Senior benefits in Little River County, Arkansas

The Area Agency on Aging of Southwest Arkansas, a nonprofit based in Magnolia, serves adults age 60 or older and family caregivers in Calhoun, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Sevier and Union Counties. Its services include case management to help you find and apply for benefits, senior centers with a hot lunch and rides to and from the center, information and assistance, health promotion classes such as the Diabetic Education Empowerment Program (DEEP), a long-term care ombudsman, legal advocacy and referral, personal emergency response systems (PERS), Tai Chi and other wellness classes, and caregiver and Parkinson's support groups. The case manager for this county can be reached at 870-648-1295. The main office is at 600 Lelia Street in Magnolia: 870-234-7410 or toll-free 1-800-272-2127, open Monday to Thursday, 8:00 am to 4:30 pm.

Estimated service value: $200–$2,000 a year

Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC) takes LIHEAP (Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program) applications for this county and 18 others, including Calhoun, Columbia, Dallas, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Ouachita, Sevier and Union. LIHEAP offers Regular Assistance and Crisis Intervention, each a one-time payment toward energy costs, usually paid to the utility. Winter heating help begins the first Monday after the New Year holiday and closes the last business day of March. Summer cooling help begins the first Monday after the July 4th holiday and closes the last business day of August. Crisis help runs with each program and ends the last business day of April (winter) or September (summer). Call CADC's LIHEAP line at 501-326-6229 or check the CADC website for your local office and hours. Online and faxed applications are currently not available. LIHEAP never charges a fee to apply.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

The Arkansas Department of Human Services (DHS) county office for Little River County is at 90 Waddell Street, Ashdown, AR 71822-2830. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: 870-898-5155. You can apply in person at a county office, or online, by mail or by phone, for SNAP food help, Medicaid and other health care programs, and TEA cash help. Online applications go through Access.Arkansas.gov. To get Medicaid help paying for nursing home care, send the application and needed documents to your local county office. To apply for programs that help seniors and adults with physical disabilities stay at home, such as ARChoices in Home Care, Independent Choices and Living Choices Assisted Living, contact your local county office. To talk with a counselor about these options, call the Choices in Living Resource Center at 1-866-801-3435.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Little River Memorial Hospital in Ashdown offers free or discounted care for emergency and medically necessary services billed by the hospital. Eligibility is based mainly on family income compared to the Federal Poverty Guidelines. Patients whose annual family income is 100% or less of the guidelines get free care, and those between 101% and 200% get care at reduced cost. Separate bills from doctors may not be covered. You must apply; forms are available from Patient Financial Services, 451 W Locke St, Ashdown. For help or questions, call Patient Financial Services at 870-898-5011, extension 133.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year