City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division
Jacksonville’s Senior Services Division administers community centers, transportation, meals, homemaking, companionship, and temporary caregiver support in Jacksonville and Duval County. These are not one universal benefit; each service has its own contact and eligibility rules.
About City of Jacksonville Senior Services Division
The Senior Services Division brings several city programs together, from activity and meal centers to transportation, homemaking, and caregiver relief. Jacksonville’s 2026–27 directory describes activities at 16 centers for people age 60 and older, weekday meals, and door-to-door transportation that must be scheduled by phone. It is not a single benefit that automatically includes every service; each program assesses its own situation.
For temporary help at home, the Independent Living Program offers respite to primary caregivers of frail, homebound older adults; the city lists low- to moderate-income criteria. Its page says some families may receive four to six hours of respite, with no fee, although donations are encouraged. Contact the program at (904) 255-6686. Homemaking has a separate route and requires a qualifying medical condition; the published number is (904) 255-6677.
Rides to centers and activities are coordinated through Senior Services: the city directory lists (904) 255-6828 for scheduling. If the need is for care, food, or help at home rather than recreation, explain which daily tasks have become difficult and whether someone is already providing care. Staff can then identify whether transportation, meals, homemaking, Independent Living, or a referral is the relevant route. For general guidance, the city lists (904) 255-5400 and AdultSvcs@coj.net.
Jacksonville is a consolidated city-county government, and the division describes its reach as Jacksonville/Duval County. For medical or long-term needs beyond local programs, Florida has separate Medicaid and Older Americans Act pathways. Traditional Medicare does not cover most nonmedical long-term personal care, so ask which program funds a service, whether an assessment is required, and whether a waiting list applies.
A first call can go to the city office for help identifying the right program or directly to the service-specific number. Before applying, prepare a concrete description of the person’s routine, mobility limits, home address, available family support, and any hospital discharge notice. There is no need to purchase a private service just to ask the city for information; eligibility is decided case by case and the directory can change.
Municipal older-adult services