Benefits · Nutrition
How to apply for Holmes County Council on Aging — Meals + In-Home Care + Medical Cost Assistance
Holmes Council on Aging, Inc. (HCOA) — private 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving Holmes County FL; contracted local AAA delivery partner under Advantage Aging Solutions (PSA 2 Area Agency on Aging) for OAA Title III nutrition + Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) + Home Care for the Elderly (HCE) + Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI); office in Bonifay; M-F 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CDT
Who it's for
Holmes Council on Aging (HCOA) is a private 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to providing assistance to Holmes County's elderly residents. HCOA is funded through federal, state, and local grants plus donations and is the contracted local AAA delivery partner under Advantage Aging Solutions (PSA 2). Services include: (1) Low-cost nutritious meals — both home-delivered Meals on Wheels and congregate dining at the HCOA senior center, along with appropriate nutrition education. (2) Community Care for the Elderly (CCE) — sliding-scale-fee in-home support including homemaking, personal care, respite, and case management for seniors aging in place. (3) Home Care for the Elderly (HCE) — small monthly stipend program supporting family caregivers providing 24-hour care to elderly relatives. (4) Alzheimer's Disease Initiative (ADI) — specialized respite and in-home services for seniors with cognitive impairment. (5) Care and supervision of elderly adults in their own homes (in-home services). (6) ASSISTANCE WITH MEDICAL COSTS for the elderly — a distinctive direct-aid program where HCOA contributes to medical expenses (medications, copays, durable medical equipment, etc.) for eligible Holmes County seniors. (7) Recreation activities, special events, and health education. Eligibility for the senior pathway is age 60+ and Holmes County residency; specific services require individual assessment by HCOA case management. Office hours M-F 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. CDT.
HCOA's combined service portfolio is distinctively broad for a small rural Council on Aging — particularly the direct Medical Cost Assistance program which is uncommon in peer FL Council on Aging records. The medical cost assistance is funded by donations and discretionary grant resources, so eligibility and award amounts vary case-by-case. Don't assume this covers full medication costs — it's typically a partial supplement to address acute affordability gaps. CCE, HCE, and ADI sponsorship slots are limited by Florida DOEA funding and may have 1-3 month waitlists. Congregate dining at the HCOA senior center has a lower bar (60+ and ambulatory). The 24-hour caregiver-stipend HCE program is genuinely valuable for family members providing intensive home care — modest monthly payments support continued at-home caregiving. The combination of HCOA + Doctors Memorial Hospital + Holmes Transportation in a single county seat (Bonifay) means service coordination is geographically simple — all three resources are within minutes of each other.
What you'll need
- Proof of age 60+ (Florida driver's license, Florida ID, or birth certificate)
- Proof of Holmes County residency (utility bill, lease, or government correspondence)
- For home-delivered Meals on Wheels: documentation of homebound status (illness, disability, or isolation)
- For CCE / HCE / ADI: HCOA case manager assessment of activities-of-daily-living limitations + sponsorship determination based on income
- For Medical Cost Assistance: documented medical expense (medication receipt, copay statement, DME estimate) + income documentation
Where to apply
Apply online: official application
By phone: 850-547-2345
Renewals
annual reassessment by HCOA case manager; rolling enrollment for in-home services and medical cost assistance
Not sure if you qualify? Run a free check first.
Find my benefitsNot legal or financial advice. The agency makes the final eligibility decision.