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North Dakota senior help
Last updated: 14 September 2026
North Dakota handles aging services differently from most states. Instead of several local Area Agencies on Aging, the state uses one statewide aging system through North Dakota Health and Human Services. This guide shows where to call first, how to find local senior centers and meal providers, and what to do when you need home care, caregiver help, benefits, transportation, or help with a problem.
Bottom Line
Start with the Aging and Disability Resource Link (ADRL) at 1-855-462-5465. North Dakota Adult & Aging Services is the statewide entry point for aging and disability services. The ADRL directory can help you find local meal programs, transportation, caregiver support, home-care options, senior centers, and other providers near you.
If your question is about SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, or an economic-assistance case, use your local Human Service Zone instead. If your question is about Medicare, use North Dakota SHIP. The sections below explain the difference.
Need Help Right Now?
Immediate danger: Call 911 for a medical emergency, fire, violence, or immediate danger.
Mental health crisis: Call or text 988. North Dakota’s FirstLink crisis page also explains 988 and 211 support.
Abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect: Use the state vulnerable adult report page or call 1-855-462-5465 and press 2. Adult Protective Services is not an emergency service, so call law enforcement first if someone is in immediate danger.
Food, shelter, utilities, or local crisis help: Dial 211. FirstLink serves North Dakota and also lets you text your ZIP code to 898-211 for local resources.
Start Here
- Call ADRL first for meals, rides, home care, caregiver help, long-term care options, or a local senior-service provider.
- Use Human Service Zones for SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, and case notices.
- Use the right specialist for Medicare, facility complaints, elder abuse, or civil legal problems.
Quick Reference: Who to Call First
| Need | Start here | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Meals, rides, home care, caregiver support, senior centers | ADRL: 1-855-462-5465 | “Which provider serves my city or county?” |
| SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, benefit case questions | Human Service Zones | “Which zone handles my county, and what proof do I need?” |
| Medicare plans, bills, claims, or appeals | North Dakota SHIP: 1-888-575-6611 | Ask for free, unbiased Medicare counseling. |
| Nursing home, assisted living, or basic care complaint | Ombudsman: 1-855-462-5465, option 3 | Ask for the ombudsman assigned to the facility. |
| Civil legal help for a person age 60+ | Legal Services: 1-866-621-9886 | Describe the notice, deadline, housing, debt, or benefits issue. |
What Has Changed
The ADRL website has a new address. North Dakota HHS now points readers to Adult & Aging Services and the new ADRL site at ndcarechoice.hhs.nd.gov.
A new State Plan on Aging is approaching. The current 2022–2026 plan runs through September 30, 2026. North Dakota has published a 2026–2030 draft plan scheduled to begin October 1, 2026. As of September 12, the HHS site still labels that document as a draft. The state’s public notice says the proposed plan covers October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2030.
The statewide model remains the same: Adult & Aging Services is the State Unit on Aging and the single Planning and Service Area for Older Americans Act programs.
How North Dakota’s Aging System Works
Most states divide Older Americans Act work among several regional Area Agencies on Aging. North Dakota uses a statewide structure instead. The state’s current aging plan says North Dakota has no local Area Agencies on Aging and that state aging staff perform those functions. The 2026–2030 draft continues the statewide structure by naming Adult & Aging Services as both the State Unit on Aging and the state’s single Planning and Service Area.
This means you do not need to search for a county AAA office. Call ADRL and give your city, county, and ZIP code. Staff can connect you with the provider that actually serves your area.
That provider may be a senior center, meal program, transit provider, tribal program, Human Service Zone, caregiver coordinator, qualified service provider, or another community organization. The name can vary even when the service is funded through the aging network.
For a national explanation of what AAAs normally do, see our national AAA guide. For a wider list of state programs beyond aging services, use the North Dakota benefits guide.
Services You Can Ask About
ADRL is a navigation and intake service. It can help you identify the right program, but it does not mean every service is free, open, or available in every town. Ask what is available for your exact location and situation.
