READY TO USE
An older adult or adult with a disability needs help at home
An older adult or adult with a disability is struggling to manage at home, or may be hurt, neglected, or taken advantage of.
What changed
Recent change
ALTCS 2026 limits: gross income up to $2,982 a month and countable resources up to $2,000 for a single applicant.
Start here
Do this today
- 1
Check safety first: food, medicines, falls, and anyone taking money or causing harm. If life is at risk, call 9-1-1.
- 2
If you suspect abuse, neglect, or exploitation, report it to Adult Protective Services. You do not need proof.
- 3
Call the 24-hour Senior HELP LINE for in-home help, caregiver support, meals, and benefits help.
- 4
If the person may need nursing-home level care, start an ALTCS application. ALTCS can pay for care at home, not only in a facility.
- 5
Write down what they can and cannot do alone: bathing, dressing, eating, moving, medicines, and money.
Real starting points
Who to call
Area Agency on Aging Senior HELP LINE
- Phone
- 602-264-4357
- Hours
- 24 hours a day.
- Who qualifies
- Maricopa County older adults, adults with disabilities, caregivers, and people helping them.
- Next step
- Call for in-home services, caregiver support, meals, and benefits help.
Adult Protective Services
- Phone
- 1-877-767-2385
- Hours
- Weekdays 7 AM to 7 PM. Weekends and holidays 10 AM to 6 PM. Online reports any time.
- Who qualifies
- Reports about abuse, neglect, or exploitation of a vulnerable adult.
- Next step
- Call or report online. For life-threatening danger, call 9-1-1 first.
ALTCS (Arizona Long Term Care System)
- Phone
- 1-888-621-6880
- Hours
- Call for current hours. Apply online through Health-e-Arizona Plus.
- Who qualifies
- Arizona residents who need nursing-home level of care. For a single applicant in 2026, gross income up to $2,982 a month and countable resources up to $2,000. The home and one vehicle do not count.
- Next step
- Apply online or by phone. Someone else can apply on their behalf. Phoenix office: 150 N 18th Ave.
Get ready
What to bring
- ID, Social Security card, and Medicare card
- Proof of income, such as a Social Security or pension letter
- Bank statements and property or vehicle papers, for ALTCS
- Insurance cards and a list of doctors and medicines
Avoid a dead end
What usually goes wrong
- Waiting for a fall or a crisis to start ALTCS.
- Giving up on ALTCS because savings are over $2,000. Some assets do not count. Get benefits or legal advice first.
- Not reporting because the person causing harm is family. APS takes those reports.
- Too many agencies and no lead. Name one main contact.
Use your own words
What to say
I’m helping an older adult who is having trouble managing at home. They need help with [meals / medicines / bathing / money]. What services can start now, and is there a wait?
Check the fit
If your client is...
65+
Ask about meals, in-home help, and caregiver support even if the person does not want to move.
Veterans
Ask the VA about home care and caregiver programs in addition to these routes.
Disability
The Senior HELP LINE also serves adults with disabilities. Ask about access needs.
Limited English
Ask for an interpreter on every call.
Keep a second door open
If this fails
If ALTCS is denied, read the letter for the appeal deadline right away. If in-home help has a waitlist, ask the Senior HELP LINE about caregiver support or meals that can start sooner.
Practice itOne scenario, about 15 minutes
A fictional man, 79, lives alone. A neighbor says he has fallen twice this month, the fridge is empty, and a relative has been using his bank card.
- What must happen today?
A safety check, and a report to Adult Protective Services about possible exploitation.
- Who do you call next?
The Senior HELP LINE for meals and in-home help.
- How do you raise long-term care?
Explain that ALTCS can pay for help at home, and start it with his consent.
After-action review
- What was supposed to happen?
- What happened?
- Why was there a difference?
- What will you do differently?