Benefits · Elder Services
How to apply for Council on Aging of West Florida — Adult Day Health Care + Respite + Case Management
Council on Aging of West Florida, Inc. (COAWFL) — 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties since 1972; licensed Adult Day Health Care facility + respite care + case management + transportation referral; main office at 875 Royce Street, Pensacola FL
Who it's for
Beyond Meals on Wheels, COAWFL operates substantial caregiver-respite and care-coordination services: (1) Adult Day Health Care — a licensed structured day-program providing supervision, meals, activities, personal care, and medical monitoring for seniors needing more support than independent living but less than skilled nursing. The 'Health Care' designation (vs. 'Day Care') means licensed nursing supervision is available on-site — appropriate for seniors with significant medical complexity. (2) Respite Care — both in-home and facility-based respite to give family caregivers planned breaks, hours to days at a time. (3) Case Management — a COAWFL care coordinator helps families assemble a care plan across meals, transportation, ADHC, respite, and medical referrals. (4) Transportation Referral — linking seniors to ECAT paratransit and other community transit options. COAWFL also operates Foster Grandparent, Senior Companion, and RSVP volunteer programs for active seniors. Sponsorship is a mix of Florida Community Care for the Elderly (CCE), Home Care for the Elderly (HCE), Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI), and private-pay. Eligibility is age 60+ and Escambia (or Santa Rosa) County residency; ADHC additionally requires physician referral or COAWFL case manager assessment. Apply by calling COAWFL at 850-432-1475.
COAWFL's Adult Day Health Care and Respite services are sponsorship-funded — sliding-scale fees apply based on income and sponsorship source (CCE, HCE, ADI, private-pay). The 'Health Care' designation in ADHC means licensed nursing supervision is on-site, which is more substantial than the social-model Adult Day Care operated by some peer county Council on Aging programs. For seniors with significant medical complexity (dialysis, complex medication regimens, post-stroke recovery, post-surgical needs, advanced dementia), COAWFL's ADHC is materially more appropriate than social-model day programs. Respite Care offers both in-home and facility-based options — caregivers can take a planned break of hours to days. Sponsorship waitlists are common — for ADHC enrollment, expect 1-3 months between application and service start depending on CCE/HCE/ADI funding cycle. Private-pay enrollment is typically faster but at full cost. The Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs pay small stipends (~$3-4/hour) that don't affect Social Security and may interest active seniors seeking modest supplemental engagement.
What you'll need
- Proof of age 60+ (Florida driver's license, Florida ID, or birth certificate)
- Proof of Escambia County residency (utility bill, lease, or government correspondence)
- For Adult Day Health Care: physician referral documenting functional/medical need + caregiver presence in household
- For Respite Care: COAWFL case manager assessment of caregiver burden + senior care needs
- For ADI program inclusion: documented cognitive impairment diagnosis or screening result (MoCA, MMSE, or similar)
- For sponsorship determination (CCE/HCE/ADI): income documentation; private-pay does not require income docs
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 850-432-1475
Renewals
annual reassessment by COAWFL case manager; ADHC enrollment is rolling
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.