Information and Local Referrals
What it helps with: ADRL can help sort out meals, transportation, caregiver support, home care, long-term care options, disability services, housing resources, and local providers.
Who can ask: Older adults, adults with physical disabilities, caregivers, family members, and helpers can contact ADRL for information.
Where to start: Call 1-855-462-5465, email carechoice@nd.gov, or use the online resource search.
Reality check: ADRL can connect you to a program. The program itself decides eligibility, service level, and availability.
Meals and Nutrition
What it helps with: Older Americans Act nutrition services can include congregate meals, home-delivered meals, nutrition education, and local wellness support. The statewide CareChoice directory lists many congregate and home-delivered meal providers.
Who may qualify: Many aging-network meal programs serve adults age 60 or older, but local rules can differ. Home-delivered meal programs may look at whether a person is homebound or unable to prepare or reach meals safely.
Where to start: Ask ADRL for your county’s provider, or use the meal service directory.
Reality check: Lunch days, reservations, suggested contributions, home-delivery schedules, and weather closures vary locally.
Home and Community-Based Care
What it helps with: North Dakota offers several programs that may help a person remain at home. The state home-care programs page describes options such as Older Americans Act services, Medicaid home and community-based services, SPED, Ex-SPED, personal care, and PACE.
Who may qualify: Rules differ by program. They can include age, disability, finances, level of care, and the need for help with daily activities.
Where to start: Call ADRL and describe the daily tasks that are hard or unsafe. Ask whether you need a long-term services and supports screening.
Reality check: Home-care programs may depend on assessment results and provider availability. In rural areas, finding a worker can take time.
Family Caregiver Support
What it helps with: The state caregiver support program offers information, caregiver coordination, counseling, support groups, training, respite, and some supplemental services for qualifying caregivers.
Who may qualify: The program can serve people caring for an adult age 60 or older, a person with Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia, and certain older relative caregivers raising children or caring for an adult with a disability.
Where to start: Call ADRL and ask for the Family Caregiver Support Program in your area.
Reality check: Caregiver support is not automatically a paycheck. If you are asking whether a relative can be paid for care, see our caregiver pay guide.
Qualified Service Providers
What it helps with: Qualified Service Providers, often called QSPs, are people or agencies approved to deliver certain in-home and community services funded through North Dakota HHS.
Where to start: The state’s QSP information explains provider requirements and related resources. A person receiving services should ask the case manager which providers may be used.
Reality check: A family member may be able to become a paid provider in some situations, but approval depends on the program and provider rules.
PACE
What it helps with: The Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) coordinates medical care and supportive services for eligible people who can remain safely in the community.
Who may qualify: North Dakota says a person must be age 55 or older, live in a PACE service area, meet the state’s nursing-home level-of-care standard, and be able to live safely in the community at enrollment.
Where to start: Check the state PACE program page for current locations and enrollment contacts.
Reality check: Living in North Dakota alone does not prove PACE eligibility. Your address and care needs matter.
How to Find Senior Centers and Local Providers
North Dakota senior services do not use one name everywhere. A local program may be called a senior center, council on aging, senior meals program, commission on aging, adult services agency, transit program, or community dining site.
The safest statewide method is to search CareChoice by city or ZIP code or call ADRL and ask, “Who provides senior meals, transportation, or senior-center services where I live?”
| Area | Provider | Examples of help | Contact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo and Red River Valley | Valley Senior Services | Meals, senior centers, transportation, resource services | 701-293-1440 |
| Bismarck | AgeWell Center | Meals, health maintenance, outreach, activities | 701-255-4648 |
| Grand Forks | Grand Forks Senior Center | Dining, meal delivery, activities, resource help | 701-772-7245 |
| Jamestown area | James River Senior Citizens | Senior center, meals, home delivery, public transit | 701-252-2882 |
| Valley City and south central counties | South Central Adult Services | Senior centers, meals, outreach, public transportation | 1-800-472-0031 |
This is not a complete directory. Call before traveling. Hours, meal days, ride rules, and service areas can change, especially in smaller communities.
