What to Do When Your Elderly Parent Has No Money: A Practical Caregiver's Guide

Few caregiving situations are more stressful than realizing your elderly parent has almost no money — and that the gap between what they need and what they can afford is going to land squarely on you.

Maybe your parent spent down their savings. Maybe they never had much to begin with. Maybe the only income is a Social Security check that does not cover basic expenses, let alone doctor visits or medications. And now you are the one fielding calls, scheduling appointments, arguing with insurance, and quietly absorbing costs you did not plan for.

This guide does not sugarcoat the difficulty. But it does walk through the real options — programs that exist specifically for this situation, low-cost care alternatives including telehealth, and ways to manage your own role as caregiver before it breaks you.

First: Understand What Benefits Your Parent May Already Qualify For

Before assuming there is no help, it is worth doing a full benefits check. Many elderly adults with very low income are entitled to programs they are simply not enrolled in.

Medicaid

Medicaid is the primary payer for long-term care for elderly adults with limited assets and income. Unlike Medicare, Medicaid does cover custodial care — help with bathing, dressing, meals — whether in a nursing facility or, increasingly, at home.

Eligibility varies by state, but if your parent's income is at or below roughly 138% of the federal poverty level (about $20,000 for an individual in 2025) and they have minimal assets, they likely qualify. Apply through your state Medicaid office or Benefits.gov.

Medicaid also covers telehealth. As of 2025, all 50 states cover some form of telehealth for Medicaid beneficiaries. This means your parent can see a doctor by video from home at no cost to them — a significant advantage when transportation is a barrier or when getting to a clinic would require paid assistance.

Medicare Savings Programs

If your parent has Medicare but struggles to pay the premiums and cost-sharing, the Medicare Savings Programs (MSPs) can help. These are Medicaid-funded programs that pay for Part B premiums, deductibles, and co-pays on your parent's behalf.

There are four levels:

• Qualified Medicare Beneficiary (QMB): Pays Part A and B premiums plus deductibles and co-pays
• Specified Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB): Pays Part B premium only
• Qualifying Individual (QI): Also pays Part B premium (first-come basis)
• Qualified Disabled and Working Individual (QDWI): For working disabled adults under 65

Apply through your state Medicaid office. The income limits are low — roughly $1,100–$1,500/month for an individual — but many people who qualify are never enrolled because no one told them it existed.

Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy (LIS)

If your parent is on Medicare and taking multiple prescriptions, they may qualify for Extra Help — a federal program that reduces prescription drug costs under Part D to nearly zero. Income limit is about $22,000 annually for a single individual. Apply at ssa.gov or call Social Security.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI)

If your parent is over 65, has limited income and assets, and is not already receiving SSI, they may be entitled to it. SSI provides a monthly cash benefit (currently around $943/month for individuals). It also automatically qualifies them for Medicaid in most states. Apply through Social Security (ssa.gov or 1-800-772-1213).

Area Agency on Aging (AAA)

Every region in the US has a federally funded Area Agency on Aging. These agencies coordinate free or low-cost services including:

• Home-delivered meals (Meals on Wheels)
• Transportation to medical appointments
• In-home aide services
• Legal assistance
• Benefits enrollment help

To find yours, call the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116 or go to eldercare.acl.gov. This is often the fastest single call you can make to unlock local support your parent does not know exists.

Low-Cost and Free Healthcare Options

When your parent has limited income, every healthcare expense is a strain. These options reduce or eliminate out-of-pocket costs for care.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)

FQHCs are community health centers that charge on a sliding scale based on income. For very low-income patients, visits can cost as little as $20 or even nothing. They provide primary care, mental health services, and prescription assistance.

Find one at findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov. Most urban and suburban areas have at least one within reasonable distance, and many now offer telehealth appointments.

Telehealth for Low-Income Seniors

Telehealth eliminates transportation costs — which are often the hidden barrier that causes low-income elderly adults to skip care entirely. A parent who cannot afford a cab to the clinic or does not have a family member available to drive can still see a doctor if they have a smartphone or tablet and a Wi-Fi connection.

Under Medicaid, telehealth visits are covered and may cost nothing out of pocket. Under Medicare, Part B covers telehealth visits at the same cost-sharing as in-person visits (20% after the deductible, unless a Medicare Savings Program covers that too).

For parents without any insurance, many FQHCs offer telehealth on the same sliding scale as in-person visits.

If your parent does not have a device capable of video, audio-only visits are also covered under Medicare and Medicaid for mental health and many primary care services. A regular phone call to a doctor's office — provided it is with a licensed provider — can qualify as a covered telehealth visit.

