Help for older adults

Last updated May 11, 2021 at 9:15 AM

If you are an older adult or care for one, here are safe and reliable options for getting help with:

Great Plates – food delivery
Living in senior facilities
More services

Great Plates – food delivery

California’s older adults can get three free, restaurant-quality meals through Great Plates Delivered. This home delivery program helps seniors stay safe at home during the pandemic. It is currently authorized through June 7, 2021.

See if you qualify

You may qualify to get meals from Great Plates if you:

Are age 65 or older, are 60-64 and have been diagnosed with or exposed to COVID-19, or are considered high risk by the CDC
Live by yourself or with one other program-eligible adult
Are not currently receiving assistance from other state or federal nutrition assistance programs, like CalFresh/SNAP or Meals on Wheels
Have difficulty accessing food or preparing your own meals
Earn 600% or less of the federal poverty limit
Live within a county or city participating in the program

Sign up for delivery

Contact a Great Plates administrator in your city or county and ask about free home delivered meals for seniors.

Alameda County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Care & Shelter: call 925‑803‑7943 or email ACGreatPlates@acgov.org
City of Bell Gardens (Senior Center): call 562‑334‑1779 or email rescobedo@bellgardens.org
Contra Costa County (Helpline): call 800‑510‑2020
City of Elk Grove: call 916‑627‑3331
City of Lodi: call 209‑369‑1591 or email meals@loelcenter.net
City of Los Angeles (Dept of Aging Hotline): call 213‑263‑5226, 9am – 5pm
Los Angeles County: call 211, email greatplates@wdacs.lacounty.gov, or https://wdacs.lacounty.gov/greatplates
Marin County: call 415‑473‑6263
Mendocino County: call 707‑463‑7900, 877‑327‑1799, or email mendocinocounty.org/greatplates
Monterey County: call 831‑796‑3530 or email murrayphillipsk@co.monterey.ca.us, or call 831‑755‑4447 or email mcaaa@co.monterey.ca.us
City of Moreno Valley (Hotline): call 951‑413‑3280
City of Oakland: call 510‑238‑FOOD (3663), email: greatplates@oaklandca.gov, or apply for meals in Oakland
Nevada County (Adult Services Office): call 530‑265‑1639
City of Parlier: call Eva Beltran at 559‑646‑3545 ext. 242, or email ebeltran@parlier.ca.us
City of Pasadena: call 626‑744‑7311 or email: GreatPlatesDelivered@cityofpasadena.net
City of Perris (Public Health Hotline): call 951‑435‑7206
City of Rancho Cordova (Customer Service Line): call 916‑851‑8888
City of Rancho Mirage (COVID Hotline): call 877‑652‑4844 or email greatplates@ranchomirageca.gov
Riverside County (Office on Aging Line): call 800‑510‑2020, 8am – 5pm
City of Sacramento (Hotline): call 916‑330‑1444
San Bernardino County (Hotline): call 888‑743‑1485
San Diego County: call 800‑339‑4661, or apply for meals in San Diego
Santa Cruz County: call 831‑454‑4406 or email hsd_greatplates@santacruzcounty.us
City & County of San Francisco (Dept. of Disability & Aging Helpline): call 415‑355‑6700
County of San Mateo (Hotline): call 800‑675‑8437
City of Seaside (Senior Services Office): call 831‑899‑6809 or 831‑899‑6821
Ventura County: call 805‑477‑7300, email Lois.vcaa@ventura.org, or apply for meals in Ventura County

More details about receiving meals are available in the participant FAQ.

How to provide meals

If you’d like to supply meals or help administer the Great Plates program, review this information and submit your request.

After reading, you can request to volunteer or provide meals.

Other meal delivery options

For home delivered meals from Meals on Wheels, call 1‑800‑510‑2020.
To apply for the CalFresh EBT Card (also known as food stamps), visit getcalfresh.org.

Living in senior facilities

Nursing homes and assisted living facilities continue to be severely affected by outbreaks of coronavirus. Rules on visits to residents help reduce the disease’s impact on residents and staff.

Read what you can do to protect and connect with your loved ones in senior living.

State guidance for senior living

California Department of Public Health (CDPH): Guidance for Limiting the Transmission of COVID-19 in Long-Term Care Facilities
CDPH: Guidance for Skilled Nursing Facilities
California Department of Social Services: Guidance for Residential Care Facilities for Elderly

Keeping residents safe

Report abuse

Report suspected abuse or neglect of an adult

COVID-19 statistics

COVID-19 cases in skilled nursing facilities
COVID-19 cases in adult and senior care facilities (select “Additional Resources”)

Facility information

To find out what steps a senior living facility is taking to protect residents and staff, contact them or check their website.

Find details about specific facilities through Nursing Home Compare, provided by Medicare.gov.

See and file complaints about a facility through CDSS’s Care Facility Search.

More services

Enter your location into 211.org to find local services for all Californians, including older adults, such as food, financial, health care, and housing assistance. Every community has a dedicated line for aging and adult services. Connect with yours at 800‑510‑2020.
Friendship Line California is a free crisis intervention hotline for non-emergency emotional support calls. To use this service, call 1‑888‑670‑1360 or visit the Friendship Line California webpage.
Visit the California Department of Aging’s COVID-19 page for resources for older and other at-risk adults.
If you suspect an adult is being neglected or abused, call Adult Protective Services at 833‑401‑0832.
If you suspect someone of committing fraud against seniors, contact AARP’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877‑908‑3360.
If you’re concerned about someone with dementia or Alzheimer’s or their caregiver, call the Alzheimer’s Association at 800‑272‑3900.
Contact California’s COVID-19 hotline for questions about coronavirus at 833-422-4255 (833‑4CA‑4ALL).