agency: meals, transportation, benefits counseling and minor home repair for residents 60 and over and adults with disabilities aged 18 to 59.
Serves: City of St. Louis
(314) 612-5918Official website of St. Louis Area Agency on Aging (SLAAA) (opens in a new tab)
Aging Ahead
The Area Agency on Aging for the counties around the City: home-delivered meals, senior centers, caregiver support and help sorting out options.
Serves: St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson counties
(800) 243-6060Official website of Aging Ahead (opens in a new tab)
Senior centers and community programs
Places to eat lunch with other people, take a class or ask a question face to face.
St. Louis County Older Resident Programs
County government office for programs that serve older County residents; the line is answered on weekdays.
Serves: St. Louis County
314-615-4516Official website of St. Louis County Older Resident Programs (opens in a new tab)
City of St. Louis senior centers
The City's list of its nine senior centers, with the address and phone number of each one.
Serves: City of St. Louis
Official website of City of St. Louis senior centers (opens in a new tab)
Aging Ahead senior centers
Senior centers and community programs with activities and, at many locations, lunch; the page lists each site.
Serves: St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson counties
(800) 243-6060Official website of Aging Ahead senior centers (opens in a new tab)
St. Louis Oasis
Non-profit offering classes, exercise and health programs, technology lessons and volunteer opportunities for older adults.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-862-4859Official website of St. Louis Oasis (opens in a new tab)
Shepherd's Center (Webster-Kirkwood)
Non-profit with programs and volunteer-run services that help adults 55 and over stay independent and socially active.
Serves: Webster Groves and Kirkwood area
314-395-0988Official website of Shepherd's Center (Webster-Kirkwood) (opens in a new tab)
Transportation
Most of these need a reservation a day or more ahead. Call before the day you need the ride.
Metro Call-A-Ride
Metro Transit's paratransit service, booked in advance, for riders who cannot use regular buses or MetroLink because of a disability.
Serves: Riders who qualify with Metro Transit
314-982-1505Official website of Metro Call-A-Ride (opens in a new tab)
OATS Transit, St. Charles County
Public transit that anyone can use, whatever their age or income; call to ask what is available where you live.
Serves: St. Charles County
314-888-6720Official website of OATS Transit, St. Charles County (opens in a new tab)
MO Rides
Statewide referral service that matches riders with transportation providers in their area.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
844-836-7433Official website of MO Rides (opens in a new tab)
SLAAA senior transportation
Rides to medical appointments, grocery stores and senior centers, booked in advance through the City's aging agency.
Serves: City of St. Louis
(314) 612-5918Official website of SLAAA senior transportation (opens in a new tab)
ITNGateway
Non-profit membership service whose trained volunteer drivers give door-through-door rides to older adults and adults with visual impairments; riders pay fares from a pre-paid account.
Serves: Parts of St. Charles County and St. Louis County
636-329-0888Official website of ITNGateway (opens in a new tab)
Meals and food
Home-delivered meals usually start with a short phone assessment. Food banks work through neighborhood pantries.
Meals on Wheels of Greater St. Louis
All-volunteer non-profit that delivers affordable midday meals to people who are elderly, disabled or recovering and cannot shop or cook for themselves.
Serves: City of St. Louis and St. Louis County
314-374-9549Official website of Meals on Wheels of Greater St. Louis (opens in a new tab)
Aging Ahead Meals on Wheels
Home-delivered meals with a wellness check for homebound adults 60 and over.
Serves: St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson counties
(800) 243-6060Official website of Aging Ahead Meals on Wheels (opens in a new tab)
SLAAA Senior Nutrition Program
Home-delivered meals and lunches at senior centers for City residents 60 and over and adults with disabilities aged 18 to 59.
Serves: City of St. Louis
(314) 612-5918Official website of SLAAA Senior Nutrition Program (opens in a new tab)
St. Louis Area Foodbank, senior food boxes
Monthly box of USDA food for older adults with low income, through the Commodity Supplemental Food Program; the number is the Foodbank's main line.
Serves: St. Louis region, Missouri and Illinois
(314) 292-6262Official website of St. Louis Area Foodbank, senior food boxes (opens in a new tab)
Operation Food Search
Food bank that distributes food through community partners; the site's Get Help page shows where to find food.