Prescription Assistance Programs

Even with Medicaid or Extra Help, some medications have gaps. Options:

• GoodRx: A free app and website that shows discount prices at local pharmacies. For generics, prices are often under $10.
• Manufacturer Patient Assistance Programs (PAPs): Most major pharmaceutical companies have programs that provide medications free or at deeply reduced cost for low-income patients. NeedyMeds.org maintains a database of these programs by medication name.
• State Pharmaceutical Assistance Programs (SPAPs): Some states have their own drug assistance programs on top of federal benefits. Check with your state's Department of Health.

When You Feel Trapped: Managing the Emotional Reality

"Feeling trapped caring for an elderly parent" is one of the most searched phrases in caregiving — and one of the least talked about openly.

Caregiver entrapment is real. It happens when the expectation (from family, from the parent, sometimes from yourself) is that you will do whatever it takes, indefinitely, regardless of the cost to your own finances, career, relationships, and health. When there is no money for outside help, that expectation intensifies because the alternative — paid care — is not accessible.

A few things worth naming honestly:

You are not the only option, even when it feels that way. Government programs, community resources, and nonprofit agencies exist specifically because caregiving cannot be fully privatized onto family members. Getting your parent enrolled in programs they qualify for is not giving up — it is doing the job properly.

Caregiver burnout is a medical risk to your parent, not just you. A depleted caregiver makes more errors, has less patience, and eventually cannot sustain the role at all. Taking care of your own capacity is part of taking care of them.

It is legal and appropriate to set limits. If your parent's care needs exceed what you can safely provide while also holding a job and caring for your own family, that is not a failure. That is an honest assessment of capacity. Adult Protective Services, hospital social workers, and Area Agency on Aging staff navigate this every day and can help you identify solutions that do not require you to give up your own life.

Caregiver Support Resources That Are Free

• ARCH National Respite Network (archrespite.org): Helps locate respite care so you can take breaks
• Family Caregiver Alliance (caregiver.org): Guides on financial help, legal issues, and emotional support
• VA Caregiver Support Program: If your parent is a veteran, the VA offers caregiver stipends, training, and mental health support for the caregiver — not just the veteran
• NAMI HelpLine (1-800-950-6264): If caregiver stress is affecting your mental health, NAMI provides free referrals

Using Telehealth to Reduce the Caregiving Load

One of the most practical ways telehealth helps families in financial hardship is by reducing the coordination burden on you.

Instead of taking half a day off work to drive your parent to a routine follow-up appointment, you can help set up a 20-minute video visit from home. Instead of racing across town when your parent calls about a new symptom, they can do a same-day telehealth triage visit to determine whether it warrants an ER trip.

For adult children who are already stretched thin, reclaiming even two or three hours a week from appointment logistics matters.

Getting your parent set up for telehealth does require an initial investment of your time — choosing the right device, installing the right apps, setting up patient portal access so you can see their records, and walking them through their first few calls. But that setup cost pays back quickly.

Our Telehealth Parent Guide was written specifically for this situation: adult children who need to get an elderly parent functional on telehealth with limited technical confidence on either end. It covers:

• How to set up a tablet or phone for a senior who finds technology intimidating
• How to get proxy access to your parent's patient portal so you can see test results and message their doctor on their behalf
• A pre-visit checklist your parent can use independently once the system is in place
• How to handle audio and video problems specific to seniors (hearing aids, shaky hands, screen lock issues)
• Medicare and Medicaid coverage for telehealth — what is covered and how to verify

If your parent qualifies for Medicaid or a Medicare Savings Program, telehealth visits can cost them nothing. Setting up that access is the work. The guide is designed to make that work as straightforward as possible.

Get the Telehealth Parent Guide

Summary: Your Starting Action List

If you are caring for an elderly parent with little or no money, start here:

1. Call the Eldercare Locator (1-800-677-1116) — they will connect you with your local Area Agency on Aging and help identify programs your parent qualifies for
2. Check Medicaid eligibility through your state's Medicaid portal or Benefits.gov — if they qualify, this unlocks home care, nursing home coverage, and free telehealth
3. Apply for Extra Help / Low-Income Subsidy if your parent is on Medicare and paying for prescriptions — this can eliminate drug costs almost entirely
4. Find a Federally Qualified Health Center nearby for low-cost or free primary care visits, many of which now offer telehealth
5. Set up telehealth access so routine appointments do not require you to take time off work every time there is a minor health issue

None of this is easy to navigate. But the resources exist, and you are not expected to be the only safety net.