How services for older adults work in AtlantaA short guide: who to call first and what to expect.
Start with one call.Empowerline, 404-463-3333, is the Atlanta region's help line for older adults, people with disabilities and caregivers. They ask what is hardest right now (eating, bathing, getting around, paying bills) and connect you to meals, help at home, rides and caregiver support in your county. If you are calling for a parent, have their age and county ready.
For meals,Meals On Wheels Atlanta, 404-351-3889, and county programs bring food to people who can't get out. There is often a waiting list. Sign up anyway, because it moves.
For help with Medicare, free counselors who sell nothing help you pick a plan and check whether you can get help paying premiums and drug costs. Call 866-552-4464 and choose option 4.
For help at home, Medicaid has programs that pay for an aide so you can stay out of a nursing home. Empowerline does the first screening. The wait can be long, so apply early.
For property taxes, older homeowners can get large tax breaks. You have to apply at your county tax office, usually by April 1.
For legal questions, Georgia Senior Legal Aid gives free advice by phone to people 60 and older at 404-389-9992.
If someone is hurting, neglecting or stealing from an older adult, call Adult Protective Services at 866-552-4464. For memory loss, the Alzheimer's Association answers day and night at 800-272-3900.
A.G. Rhodes DeKalb, formerly called A.G. Rhodes Wesley Woods, is a nonprofit nursing home and rehab center on Clifton Road near Emory. It offers long-term care, short-term rehab after a hospital stay, stroke recovery, and a secure unit for people with Alzheimer's. It has about 150 beds and takes Medicare and Medicaid.
A.G. Rhodes Atlanta is the main home of a nonprofit that has cared for older adults since 1904. It sits near Grant Park and offers long-term nursing care, short-term rehab after a hospital stay, stroke recovery, and an on-site dialysis clinic. It serves more than 130 people and takes Medicare and Medicaid.
The Administration for Community Living (ACL) is a federal agency that supports older adults and people with disabilities so they can live in their own communities.S. Department of Health and Human Services and covers Region IV: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee. It works mainly with state and local aging and disability agencies, so most people will be pointed to local services.
Nursecare of Buckhead is a nursing home in Atlanta. It offers short-term rehabilitation and long-term care, with nurses and therapists on staff. Families can call the admissions team to talk about placement and to set up a tour.
Viridian Towers, which used to be called Wesley Woods Towers, is a retirement community for people age 62 and older in Atlanta's Druid Hills area. It offers apartments with several floor plans and a personal care floor for people who need daily help. Wesley Woods Senior Living runs it, and Emory owns it.
Fulton County Senior Services runs senior centers across the county for older adults. The centers offer group meals, classes, health talks, fitness and activities. The county also lists home-delivered meals, in-home help, transportation and a senior information line.
Fulton County Senior Services is a county department that connects older adults to the help they need to stay active, cared for, and independent at home. Many services come through partner groups. You can call the STARline to ask about rides, financial help, and senior centers.
Briarcliff Oaks is a nonprofit senior apartment building in Atlanta run as a ministry of a Baptist church. It has 125 one-bedroom apartments for people 62 and older whose income is under the HUD limit, and rent is based on income. Residents also get activities, a computer room, and weekly shopping trips.
The Atlanta Regional Commission is the public planning agency for the 11-county Atlanta region. It connects older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers to support through Empowerline, and helps eligible residents find jobs and training through WorkSource Atlanta Regional. It also plans transportation, housing, and environmental improvements with local governments.
Empowerline is the free information and help line run by the Atlanta Regional Commission's Area Agency on Aging. Trained counselors help older adults, adults with disabilities, and caregivers in metro Atlanta understand their options and find services. They can also screen people who need help paying for services.
The DeKalb-Atlanta Senior Center is a neighborhood senior center run by the DeKalb County Office of Aging. It offers free classes, fitness, social activities, computer lessons, health education and meals for older adults.
Empowerline is the Atlanta Regional Commission's information and referral line for older adults, people with disabilities, and caregivers in metro Atlanta. You can call or search the website to find vetted local services and talk with a certified counselor about your options. It is not a transportation provider; it helps you find rides, meals, caregiver help, and other services.
This is the Fulton County government department that connects older adults to help for aging well, care, and staying independent at home. Many services come through partner groups. You can call the STARline at (404) 613-6000 to ask about transportation, financial help, and other services, or contact one of four Senior Multipurpose Facilities.
The DeKalb County Office of Aging Services helps adults age 60 and older who live in DeKalb County stay independent at home and active in the community. It offers home-delivered meals, free weekday lunches at senior centers, rides to the centers, case management, and in-home help such as homemaker and respite care. Call the main number for information and to find out how to sign up.
This is the DeKalb County government department that connects families to help at every age, from babies to seniors. It runs services for older adults, programs for youth, rides for seniors, and grants for nonprofits. Call the main number to find the right office.
Philips Tower in downtown Decatur is a 10-story apartment building for older adults with low or fixed incomes. It is run by Presbyterian Homes of Georgia, a Christian nonprofit, and helped by HUD, so rent is tied to your income. Residents also get activities, a fitness center, a chaplain, and rides to shopping and medical visits.
Presbyterian Homes of Georgia is a nonprofit Christian ministry that runs income-based apartment buildings for active, independent adults age 62 and older. The Atlanta site is Calvin Court in Buckhead. Sister buildings are in Decatur and Swainsboro. Rent is set by your income, and the Atlanta and Decatur buildings are currently taking waitlist applications.
AgeWell Atlanta helps older adults and caregivers find services across metro Atlanta, regardless of faith, race, or nationality. Its staff connect callers with home care, senior housing, counseling, transportation, and care planning through partner agencies. It also offers neighborhood activities and Senior Day events to help older adults stay connected.
South Fulton Senior Services is a nonprofit for adults age 60 and older in South Fulton County. Case managers help people line up services like home delivered meals, in-home help and rides. The group also oversees four neighborhood senior centers and signs up volunteers.
Quality Living Services is an Atlanta nonprofit that runs a senior center for adults over age 50 in southwest Atlanta. The center offers daily classes, fitness, computer training, clubs and social events. The group also manages senior and family apartment communities.