Serves: 24 Missouri and Illinois counties
(314) 726-5355Official website of Operation Food Search (opens in a new tab)
Caregiver support and respite
Help for the person doing the caring: advice, training, and ways to get a break.
Alzheimer's Association, Missouri Chapter
Round-the-clock helpline, education and support groups for people living with dementia and their families.
Serves: Missouri and the Metro East
800-272-3900Official website of Alzheimer's Association, Missouri Chapter (opens in a new tab)
Memory Care Home Solutions
Non-profit whose dementia specialists work one-to-one with families caring for someone at home, in person or by telehealth.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-645-6247Official website of Memory Care Home Solutions (opens in a new tab)
Aging Ahead Family Caregiver Support
Support for family caregivers that can include in-home respite, adult day services and supplies, as funding allows.
Serves: St. Louis, St. Charles, Franklin and Jefferson counties
(636) 207-0847Official website of Aging Ahead Family Caregiver Support (opens in a new tab)
ElderLink St. Louis (Jewish Family Services)
Information and referral phone line where a case manager assesses what an older adult or caregiver needs and suggests local help.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-812-9300Official website of ElderLink St. Louis (Jewish Family Services) (opens in a new tab)
VA Caregiver Support Line
Department of Veterans Affairs line for people who care for a veteran, answered on weekdays.
Serves: Nationwide
855-260-3274Official website of VA Caregiver Support Line (opens in a new tab)
Adult Day at the J
Full-day program at the Jewish Community Center for seniors and other adults, which also gives family caregivers time for themselves.
Serves: Creve Coeur and Chesterfield, St. Louis County
314-442-3111Official website of Adult Day at the J (opens in a new tab)
ARCH National Respite Locator
Searchable national database of respite programs, run by the ARCH National Respite Network.
Serves: Nationwide
Official website of ARCH National Respite Locator (opens in a new tab)
Disability resources
Independent living centers and specialist organizations for adults with disabilities of any age.
Paraquad
Center for independent living that offers skills training, peer support, advocacy and referrals for people with disabilities of all ages.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-289-4200Official website of Paraquad (opens in a new tab)
Delta Center for Independent Living
Not-for-profit center for independent living that works with older adults and people with any kind of disability.
Serves: St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties
636-926-8761Official website of Delta Center for Independent Living (opens in a new tab)
St. Louis Arc
Services at every stage of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-569-2211Official website of St. Louis Arc (opens in a new tab)
Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Low-vision exams and training in daily living skills, assistive technology and getting around safely for people living with vision loss.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-968-9000Official website of Society for the Blind and Visually Impaired (opens in a new tab)
Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St. Charles County
County board that funds developmental-disability services and helps residents and families find them.
Serves: St. Charles County
(636) 939-3351Official website of Developmental Disabilities Resource Board of St. Charles County (opens in a new tab)
Benefits and public assistance
The agencies that decide on benefits, and a counseling service that explains them without selling anything.
Missouri Family Support Division
State office for food assistance, MO HealthNet applications and other help; the number is its information center.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
855-373-4636Official website of Missouri Family Support Division (opens in a new tab)
MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid) Participant Services
Participant Services line for people who already have MO HealthNet and have a question about using it, such as finding a doctor who takes it.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
800-392-2161Official website of MO HealthNet (Missouri Medicaid) Participant Services (opens in a new tab)
Missouri Home and Community Based Services intake line
State line, run by the Department of Health and Senior Services, that takes referrals for Home and Community Based Services and arranges the assessment that follows.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
1-866-835-3505Official website of Missouri Home and Community Based Services intake line (opens in a new tab)
Missouri SHIP
Trained counselors who explain Medicare choices and bills without charge; the program is not an insurance company.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
800-390-3330Official website of Missouri SHIP (opens in a new tab)
Social Security Administration
Retirement, disability and survivor benefits, and Medicare enrollment.
Serves: Nationwide
1-800-772-1213Official website of Social Security Administration (opens in a new tab)
Medicare
Federal helpline for questions about Medicare claims and plans.
