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Last updated: 18 September 2026
Hawaiʻi uses four county-based Area Agencies on Aging to route older adults, people with disabilities, and family caregivers to local services. They are different from senior centers: the county aging office is the better first call for care at home, meals, rides, caregiver support, long-term care options, or a service assessment.
Bottom Line
If you are not sure which office to call, start with the Hawaiʻi ADRC at 808-643-2372. Tell the specialist which county the person lives in and what problem you are trying to solve. Hawaiʻi’s official state aging network lists four county Area Agencies on Aging: Honolulu, Hawaiʻi, Maui, and Kauaʻi.
Urgent Help
Call 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency. For suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, or serious self-neglect of a dependent adult, call Adult Protective Services at 808-832-5115. For food, shelter, bill help, or other community resources, call Aloha United Way 211 by dialing 211.
Start Here
- Call the county aging office if the need is meals, rides, home help, caregiver support, care planning, or long-term services.
- Call the senior program if the main goal is classes, social activities, recreation, clubs, or a local meal site.
- Use the statewide ADRC at 808-643-2372 if you do not know which county office or program is responsible.
| Need | Best first route | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Meals, rides, chores, personal care, or care planning | County Area Agency on Aging | “Can you screen me for services available where I live?” |
| Classes, clubs, exercise, or social activities | Senior center or county recreation program | “Which program serves my town, and what is the current schedule?” |
| Caregiver respite or support | County Area Agency on Aging | “What caregiver support or respite can I be screened for?” |
| Medicare choices or bills | Hawaii SHIP | “Can a counselor review my Medicare question with me?” |
| Medicaid long-term services | Med-QUEST plus county aging office | “Which coverage and local service steps apply to me?” |
What Has Changed
- County contacts were rechecked for September 2026. The state still lists the same four county aging offices and the statewide ADRC number remains 808-643-2372.
- Lānaʻi now needs clearer phone guidance. Current Maui County pages list 808-565-6818 for the Office on Aging/ADRC contact at Lānaʻi Senior Center, while Kaunoa Senior Services lists 808-565-6282 for Lānaʻi senior-program services. This guide labels the numbers by purpose instead of treating one as a universal line.
How Hawaii’s Aging Network Works
Hawaiʻi’s Executive Office on Aging coordinates the statewide aging network. Each county has its own Area Agency on Aging (AAA). The county office plans services, contracts with local providers, gives information and referrals, and helps people understand which local programs may fit.
An AAA is not the same as a nursing agency, Medicaid office, senior center, or cash-assistance program. It may connect you to those systems, but it often works as a navigator and service-entry point. If you want a broader explanation of what these agencies do nationwide, see our AAA overview.
The state says its home and community services for older adults can include adult day care, assisted transportation, attendant care, case management, chore help, congregate and home-delivered meals, homemaker help, legal assistance, personal care, and transportation. The exact provider, opening, and service level depend on the county and the person’s needs.
Hawaii Area Agencies on Aging Directory
Call the office for the county where the older adult lives. If you are helping a parent from another island or from the mainland, use the older adult’s county, not your own location.
The county office is also useful when you do not know the exact program name. You can describe the problem instead: trouble getting meals, no safe ride to appointments, difficulty bathing or dressing, caregiver exhaustion, or concern that living alone is no longer safe. The office can tell you which local provider or assessment route handles that need. If the problem crosses several systems, ask the worker to separate what the aging office can arrange from what must go through Medicare, Med-QUEST, housing, or another benefits office.
| County or island area | Office | Main phone | Good first ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oʻahu / Honolulu County | Honolulu Elderly Affairs | 808-768-7700 | Ask the helpline for information, referral, or an assessment for home and community services. |
| Hawaiʻi Island | Hawaiʻi County Aging | Hilo: 808-961-8626 Kona: 808-323-4390 |
Say which side of the island you live on and the service you need. |
| Maui, Molokaʻi, and Lānaʻi | Maui Office on Aging | Maui: 808-270-7774 Molokaʻi: 808-553-5241 Lānaʻi aging/ADRC: 808-565-6818 |
Name your island and ask for an ADRC screening or local referral. |
| Kauaʻi and Niʻihau | Kauaʻi Elderly Affairs | 808-241-4470 | Ask for information on long-term support options, caregiver help, and local services. |
These are navigation and service-entry contacts. They do not guarantee that a specific service has an immediate opening.
