ElderSource Aging and Disability Resource Center

ElderSource serves as a regional entry point, not as an agency that personally delivers every form of care. Its HelpLine listens, explains local resources, helps callers explore programs for which they may qualify, and can guide professionals making a referral. For a Duval County family, it is useful when the need could involve meals, transportation, homemaking, Medicare guidance, or a long-term-care assessment.

The network covers Baker, Clay, Duval, Flagler, Nassau, St. Johns, and Volusia counties. The toll-free line is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the page lists (888) 242-4464, local (904) 391-6699, and Florida Relay 711. ElderSource says interpretation is available and accepts after-hours messages for a callback. It also welcomes visitors at its Old St. Augustine Road address, though calling first helps route the request.

Referrals may include home-delivered or congregate meals, personal and homemaking help, transportation, caregiver support, wellness classes, and SHINE Medicare counseling. For long-term care, intake specialists can start an assessment and help people navigate Florida Medicaid, including home- and community-based services. ElderSource says its ability to assist with the Medicaid process depends on available funding; the state program also prioritizes applications and may have a waiting list.

The call is more productive when a family can explain the person’s age, county, diagnosis or functional limitation, tasks that require help, and whether the person lives alone. It is not automatic approval or a promise of an immediate caregiver: ElderSource identifies the pathway and next steps. Residents outside the seven-county area can be directed to the resource center serving their location.

Medicare may cover specific medical services, but it generally does not pay for ongoing daily help such as cooking, bathing, or dressing. Ask ElderSource to distinguish counseling, publicly funded programs subject to assessment, and services offered by community organizations. The useful question is not only “what is available?” but which program covers this need and what the current wait looks like.

Official program information