Grants for Seniors in Arlington
Last Updated on January 5, 2024 by Rachel
The cost of living in Arlington, Virginia is 44% more than the national average. With the higher cost of food, housing and slightly lower healthcare and utility cost, there is a need to support senior members of the Arlington community. This article discusses the grants for seniors in Arlington. Keep reading.
Medical Assistance for Seniors in Arlington
RAFT program provides seniors with mental health services, including training and consultations in Assisted Living and Nursing homes. The program also offers referral services to eligible seniors. To qualify for assistance, you should be a resident of Arlington, be 65 years or older, have a serious illness like dementia and have a history or a risk of psychiatric hospitalization. Read more at https://www.raftnorthernvirginia.org/Home.
Personal Care/In-Home Services is a program dedicated to offering services to senior residents in Arlington. These services are designed to help elderly persons remain safely at home once they have undergone hospitalization. These services are provided from Mondays to Fridays but some seniors can have access to special accommodations if needed. The program has trained staff to provide personal and in-home care services. The program services include light housekeeping, eating assistance, bathing, healthcare escorts, laundry, medication assistance, meal preparation among others. Who is eligible for the program support? Seniors aged 60 or older and are having physical/cognitive disabilities may apply. The elderly persons who are home-bound and cannot move around independently may also apply for the program assistance. Please note that you are required to pay for the healthcare cost, depending on your monthly income and medical expenses. Medicare, health insurance or Medicaid do not cover the cost of the services. Find out more at https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/DHS/Aging-Disability/Programs/In-Home.
Virginia Insurance Counseling and Assistance Program (VICAP) offers free one-on-one insurance counseling services to senior Medicare Beneficiaries, caregivers and families. The program has counselors who offer free counseling to qualified applicants. The program only serves senior residents of Arlington County. The program services include individual counseling, resolving Medicare claims, help with understanding Medicare and long-term care insurance and Medicare classes among others. Read more about the program at https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/DHS/Aging-Disability/Programs/VICAP.
Virginia Medicaid provides medical coverage to the eligible low-income senior residents of Arlington, Virginia. The goal of the Medicaid program is to improve the health of the program participants and the quality of services they receive. Find out more at https://www.dmas.virginia.gov/for-applicants/applying-for-medicaid/.
Transportation Assistance
MetroAccess offers public transportation services to senior residents with physical or mental impairments and is unable to use a rail system or bus to their destination. The service is available for seniors living around Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). You must complete an application and get certified before booking trips. The cost of transport will depend on your destination. Read more about the program at https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/DHS/Aging-Disability/Resources/Transportation.
Housing Assistance
Housing Choice Voucher Program (HCVP) provides safe, decent and affordable housing to low-income families and the senior residents of Arlington City. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). How does the program work? The applicant must find suitable rental housing where the property owner agrees to use the Voucher. Read more about the program at https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Programs/Housing/Get-Help/Rental-Services/ACHCV-Program.
Utility Assistance
Arlington County’s Department of Human Services provides heating/cooling and utility assistance. Is your utility bill in disconnect status? Well, then the DHS can help you with financial support through the Clinical Coordination Program. Read more at https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/DHS/Public-Assistance/Clinical-Coordination-Program. You may also have access to funds for installation services, late fees, furnace re-start and home heating utility costs. Senior applicants can also have access to repairs and replacement of cooling equipment. To qualify, you must be a resident of Arlington and a U.S. citizen. You must be responsible for the heating/cooling bill if you are applying for heating/cooling assistance. Find out more at https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Departments/DHS/Public-Assistance/Heating-Cooling-Assistance.
Food Assistance
Arlington Food Assistance Center (AFAC) is a community-based non-profit food pantry committed to offering nutritious supplemental groceries to all senior residents of Arlington. The program allows low-income elderly persons to put their limited financial resources to other expenses, including utilities, housing and other basic needs. The goal of AFAC is to resolve the issue of food insecurity. The supplemental groceries are given to seniors at no cost. Eligible low-income elderly persons or their families can have access to food once a week. If you are looking for assistance with food, you may visit the non-profit for the first without having to be referred by anyone or the organization. Apart from free food, AFAC offers information resources to elderly persons to keep them updated about where they can source services. About 40% of the food distributed to the low-income seniors in Arlington is from donations. The organization buys the rest of the food from vendors to ensure seniors get quality food. How much food can you receive through this program? Each family can receive about 30 pounds of groceries every week. Groceries provided include oatmeal, eggs, pasta, rice, chicken, fresh produce and canned foods. For more details about the program, please visit https://www.guidestar.org/profile/54-1473207.