Being A Senior in Kansas
Kansas is a wise choice for many seniors because it is the second-cheapest state to live in. Overall, prices in the state are much lower than the national average, which makes it easier to buy things. Kansas is a great state for seniors to live in, especially since there are many ways to help people who need it.
State Resources for Being A Senior in Kansas
The Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services is in charge of helping older people in the state. Some programs that help seniors have a better life and less stress are paid for by the Department. There are also links to valuable sites where people can find more help. Seniors can sometimes get help finding programs run by other agencies. The department does more than just sponsor programs. It also runs a number of federal programs in the state, with services provided by the local Area Agencies on Aging. Being A Senior in Kansas can find helpful resources for their health and well-being at https://kdads.ks.gov/.
Dental grants/benefits – free dental care
Dental Lifeline Network, Being A Senior in Kansas
Being A Senior in Kansas can get free or cheap dental care through the Dental Lifeline Network. Donated Dental Services, their main program, helps them do this (DDS). In this program, a group of dentists gives their time and services for no charge to help people who don’t have insurance or enough insurance. Seniors in Kansas can use this program to get free dental care for their whole mouths. Because of the way the services work and the fact that there may be waiting times, emergency services are not offered. DDS, on the other hand, can do things like cleanings, crowns, extractions, and more for seniors. Services are available for people over 65. Visit https://dentallifeline.org/kansas/ to learn more.
Aside from the Dental Lifeline Network, there are other places in the state where seniors can get dental care. Some of these clinics offer care for free, while others have fees that vary based on how much care you need. This means that the amount to be paid is based on how much money the person getting care brings in. This list of dental clinics is kept by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/BusinessDirectoryII.aspx?lngBusinessCategoryID=34.
Resources about health care: free health care
Being A Senior in Kansas who are 65 or older may be able to get help from Medicare. This is a federal health insurance program for people over 65 that pays for certain basic services. Through the Medicare Savings Program, seniors who can’t pay their Medicare premiums can get help. Seniors in Kansas can find a lot of information about Medicare at https://kdads.ks.gov/kdads-commissions/long-term-services-supports/aging-services/medicare-programs/shick/medicare-frequently-asked-questions.
KanCare, Being A Senior in Kansas
It is the state’s version of Medicaid, and seniors can also sign up for it. This programme gives low-cost insurance to seniors so that they can get affordable health care. KanCare pays for a wide range of medical services and may even pay for seniors’ medications if they are eligible. Visit https://www.kancare.ks.gov/about-kancare/what-is-kancare to learn more about KanCare.
The JayDoc Free Clinic
It is run by doctors and students at the University of Kansas School of Medicine. Being A Senior in Kansas who don’t have health insurance or don’t have enough coverage can get free medical care at the clinic. When elderly people come in, they can get dental care, care for their diabetes, eye exams, and so on. Lab tests are also done when they are needed to help with treatment. https://www.kumc.edu/school-of-medicine/patient-care/student-run-clinics/jaydoc-free-clinic/sservices.html has more information about the clinic’s services.
Several other free and low-cost clinics can be found in different parts of the state. https://www.freeclinics.com/sta/kansas has a directory that lists these clinics by county.
Groups and charities that help Being A Senior in Kansas
Catholic Charities in Kansas
Being A Senior in Kansas get help from Catholic Charities in many different ways. Seniors who need money to buy food and medicine or pay their rent and utility bills can get it. Seniors who are homeless can also qualify for free housing to help them get settled in a comfortable place to live. The organization runs a number of food programs and has a number of food pantries to help people obtain the food they need. Seniors who are in a desperate situation can apply for emergency financial help to pay their bills. Seniors can find out more about what Catholic Charities does by visiting https://catholiccharitiesks.org/.
Dear Neighbor Ministries
It is a faith-based charity group in Kansas that helps Being A Senior in Kansas who are having trouble. People who are homeless or on the verge of becoming homeless can get help in the form of financial aid. Through a service called The Lord’s Diner food truck, seniors can get food brought to their homes. People who are able to leave their homes can pick up food from food pantries. Welfare checks are also done to make sure that everyone stays healthy. https://dearneighbor.org/services-dn/hilltop-neighborhood-emergency-outreach-assistance has more information about Dear Neighbor Ministries.
