Missouri · Caregiver Support
Caring for an aging loved one is one of the hardest jobs there is — and you shouldn't have to do it alone. Below are 29 verified Missouri programs offering emotional support, respite, training, financial help, peer groups, and legal planning — most of them completely free.
Last updated July 2026
Start here in Missouri
Missouri Senior Resource Line — DHSS
One call connects Missouri family caregivers to free counseling, respite, training, and support groups through their local Area Agency on Aging.
Statewide — through 10 Area Agencies on Aging covering all 114 counties and St. Louis City
Missouri's primary caregiver entry point. Free information, referrals, and connection to all caregiver services statewide through 10 regional AAAs. Also connects to Home and Community Based Services and legal assistance.
Toll-free 800-235-5503. Missouri Master Plan on Aging signed by Governor Parson Jan 2023 — full plan published Dec 2025
Statewide — three chapters: Greater Missouri (Columbia), Heart of America (KC), and St. Louis
Around the clock emotional support, crisis assistance, and care consultations for dementia caregivers. Three chapters cover all 114 Missouri counties. 120,000+ Missourians living with Alzheimer's; 281,000 caregivers statewide.
Greater Missouri: 573-415-6247 | Heart of America (KC): 913-831-3888 | St. Louis: 314-432-3422. Call 800-272-3900 to reach any chapter
Statewide — in-home services throughout Missouri
Unique Missouri partnership between DHSS, Alzheimer's Association, and Memory Care Home Solutions. Free in-home assessment, individualized dementia caregiver training, and up to $1,000 financial assistance annually. First-come, first-served.
Must be primary caregiver living with someone diagnosed with Alzheimer's or related dementia — contact Alzheimer's Association or call 800-272-3900
Statewide
Free 24/7 confidential emotional support for caregivers experiencing burnout, distress, or crisis. Available by call or text anytime.
Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Statewide
Free 24/7 connection to local health and human services including emotional support, crisis intervention, and caregiver resource referrals across all 114 Missouri counties and St. Louis City.
Call or text 211 anytime — also available online at 211missouri.org
Statewide — through 10 Area Agencies on Aging
Temporary respite relief for family caregivers of adults 60+ or any age with Alzheimer's through Missouri's AAA network. In-home and adult day care options. Access through Missouri Senior Resource Line.
Contact Senior Resource Line at 800-235-5503 to be connected to your regional AAA for available respite services
Statewide
Up to $1,000 annually to pay for respite care, care supplies, home modifications, or assistive technology for dementia caregivers. Grants distributed first-come, first-served. Program can also pay directly for respite services.
Limited funds — apply early. Contact Alzheimer's Association at 800-272-3900 or Greater Missouri Chapter at 573-415-6247
Rural Missouri — multiple regions through Missouri Rural Health Association
Free in-home assessment, training, and up to $700 reimbursement for qualified care expenses for rural dementia caregivers. Partnership between DHSS, Alzheimer's Association, Memory Care Home Solutions, and Missouri Rural Health Association.
Specifically targets rural Missouri — contact MRHA or Alzheimer's Association for current eligible counties and enrollment
Statewide — search by Missouri zip code
Searchable database of nearly 3,000 respite providers. Search by Missouri zip code to find local and regional respite options beyond state programs.
Run by ARCH National Respite Network
Statewide — Veterans only
At least 30 days annual respite for caregivers of eligible veterans enrolled in VA healthcare. Kansas City VA, St. Louis VA, Columbia VA, and Poplar Bluff VA serve Missouri veterans.
Must be caring for veteran enrolled in VA healthcare — KC VAMC: 816-861-4700 | St. Louis VAMC: 314-652-4100
Statewide — three chapters cover all 114 counties
Free dementia caregiver education programs across Missouri. ALZ Talks webinars, Savvy Caregiver workshops, care consultations, and in-person programs. Three chapters provide comprehensive statewide coverage.
Virtual options available statewide — call helpline or visit chapter website for current Missouri schedule
Statewide — trained staff travel to caregiver homes
Hands-on in-home dementia caregiver training by Memory Care Home Solutions. Covers behavior management, meaningful activities, home safety, and care strategies. Free, confidential, in-home assessment included.
Trained staff come to the caregiver's home — especially valuable for caregivers who cannot leave care recipient alone
Statewide — MU Extension offices in all 114 counties
Evidence-based caregiver education through MU Extension's statewide network. Powerful Tools for Caregivers workshops, aging-in-place resources, and family caregiver programs in all Missouri counties.
MU Extension in every county — including rural and Ozarks communities where other resources are limited
Statewide — through 10 AAAs
Caregiver training and education through Missouri's AAA network. Covers dementia care, stress management, and navigating MO HealthNet. Missouri Master Plan on Aging (published Dec 2025) now guiding expanded caregiver services.
Contact Senior Resource Line — Missouri Master Plan on Aging Dec 2025 commits to expanded caregiver supports statewide
National — available to all Missouri caregivers
Comprehensive caregiver education library including fact sheets, online programs, and Missouri-specific resource directory. Especially valuable for rural Ozarks and Bootheel caregivers.