Benefits and Medicare Help
Aging-network staff can help you understand where to go, but many benefit applications are handled through different state systems.
Human Service Zones
North Dakota uses 19 Human Service Zones to help process programs such as Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), and the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). The statewide Customer Support Center is 1-866-614-6005.
If online forms are hard to use, our benefits portals guide explains the main North Dakota application routes.
SNAP Food Benefits
The state’s SNAP program page explains how to apply online, by mail, or through a Human Service Zone. Older households can have different deduction rules, so do not assume you are over the limit based only on gross income.
If you need food before an application is decided, call 211 for food pantries and other local help.
LIHEAP Energy Help
North Dakota’s LIHEAP program now accepts applications year-round. It can help eligible households with heating and some related energy needs. If you have a shutoff notice, are out of deliverable fuel, or have another energy emergency, contact the Customer Support Center.
For more backup routes when a bill cannot wait, see our emergency assistance guide.
Medicare and Cost Help
North Dakota SHIP offers free, unbiased Medicare counseling through the North Dakota Insurance Department. Call 1-888-575-6611 for help with Medicare paperwork, claims, appeals, or coverage choices.
If you have limited income and resources, also check our Medicare Savings guide before calling or applying. It can help you prepare questions about programs that may reduce Medicare costs.
Rights, Safety, and Problem Solving
Long-Term Care Ombudsman
The ombudsman program advocates for people in long-term care facilities and helps address concerns about care, rights, transfers, discharge, and quality of life. Call 1-855-462-5465 and choose option 3, or call 701-328-4617.
Vulnerable Adult Protective Services
North Dakota accepts reports about possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect of a vulnerable adult. Any person may make a report. The telephone intake line is 1-855-462-5465, option 2, on weekdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Time. Call 911 first when there is immediate danger.
Senior Civil Legal Help
Legal Services provides civil legal help to eligible North Dakotans. People age 60 and older can call 1-866-621-9886 Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time. Call quickly if you have an eviction paper, court deadline, benefits notice, debt collection issue, or nursing-home transfer or discharge problem.
For housing options and rent-related routes, our housing assistance guide can help you sort the main programs.
How to Start Without Wasting Time
Before you call, write down the main problem in one sentence. Examples are, “My father needs help bathing and preparing meals,” “I need a ride to medical appointments,” or “My heating bill is past due.” This makes it easier for staff to route you correctly.
Then ask three questions: What program handles this? What proof do I need? What can I do while I wait?
| Item | Why it may help | Tip |
|---|---|---|
| Name, address, county, ZIP code | Finds the correct service area | Give the service address if mail goes elsewhere. |
| Photo ID | May confirm identity | Ask what else is accepted if it is expired. |
| Income letters | May be needed for financial programs | Use the newest Social Security or pension notice. |
| Medicare or Medicaid cards | Shows current health coverage | Keep the cards nearby during calls. |
| Utility or housing notices | Shows a deadline or urgent balance | Read the deadline aloud to the worker. |
| Care needs list | Explains why home support is needed | List bathing, dressing, meals, transfers, and supervision. |
If disability-related needs affect daily living, the disability help guide may give you additional routes to ask about.
Reality Checks
- There is no county AAA office to find. North Dakota’s aging system is statewide, so ADRL is the normal first contact.
- Local availability varies. A statewide program may still depend on a local provider, transportation route, or staffing level.
- Senior centers are not identical. Some focus on meals, some on activities, some on transportation, and some provide several services.
- Home care can take time. An assessment may be required, and rural provider shortages can delay service.
- Benefits use different systems. ADRL can refer you, but SNAP, Medicaid, and LIHEAP are generally handled through HHS benefit systems and Human Service Zones.
- Do not rely on an old number. Income limits, benefit rules, and program availability can change. Ask which rule is in effect for your application date.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Searching for a local North Dakota AAA and giving up when you cannot find one.