Help with money for Being A Senior in Kansas
The Supplemental Security Income (SSI) programme gives money to Being A Senior in Kansas who live in Kansas. This is a programme run by the Social Security Administration (SSA) that helps seniors over 65 meet their financial needs by giving them money every month. Whether or not someone can get help depends on their income and the value of their assets. To be eligible, the person applying can’t have more than $2,000 in assets. But this doesn’t include significant things like a house, a car, etc. The money from SSI can be used to pay for food, shelter, clothes, and other things. Visit https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/ssi/?tl=0%2C1%2C2 for more information about the program.
Help with food–free food
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
It helps low-income seniors in the state get healthy food by giving them food benefits. People who get help from the program get a special card called a Kansas Benefits Card. This is used in grocery stores just like a regular debit card to buy food. Only certain kinds of food can be purchased with the card. Being A Senior in Kansas may also be able to use their benefit card at some Kansas farmers’ markets to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. Visit http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/Food/FoodAssistanceFAQs.aspx to find out more about the program.
The Commodity Supplemental Food Program
It provides food to seniors over 60 whose income is less than 130% of the federal poverty level (CSFP). This program sends seniors in the state food packages once a month to help them get the nutrition they need. The food packages contain a variety of foods, such as cereal, meat, vegetables, rice, cheese, milk, etc. These things aren’t meant to be your main source of food, but rather a source of nutrients to help you live a healthy life. More information about this program for Being A Senior in Kansas can be found at http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/USDA-Commodity-Programs/CSFP/CSFP.aspx. #:~:text=CSFP%20distributes%20a%20monthly%20food,instant%20potatoes%2C%20rice%20or%20pasta.
Congregate Meals program
Seniors in Kansas can get nutritional food through the Congregate Meals programme. These meals are given to groups of people in places like senior centres. Being A Senior in Kansas can get healthy meals and socialise at the same time because they all eat together. Dieticians plan meals and make sure they have all the necessary nutrients, which helps seniors live a healthy life.
Meals can be brought to seniors who can’t leave their homes. Like the Congregate Meals programme, seniors are given healthy food to eat. In this case, though, the meals are delivered to the seniors’ homes. This makes sure that people who can’t leave their homes can still get hot and healthy meals. Volunteers who bring these meals to people also check on their health and let others know if they need help. Visit https://friendshipmeals.org/about-us/ to find out more about the Congregate Meals and Home-Delivered Meals programmes.
Housing: Grants to fix up homes For Being A Senior in Kansas
The HOME Program offers help to senior citizens who live in Johnson County. Help with money is given in the form of a loan with no interest and no payments for a while. 10% of the loan is written off every year for 10 years. This means that you don’t have to pay back the loan. But the rest of the loan must be paid back if the property is sold before the time is up. The goal is to help people make changes to their homes that are better for their health, safety, and access. Seniors can download an application form at https://www.jocogov.org/sites/default/files/files/2022-04/HOME%20Waiting%20List%20Request.pdf and learn more about the HOME programme at https://www.jocogov.org/department/housing-services/home-program.
The Home Repair Program of Wichita also offers loans with no interest and no fees. Being A Senior in Kansas whose income is less than 60% of the area median income and whose home repair needs are covered by the program can get these loans. Eligible seniors can get a loan of up to $5,000, which is completely forgiven after 5 years, as long as they don’t sell their home in that time. Visit https://www.wichita.gov/Housing/Pages/HomeRepair.aspx to learn more about this program and others like it in Wichita.
The Single Family Housing Repair Loans & Grants programme, which is also called the Section 504 Home Repair programme, is open to seniors all over the state. This is a programme that helps low-income people and is supported by the federal government. Low-income residents of the state can get loans of up to $40,000 to help them make repairs and make their homes more accessible. Seniors aged 62 and up can get grants of up to $10,000 that they don’t have to pay back to fix up their homes. The loans and grants can be added up to a total of $50,000, which can be used to do a lot of work on the house. The loans are for 20 years and have a fixed interest rate of 1%. https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/single-family-housing-programs/single-family-housing-repair-loans-grants/ks has more information about this program for Being A Senior in Kansas.
Help with transportation
The Catch-a-Ride (CaR) programme is a social service that helps seniors get to medical appointments, social service agencies, and food pantries. Transport is available in Johnson County and is provided by volunteers. Seniors 60 and older can fill out an application form and request rides once they are accepted into the programme. At https://www.jocogov.org/sites/default/files/files/2021-10/AHS-CaR-Application.pdf, you can fill out the application for Being A Senior in Kansas. Even though riders are encouraged to make a donation, no one will be turned away if they can’t pay. Click https://www.jocogov.org/department/aging-and-human-services/outreach-services/catch-ride to learn more about this programme.