Serves: Nationwide
1-800-633-4227Official website of Medicare (opens in a new tab)
Missouri energy assistance (LIHEAP)
State program that helps households with limited income with heating and cooling bills, including crisis help when a shut-off is threatened; the number is the state information line, which can mail you an application.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
855-373-4636Official website of Missouri energy assistance (LIHEAP) (opens in a new tab)
Missouri Property Tax Credit
State credit for part of the real estate tax or rent paid during the year by certain older adults and people who are 100 percent disabled.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
Official website of Missouri Property Tax Credit (opens in a new tab)
City of St. Louis senior property tax freeze
City program that limits future increases in the residential property tax bill of qualifying senior homeowners; the Assessor's office takes applications between March 1 and June 30 each year.
Serves: City of St. Louis
(314) 622-4185Official website of City of St. Louis senior property tax freeze (opens in a new tab)
St. Louis County senior property tax freeze
County page for applying for the senior property tax freeze for the first time, or attesting that an existing freeze still applies.
Serves: St. Louis County
Official website of St. Louis County senior property tax freeze (opens in a new tab)
St. Charles County senior property tax relief
County program that credits future increases in the real estate tax on the home of a resident aged 62 or over; it has to be applied for or renewed every year.
Serves: St. Charles County
636-949-7470Official website of St. Charles County senior property tax relief (opens in a new tab)
Legal, home repair and utility help
Help with a legal problem, a home that needs fixing or a bill you cannot meet.
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri
Non-profit law firm giving civil legal help without charge to people with low income and to older adults.
Serves: 21 counties in eastern Missouri
314-534-4200Official website of Legal Services of Eastern Missouri (opens in a new tab)
VOYCE
Long-term care ombudsman program that helps residents of nursing homes and other care facilities, and their families, resolve concerns.
Serves: Eastern Missouri, including the St. Louis area
Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
State program that advocates for the rights of people living in long-term care facilities.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
800-309-3282Official website of Missouri Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program (opens in a new tab)
Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC)
Community action agency offering energy assistance, weatherization and housing help.
Serves: St. Louis County
(314) 863-0015Official website of Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) (opens in a new tab)
Heat Up St. Louis / Cool Down St. Louis
Volunteer-run charity that helps people in need with heating and cooling bills; the number is its resource hotline.
Serves: St. Louis area
314-241-0001Official website of Heat Up St. Louis / Cool Down St. Louis (opens in a new tab)
SLAAA Senior Minor Home Repair
Small repairs and safety changes, such as ramps and grab bars, for City homeowners 60 and over.
Serves: City of St. Louis
(314) 612-5918Official website of SLAAA Senior Minor Home Repair (opens in a new tab)
Rebuilding Together St. Louis
Non-profit that repairs homes without charge; at present it is taking new applications only from military veterans aged 60 or over who own their home and meet its income limits.
Serves: St. Louis City and St. Louis County
(314) 918-9918Official website of Rebuilding Together St. Louis (opens in a new tab)
Emergency and urgent help
If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline
State hotline for reporting abuse, neglect or financial exploitation of an older adult or an adult with a disability; answered 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. every day.
Serves: Anywhere in Missouri
1-800-392-0210Official website of Missouri Adult Abuse and Neglect Hotline (opens in a new tab)
988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 at any hour to reach a trained crisis counselor.
Serves: Nationwide
988Official website of 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (opens in a new tab)
About this list
This page is compiled by Diverse Health Services, a non-medical home care agency in St. Louis. Families ask us who to call for things we do not do, so we keep the answers in one place.
Only public agencies and non-profit organizations are listed. Nobody can buy a place on it, and no for-profit home care companies are included. Inclusion in this guide does not imply endorsement, partnership, or affiliation with Diverse Health Services. The descriptions are our own short summaries; each organization's website is the authority on what it offers and who it serves.
We re-check the list regularly and change the date at the top when we do. Programs and phone numbers change, so please confirm the details with the organization before you rely on them. If you find an error, or know a public or non-profit service that belongs here, email info@diversehs.com.
Related reading
If you also need non-medical help at home, call Diverse Health Services at 314-667-5951 or send us a message.