How to Find Senior Centers and Activity Programs
“Senior center” can mean different things in Hawaiʻi. It may be a county recreation site, neighborhood center, meal site, nonprofit center, or a building that also houses an aging-office contact. Call before visiting because schedules, registration rules, meals, and transportation can change.
| Area | Program route | Phone | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oʻahu | Honolulu senior clubs | 808-768-3045 | The city currently lists 30 senior clubs for Oʻahu residents age 55 and older, plus seasonal classes and kūpuna events. |
| Hawaiʻi Island | Hawaiʻi County activities | Kamana Senior Center: 808-961-8708 | Recreation, education, nutrition connections, volunteer opportunities, and other county elderly programs. |
| Maui County | Kaunoa Senior Services | Main leisure line: 808-270-7308 | Leisure programs, congregate dining, Meals on Wheels, assisted transportation, and senior services. |
| Lānaʻi | Lānaʻi Senior Center | Aging/ADRC: 808-565-6818 Kaunoa programs: 808-565-6282 |
Use 6818 for aging-office/ADRC contact; use 6282 for Kaunoa senior-program questions. |
| Kauaʻi | Kauaʻi senior programs | Varies by neighborhood center | Current center calendars, recreation, social programs, and local activity contacts. |
Use the aging office instead when the issue is personal care, home-delivered meals, caregiver respite, long-term care planning, benefits navigation, or a service assessment. A recreation center may be able to refer you, but it may not control those services.
What Area Agencies on Aging Can Help With
Information, referrals, and care planning
What it helps with: Finding the right local provider, understanding service options, and sorting out which office handles the problem.
Who may use it: Older adults, caregivers, and many adults with disabilities can start by asking for information. Individual programs may have their own age, need, or funding rules.
Where to start: Call the county office or the statewide ADRC. If several benefit systems are involved, our benefits portal guide can help you recognize the correct state application sites.
Reality check: A referral is not an approval. Ask for the provider name, phone number, and the next step before ending the call.
Meals, transportation, and help at home
What it helps with: Depending on county and need, the aging network may connect people to group meals, home-delivered meals, rides, homemaker help, personal care, adult day services, chores, or case management.
Who may qualify: The state describes home and community services for adults age 60 and older, but each service can have added need or priority rules. Limited funding may affect how quickly service starts.
Where to start: Ask the county office for a screening. If unsafe housing or rent is part of the problem, use our Hawaii housing help guide for separate housing routes.
Reality check: Transportation may require advance booking, and in-home services may have provider shortages or waiting lists. Ask what is available in your district now.
Caregiver support and respite
What it helps with: Information, counseling, support groups, training, respite, and other help for family caregivers may be available through the aging network.
Who may qualify: Rules depend on the caregiver program and the person receiving care. Do not assume that being a family member automatically creates a paid-caregiver benefit.
Where to start: Tell the county office that you are a caregiver and describe what tasks you do each day. For payment pathways, see our family caregiver options.
Reality check: Respite hours and provider openings can be limited. Ask about the fastest available form of relief, not only one specific program.
Medicare and Medicaid questions
Medicare: Hawaii SHIP provides free, local, one-to-one Medicare counseling. Call 808-586-7299 or toll-free 1-888-875-9229. If costs are the main problem, our Medicare Savings guide explains a separate cost-help path.
Medicaid: Hawaiʻi’s QUEST Integration benefits include long-term services and supports for members who meet the applicable level-of-care rules. The aging office can help with local navigation, but Med-QUEST and the health plan handle Medicaid coverage decisions.
Reality check: Having Medicaid does not automatically mean a particular home or facility service starts immediately. Coverage, assessment, care level, and provider availability are separate questions.
Long-term care rights and complaints
If the problem involves a nursing home, assisted living setting, or another long-term care facility, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman handles complaints and resident-rights concerns. The state lists 808-586-7268 for Oʻahu.
If the problem is instead an urgent utility shutoff, the H-HEAP program has a separate application route through island Community Action Agencies. For broader urgent needs, our emergency aid guide covers additional Hawaii options.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
- Name one main problem. “I need rides to dialysis” is easier to route than “I need any senior help.”
- Give the service location. Say the island, county, town, and ZIP code where the older adult lives.
- Describe daily limitations. Explain whether the person has trouble bathing, dressing, cooking, walking, shopping, remembering medicines, or leaving home.
- Ask for screening. Use the phrase, “Can you screen me for services that may fit?”
- Ask about timing. Find out whether there is a waitlist, what documents are needed, and when to follow up.
- Write down the referral. Record the program name, phone number, person you spoke with, and date.
Helpful tip: If you are calling for a parent or spouse, say that at the beginning. Ask whether the older adult must be present or give permission before the office can discuss private information.
Information to Have Ready
- Full name, age, address, county, ZIP code, and best phone number.
- Whether the person lives alone and who helps now.
- A short list of daily tasks that are difficult or unsafe.
- Medicare and Med-QUEST information if health coverage is part of the question.
- Current doctors, medicines, or mobility equipment when they affect the service need.
- Any shutoff, eviction, denial, discharge, or appeal notice with its date.
- Your questions about cost, donations, waitlists, transportation, language access, and next steps.
If the need involves a walker, wheelchair, shower aid, or other equipment, our medical equipment guide can help you ask about loan, reuse, and coverage options.
Reality Checks
- The AAA may refer you elsewhere. County aging offices coordinate many services but do not directly provide every program.
- Services can have waits. Funding, staffing, island geography, provider capacity, and level of need can affect access.
- “Senior center” is not one system. Recreation, meal, nonprofit, and aging-office sites can have different schedules and rules.
- Income is not the only factor. Some aging-network help can be requested regardless of income, while specific benefits use their own financial rules and limited funds may be prioritized.