No registration required for most online resources
Statewide
Free caregiver tools, guides, and education. AARP Missouri is member of Master Plan on Aging Advisory Council. 1.1 million Missourians 60+ and growing rapidly. AARP Care Guide and financial worksheets available.
AARP membership not required — AARP Missouri actively involved in Master Plan on Aging development and implementation
Statewide
Missouri Medicaid waiver for adults 21+ with Alzheimer's or related dementia at risk of nursing home placement. Live-in family caregivers — including spouses — paid a daily stipend. Caregiver and recipient must share a home. Waiting list exists.
Spouses explicitly eligible — unusual among state paid caregiver programs. Income limit $1,131/month (effective 4/1/26). Waiting list — apply early through DSS at 855-373-9994
Statewide
Missouri Medicaid program allowing individuals to hire and direct their own personal care attendant including family members (excluding spouses). Pays approximately $15/hour for qualifying personal care services.
Must be MO HealthNet-eligible with personal care need — contact DSS at 855-373-9994 or Senior Resource Line to begin eligibility process
Statewide
Up to $1,000 per year in financial grants for dementia caregivers for respite care, supplies, home modifications, or assistive technology. First-come, first-served from DHSS grant funding. Can be combined with SFCW services.
Can be used alongside SFCW waiver — contact Alzheimer's Association to apply. Limited funding — apply at start of fiscal year
Statewide — Veterans only
Monthly stipend for caregivers of eligible veterans with 70%+ service-connected disability. Also includes CHAMPVA health insurance. VA legacy cohort protected through September 2028.
Must be caring for veteran with 70%+ service-connected disability rating
Statewide — in person and virtual
Free caregiver support groups throughout Missouri from Kansas City to St. Louis to Springfield. Three chapters provide comprehensive coverage. ALZConnected online community available 24/7.
Call helpline or visit chapter website to find group by zip code — virtual options available for rural and Ozarks caregivers
Statewide — 10 regional AAAs
Caregiver support groups through Missouri's 10 Area Agencies on Aging covering all 114 counties and St. Louis City. Groups for general caregiving, Alzheimer's, and grandparent kinship caregivers.
Call Senior Resource Line at 800-235-5503 to find groups in your area — AAA phone numbers available by region
Statewide — Columbia-based with statewide reach
Community connection for dementia caregivers through Missouri Caregiver Program partnerships. Provides peer support alongside in-home training and assessments. Key Missouri partner in dementia caregiver support.
MCHS is the clinical partner delivering Missouri Caregiver Program — unique nonprofit focused exclusively on in-home dementia care
National — available to all Missouri caregivers
Free online peer community of 25,000+ caregivers active 24/7. Especially valuable for Missouri caregivers in rural Ozarks or Bootheel regions where local groups may not be accessible.
AARP membership not required — virtual peer support bridges Missouri's geographic diversity
Eastern Missouri — 21 counties including St. Louis City
Free civil legal services to low-income Missourians including elder law, advance directives, powers of attorney, MO HealthNet, housing, and consumer protection. Elder law services for adults 60+ regardless of income.
Income eligibility for most services — adults 60+ served regardless of income for elder law. Western MO: Legal Aid of Western Missouri 816-474-6750
Statewide — through DHSS and AAA network
Free, unbiased Medicare counseling for Missouri beneficiaries and their caregivers. Certified counselors help navigate Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medigap, and Part D drug plans statewide.
Unbiased — not affiliated with insurance industry. Also accessible through Senior Resource Line at 800-235-5503
Statewide — through DHSS and 10 regional AAAs
Free advocacy for caregivers with concerns about nursing home, assisted living, or residential care quality. Investigates complaints and protects residents' rights statewide. 10 regional ombudsmen serve all counties.
Toll-free statewide 800-309-3282 — also accessible through Senior Resource Line at 800-235-5503
Statewide — St. Louis based
Legal advocacy and self-advocacy resources for Missourians with disabilities and their caregivers. Covers disability rights, independent living, housing, and community inclusion statewide.
Note: Missouri's federally designated P&A is Missouri Protection & Advocacy Services (MO P&A) at 800-392-8667 — contact either for legal advocacy
Statewide — Jefferson City office
Free legal advocacy for Missourians with disabilities and their caregivers. Federally designated Protection and Advocacy agency for Missouri. Covers disability rights, public benefits, housing, and abuse/neglect investigations.
Local: 573-659-2045. Free services for people with disabilities and their family caregivers — all 114 Missouri counties and St. Louis City
Honest answers to what Missouri family caregivers ask most.
Your care plan keeps every Missouri caregiver resource — phone numbers, eligibility, and next steps — in one calm, organized place.
Always free — no credit card required.
Source: LTCareNav.com research, updated on July 2026. Programs, phone numbers, and eligibility rules change frequently — please verify contact information directly with each organization before referral. This page is informational and not legal, medical, or financial advice.