Senior benefits in Madison County, Tennessee

The Southwest Tennessee Area Agency on Aging and Disability serves older adults age 60 and older, adults with disabilities, and family caregivers in Madison County. Services include congregate and home-delivered meals, family caregiver support and respite, SHIP Medicare counseling, options counseling for long-term care, the long-term care ombudsman, and public guardianship. Call the Information and Assistance line to learn what is available locally.

Estimated service value: $1,000–$6,000 a year

Tennessee's Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps pay heating and cooling costs for income-eligible households. In Madison County, LIHEAP is delivered by Southwest Human Resource Agency, which offers year-round regular assistance and fast-track crisis assistance for households facing disconnection. Households with an older adult, a person with a disability, or a young child get priority. Apply through Southwest Human Resource Agency, and call 2-1-1 Tennessee for referral help. The Tennessee Housing Development Agency administers the program statewide.

Estimated bill savings: $174–$750 a year

West Tennessee Healthcare runs Jackson-Madison County General Hospital in Jackson, the flagship hospital for the region. The system offers financial assistance (charity care) and uninsured discounts for medically necessary care. Free care is generally available to patients with household income below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines, with sliding-scale discounts for uninsured patients between 200% and 400%. Pick up an application at any affiliate hospital or call Patient Financial Services.

Estimated bill savings: about $0 a year

Volunteer drivers give Madison County seniors age 60 and older door-through-door rides to doctor appointments, grocery shopping, the barber or beauty shop, and social gatherings. A yearly membership costs $25 and includes the first 3 rides; each ride after that is $2. Riders must be able to walk on their own or with a walker or cane. Call MyRide West Tennessee at 1-844-803-0169 to join or to book a ride.

Jackson Transit Authority operates fixed-route buses in Jackson with a reduced fare for seniors, riders with disabilities, and Medicare cardholders, plus The Lift, its ADA paratransit service for people whose disability prevents them from using regular buses. Outside the Jackson urban zone, Southwest Human Resource Agency runs rural demand-response transit for Madison County. Call to confirm current fares and to apply for a reduced-fare ID or Lift eligibility.

Estimated service value: $200–$1,500 a year

In this county: Madison: Jackson Transit Authority offers reduced senior/disabled/Medicare fares in Jackson and The Lift ADA paratransit; Southwest Human Resource Agency serves rural Madison County outside the urban zone. Confirm current fares and apply for a reduced-fare ID or Lift eligibility.