I Need Senior Resources
Link copiedFree help for older adults in Washtenaw County — meals, rides, help at home, and one number that starts it all.
Call AgeWays — one call starts everything for seniors.
A real person connects you to meals, rides, help at home, Medicare help, and more. Monday–Friday, 8 am – 5 pm.
Start here
Start with one call. AgeWays is the area's senior help line — tell them what's going on, and they connect you to meals, rides, help at home, caregiver support, and Medicare help.
Want meals brought to your door? Call Meals on Wheels — Ypsilanti area: (734) 487-9669. Ann Arbor area: (734) 998-6686. Rather eat lunch with people? Senior cafes serve a hot weekday lunch for a few dollars — the county meals office will find your closest: (734) 544-2977.
Need a ride? If you're 60 or older, rides are free — the county's Older Persons Millage pays. People's Express covers the whole county (press 1 when you call). On the Chelsea–Dexter side, call WAVE: (734) 475-9494. In Ann Arbor–Ypsilanti, riders 65+ get a free bus pass through GoldRide: (734) 973-6500.
Need help keeping up the house? Jewish Family Services fixes fall hazards free for renters and owners 62+ — ask for WISE. Catholic Charities does small repairs, grab bars, lawn mowing, and gutters: (734) 971-9781. Own your home? Habitat installs ramps and railings for homeowners 60+: (734) 677-1558.
If clutter has taken over — for you or someone you love — the Hoarding Task Force helps without judgment. They visit, make a safety plan, and can send volunteers to help clear things out. Pay what you can.
Confused by Medicare, or planning ahead for care? Michigan's free SHIP counselors explain your options and sell nothing. The same number answers long-term-care questions.
Helping a parent or neighbor? Every call on this page can be made by a family member, caseworker, or doctor on the senior's behalf.
Places that can help
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AgeWays (the Area Agency on Aging)
Call one number and a real person connects you to senior services across the county — meals, in-home help, rides, Medicare help, and caregiver support.
Formerly the Area Agency on Aging 1-B. TTY through Michigan Relay: (800) 649-3777.
Not sure what to say?
You can just read this out: “Hi, I'm calling about help for an older adult in Washtenaw County. Can you point me to the right programs?”
- ageways.org
- Help line: Monday–Friday, 8 am – 5 pm
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Ypsilanti Meals on Wheels
Get hot meals delivered to your home if you're homebound in the Ypsilanti area — call, or have family, a caseworker, or your doctor start it for you.
Suggested donation is $3 a meal — no one is turned away for inability to pay. Ann Arbor area? Call Ann Arbor Meals on Wheels instead: (734) 998-6686.
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People's Express — free senior rides
Book a curb-to-curb van ride anywhere in Washtenaw County — free if you're 60 or older.
Press 1 to book a ride. Call a few days ahead — vans fill up. The Older Persons Millage pays the fare for riders 60+.
- peoplesexpress.org/washtenaw
- Rides Monday–Friday 9 am – 5 pm; booking line 8 am – 7 pm
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Jewish Family Services — WISE senior services
Call one number for help staying independent at 62+ — free fixes for fall hazards (renters and owners), rides, and someone to help manage care.
Ask for the Home Repair and Modification Program. Open to everyone — not just the Jewish community. Income limits apply for free repairs.
Not sure what to say?
You can just read this out: “Hi, I'm calling about WISE senior services. I need help with my home.”
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Hoarding Task Force of Washtenaw County
Get kind, no-judgment help when clutter has taken over a home — a visit, a safety plan, and volunteers who help clear it out.
Pay what you can — help never depends on ability to pay. Serving Washtenaw County since 2005.
More options (6)
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WAVE — west-county rides
Book a door-to-door ride from the Chelsea, Dexter, or Manchester area to anywhere in the county — free if you're 60 or older.
Rides are shared, so book a day or more ahead when you can. Chelsea residents also get a free in-town shuttle 7 days a week.
- 12172 Jackson Rd., Dexter, MI 48130
- ridethewavebus.org
- Rides Monday–Friday 6 am – 9:30 pm; call center 8 am – 6 pm
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TheRide — GoldRide (65+)
Get a free GoldRide ID at 65 or older — then every regular bus in Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti is free.
Door-to-door Premium rides where buses don't reach: book a day ahead at (734) 794-1800 — $20, or $5 with verified low income. Ages 60–64 ride the bus for 75¢ with a Fare Deal card.
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Habitat for Humanity — Aging in Place
Apply for home safety fixes if you're 60+ and own your home — grab bars, railings, ramps, smoke alarms, and more, installed by a trusted crew.
For homeowners with lower incomes; you'll fill out a short application. Renters: call JFS WISE instead — (734) 769-0209.
- 950 Victors Way, Suite 50, Ann Arbor, MI 48108
- h4h.org/seniors
- Office: Monday–Friday, 9 am – 5 pm
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Catholic Charities Washtenaw — senior home help
Call for help keeping the house up — small repairs, grab bars, smoke alarms, lawn mowing, window washing, and gutter cleaning for older adults.
Ask for Senior Services (extension 352). Pay what you can — no one is denied for inability to contribute.
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Housing Bureau for Seniors
Call if you're 55+ and behind on rent, facing eviction or foreclosure, or trying to decide whether and where to move — one-on-one help.
A Michigan Medicine community program for Washtenaw County.
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Michigan SHIP — free Medicare help
Call for free, unbiased Medicare counseling — real people who explain your plan choices and sell nothing.
The same number answers long-term-care planning questions (MI Options).
If that doesn't work
Dial 2-1-1 any time, tell them your age and what you need — they know every senior program in the county.
Worried an older adult is being hurt, neglected, or can't safely care for themselves? Call Adult Protective Services any hour, any day. A report starts an investigation within 24 hours.
If the Medicaid side of anything comes up — Home Help, insurance, food benefits — the local MDHHS office is at 22 Center St. in Ypsilanti: (734) 481-2000.
Details change. Call ahead when you can. Last updated July 8, 2026.