Senior benefits in Ouachita 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 870-798-2852. 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 Ouachita County is at 222 Van Buren Street NW, Camden, AR 71711-3931. It is open Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Phone: 870-836-8166. 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

Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden has a charity care (financial assistance) policy that gives partly or fully discounted emergency or medically necessary care to eligible patients, based on income and assets. Under its plain-language summary, households at or below 133% of the federal poverty guideline can get 100% assistance; the discount then steps down from 95% at 135% to 70% at 185% through 250%. You must apply. Get an application at the registration or Business Office, download it from the hospital website, or call. For more information, call or visit the Financial Counselor in the Business Office at 870-836-1209.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

South Central Arkansas Transit (SCAT), run by Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC), offers public transportation to anyone, regardless of income, at a reduced rate. Rides are curb to curb and go to medical visits, shopping, work and other places. The local SCAT office is at 313 Jefferson St. SW, Camden; phone 870-836-3200. Schedule trips at least 72 hours ahead and ask the local office about fares. SCAT office hours are Monday to Friday, 8 am to 5 pm. Medicaid members can schedule non-emergency medical rides 72 hours ahead by calling 1-800-385-9992.

Estimated service value: about $0 a year