Seniors sitting in a row of lawn chairs on the beach facing the ocean.

Helpful Resources from the State of Florida

By Alex Lama, Commissioner

(Wednesday, October 30, 2019) – Searching for help can sometimes be a daunting task. In this age of the internet when information is available at your fingertips, the extensive volume of results can still make it time-consuming to determine which is a good resource to contact when in need of assistance. Here are some resources available to children, families and seniors from the State of Florida that could be helpful.

Department of Elder Affairs: This department promotes the well-being, safety, and independence of Florida’s seniors, their families, and caregivers. The department offers a wide range of services to older adults. Services include Adult Care Food Program, Community Care for the Elderly, Health and Wellness, Senior Companion Program, Memory Disorder Clinics, Nutrition Programs and many more. For more information, you can call 1.800.963.5337 or visit elderaffairs.state.fl.us. This Department also offers a hotline to report elder abuse: 1.800.962.2873.

Department of Financial Services–Division of Consumer Services: This division provides resources that help consumers make informed financial decisions. Some of these services are S.T.A.R.T. (Save Today And Retire Tomorrow) to help plan for retirement; CLIMB, which teaches children the importance of money basics; Your Life for survivors of domestic violence, their families and friends to learn about financial empowerment; On Guard, for seniors, families and caregivers who want to make informed financial decisions; and Operation Safe, for seniors wanting to learn more about financial scams and frauds. For more information, you can call 1.877.693.5236 or visit MyFloridaCFO.com.

Please contact me with questions or to share useful resources you may have that could help other residents. I can be reached at 305.792.1752 or alama@sibfl.net.