- Neighbor-island choices differ. Ask what is actually open in your district instead of assuming an Oʻahu service is available elsewhere.
- Language help matters. Ask for an interpreter or accessible format when needed.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Calling a senior recreation center when the real need is home care or caregiver respite.
- Calling only one provider and stopping after hearing there is a waitlist.
- Not asking whether the county can screen for several services at once.
- Assuming a referral means the person is approved.
- Driving to a center without checking current hours, registration, or meal schedules.
- Missing a separate benefits deadline while waiting for an aging-service callback.
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed
If a service is full, ask whether there is a waiting list, another contracted provider, a different level of service, or a temporary community option. If a formal benefit is denied, ask for the written notice and the appeal deadline. Do not rely on a verbal “no” when the program gives appeal rights.
If care at home is no longer safe, ask the county aging office and the health plan about longer-term care options. Our assisted living guide explains payment paths and questions to ask before choosing a facility.
Phone Scripts You Can Use
First call to the aging office
“I live in [town and county]. I am calling about [main problem]. Can you screen me for services that may fit and tell me what I should do next?”
Calling about senior activities
“I am looking for a senior center, club, class, or meal site near [ZIP code]. Which location serves me, and what is the current schedule?”
Calling as a caregiver
“I help my [parent/spouse/relative] with [tasks]. I need information about respite and home support. What caregiver services can we be screened for?”
Following up on a wait
“I called on [date] about [service]. Can you tell me the status, whether anything is missing, and what backup option I should try while I wait?”
Related Hawaii Help
If the aging office identifies several needs, use our Hawaii benefits guide to organize the next calls. It covers assistance beyond the aging network and can help you separate housing, food, healthcare, utility, and other benefit routes.
Resumen en Español
Hawái tiene cuatro Agencias del Área sobre el Envejecimiento organizadas por condado. Estas oficinas ayudan a personas mayores, personas con discapacidades y cuidadores a encontrar comidas, transporte, apoyo en el hogar, cuidado diurno, ayuda para cuidadores, asesoría sobre servicios y otras opciones locales.
Si no sabe a qué oficina llamar, comuníquese con Hawaiʻi ADRC al 808-643-2372. Diga en qué condado vive la persona y cuál es el problema principal. Para actividades, clases o grupos sociales, pregunte por un centro o programa para personas mayores cerca de su código postal.
Si hay peligro inmediato, llame al 911. Para reportar posible abuso, negligencia o explotación de un adulto dependiente, llame a Adult Protective Services al 808-832-5115. Si necesita comida, vivienda, ayuda con cuentas u otros recursos comunitarios, marque 211.
Antes de llamar, tenga la dirección, edad, condado, información de Medicare o Med-QUEST si corresponde, una lista breve de las tareas diarias que son difíciles y cualquier aviso con una fecha límite. Pregunte si hay lista de espera, qué documentos necesita y cuál es el siguiente paso.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Area Agency on Aging should I call in Hawaii?
Call the office for the county where the older adult lives: Honolulu for Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi County for Hawaiʻi Island, Maui County for Maui, Molokaʻi, or Lānaʻi, and Kauaʻi County for Kauaʻi or Niʻihau. If you are unsure, call Hawaiʻi ADRC at 808-643-2372.
Do I have to be low income to call an aging office?
No. You can ask for information and referrals even if you are not low income. Specific services and benefits can have their own eligibility rules, and limited funding may be prioritized for people with greater economic or social need.
Is a senior center the same as an Area Agency on Aging?
No. A senior center usually focuses on activities, meals, classes, or social connection. The county Area Agency on Aging is the better first call for service screening, home support, caregiver help, long-term care navigation, and referrals.
Can the aging office help me stay at home?
It may help connect you to services such as meals, transportation, personal care, homemaker help, adult day services, chores, or case management. Availability depends on your needs, county programs, funding, and provider capacity.
Which Lānaʻi Senior Center phone number should I use?
For the Maui County Office on Aging and ADRC contact at Lānaʻi Senior Center, use 808-565-6818. For Kaunoa Senior Services programs at the center, Maui County currently lists 808-565-6282. Use the number that matches the help you need.
What if a service has a waitlist?
Ask to be placed on the waitlist if appropriate, then ask whether another provider, service level, meal option, transportation program, caregiver resource, or community organization can help while you wait. Write down the follow-up date.
About This Guide
Sources
This guide uses official federal, state, local, and other high-trust nonprofit and community sources linked in the article.
Editorial note
This guide is produced under the GFS Editorial Standards using official and other high-trust sources. GFS is not affiliated with a government agency and is not a substitute for official agency guidance. Individual eligibility outcomes cannot be guaranteed.
Corrections
Despite careful verification, errors may occur. Readers may email info@grantsforseniors.org with corrections.
Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal, financial, medical, tax, disability-rights, immigration, or government-agency advice. Program rules, policies, funding, and availability can change. Readers should confirm current details directly with the responsible official program before acting.
Last updated: 18 September 2026 · Next review: 18 January 2027
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