Seniors can get around easily and affordably with the help of Sedgwick County Transportation. Seniors can use non-emergency transportation to commute to places like hospitals, grocery stores, senior centres, and other places they need to be. Monday through Friday, between 8 am and 4:30 pm, you can schedule a ride. Visit https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/media/60768/sct-rider-information-form-english-version.pdf to get the form to join the programme. Click on https://www.sedgwickcounty.org/aging/transportation/ for more information about the programme.
The Kansas Department of Transportation
It runs a number of programmes to make sure that Being A Senior in Kansas in the state have access to affordable ways to get around. Several of these plans also make accommodations for seniors who have trouble getting around or who use wheelchairs. At https://www.ksdot.org/bureaus/burtransplan/pubtrans/index.asp, you can find links that will be helpful.
The Kansas Rural Transit Assistance Program (RTAP)
It is run by the University of Kansas. It helps Being A Senior in Kansas who live in rural areas get cheap and accessible transportation. The main goal of the programme is to make it easier for rural Kansans to get around. This is done by providing easy-to-use transportation and teaching drivers how to help seniors in the most effective way possible. You can find more about RTAP and related publications at https://kutc.ku.edu/kansas-rtap.
Paying the bills
The Low-income Energy Assistance Programs are available to Kansas seniors (LIEAP). The state’s Department for Children and Families is in charge of running this federal programme. Seniors who are eligible get help paying a part of their energy bill. Help is given to people who meet a set of income guidelines and other requirements, such as living in the area, etc. In order to get help, a household’s income can’t be more than 150% of the federal poverty level. A one-time payment is made to the utility company to pay off the energy bills. http://www.dcf.ks.gov/services/ees/Pages/EnergyAssistance.aspx for more information.
The Salvation Army has several programmes to support Being A Senior in Kansas who use different energy companies to pay their bills. Share the Warmth helps Kansas Gas Service customers whose income is less than 200% of the poverty line. Customers of Atmos Energy use Sharing the Warmth, while customers of Black Hills Energy and Butler Rural Electric use HeatShare. These programmes help seniors get money to pay their bills and, if needed, refer them to other sources of money. https://kcc.ks.gov/public-affairs-and-consumer-protection/utility-weatherization-related-assistance-programs-in-south-central-kansas has more information about the programmes.
A directory can be found at https://www.kansasgasservice.com/media/KGS/community-assist-agencies/KansasCommunityAssistanceAgencies.pdf. It lists the Salvation Army and other charities that help pay for utilities, along with their contact information.
Help for elderly veterans
Supportive Services for Veteran Families (SSVF)
It helps veterans with low incomes or who are older find affordable housing so they don’t end up on the streets. Stable housing options are made available, and help is given to pay for rent, utilities, and other costs that come with moving into a home. Veterans whose income is less than 50% of the area median income can get help from the government. There is also mediation, which helps veterans and their landlords come up with better payment plans. The Salvation Army is in charge of the SSVF programme in Kansas. Visit https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/mokan/ssvf/ to get in touch with any of the SSVF offices in Kansas for Being A Senior in Kansas.
Veterans who are still able to fish and hunt can get free licences to do so as one of their benefits. With these licences, you can hunt game or catch certain types of fish in local bodies of water. The goal of the programme is to give some kind of food security by making it less necessary to buy meat and other protein-rich foods. Visit www.military.com/benefits/veteran-state-benefits/kansas-state-veterans-benefits.html for more information.
Veterans Homes are places where veterans can live if they need help with their daily lives. These homes give veterans a place to sleep, food, help with their laundry, medical care, and other things. There are also libraries, recreation rooms, and special care units in these homes. Spouses of veterans may also be able to get in. Senior veterans who want to move into a Veterans Home can visit https://kcva.ks.gov/veteran-homes.
In addition to the Veterans Homes, the state also has Healthcare Centers that offer special services for veterans. People who still live in their own homes often go to the centres. At these health centres, veterans can get their prescriptions filled, make medical appointments, etc. At https://www.va.gov/directory/guide/state.asp?STATE=KS&dnum=ALL, you can find a list of all the Healthcare Centers in the state.
Also Read: Being A Senior in Iowa