- Calling only one senior center when your need may be handled by another county or regional provider.
- Assuming ADRL decides SNAP, Medicaid, or LIHEAP eligibility.
- Showing up for a meal or ride without checking reservations and schedules first.
- Waiting until after a deadline to ask about a benefit notice or appeal.
- Assuming caregiver support automatically means the caregiver can be paid.
Phone Scripts
Call ADRL for local aging services
“I live in [city or county]. I need help with [meals, rides, home care, or caregiving]. Which provider serves my area, and what is the first step?”
Call a senior center
“I am calling about senior services in my area. Do you offer meals, home delivery, rides, or activities? Do I need to register or reserve ahead?”
Call about benefits
“I need help with [SNAP, Medicaid, or LIHEAP]. Which office handles my county? What documents do I need, and is there a deadline on my case?”
Call about facility concerns
“I have a concern about someone living in a long-term care facility. I would like to speak with the ombudsman who serves that facility and explain what happened.”
Denied, Delayed, or Overwhelmed?
If a benefit notice arrives: Read the deadline first. Keep the notice and call the Customer Support Center if you do not understand what the state wants.
If home care is delayed: Ask ADRL whether another provider, temporary support, meal service, caregiver respite, or transportation option can help while you wait.
If meals are not available: Call 211 and ask for food pantries, community meals, or emergency food in your ZIP code.
If transportation is the barrier: Ask the senior center, clinic social worker, ADRL, or Medicaid worker about medical or local ride options.
If the issue is legal: Contact Legal Services before the deadline passes and have the notice, court paper, lease, or benefits letter in front of you.
If the first program does not fit: Ask, “What is the next closest option?” A denial from one program does not always mean there is no other help.
Resumen en Español
En Dakota del Norte, los servicios para adultos mayores se coordinan a nivel estatal. No hay una red de oficinas locales de “Area Agency on Aging” como en muchos otros estados. Para comidas, transporte, ayuda en el hogar, apoyo para cuidadores o para encontrar servicios locales, llame a ADRL al 1-855-462-5465.
Para SNAP, Medicaid o LIHEAP, llame al Centro de Apoyo al Cliente al 1-866-614-6005. Para ayuda con Medicare, llame a North Dakota SHIP al 1-888-575-6611. Si una persona mayor está en peligro inmediato, llame al 911. Para reportar posible abuso, negligencia, explotación o autoabandono de un adulto vulnerable, llame al 1-855-462-5465 y marque la opción 2.
Antes de llamar, tenga a mano su dirección, condado, cartas de beneficios, información de ingresos y una lista breve de la ayuda que necesita. Las reglas y la disponibilidad pueden cambiar según el programa y el lugar.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does North Dakota have local Area Agencies on Aging?
No. North Dakota uses a statewide model. Adult & Aging Services serves as the State Unit on Aging and the single Planning and Service Area, so most people should start with ADRL at 1-855-462-5465.
What number should seniors call first in North Dakota?
For aging services, call ADRL at 1-855-462-5465. For SNAP, Medicaid, LIHEAP, or benefit case questions, call the Customer Support Center at 1-866-614-6005.
Can ADRL help me find a senior center?
Yes. ADRL can help you find a senior center, meal provider, transportation service, caregiver program, or other aging-network provider that serves your city or county.
Can ADRL help with home care?
Yes. ADRL can explain long-term care options and help you ask about screening for home and community-based services. Eligibility depends on the program, care needs, finances, and provider availability.
Who handles long-term care complaints?
The North Dakota Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program helps residents of long-term care facilities with concerns about care and rights. Call 1-855-462-5465 and choose option 3.
Who handles elder abuse reports?
North Dakota Vulnerable Adult Protective Services handles reports of possible abuse, neglect, exploitation, or self-neglect of a vulnerable adult. Call 1-855-462-5465 and press 2. Call 911 first if there is immediate danger.
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: 14 September 2026 · Next review: 14 January 2027
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