Senior Information
We are here for you. Our offices, conveniently located in the heart of Lakeview, can assist with a number of services from local, county, state and federal levels by visiting 3223 N. Sheffield.
In this section, you will find information for senior citizens in the 44th Ward. Go to the page that has the information you are seeking by clicking on one of the links listed below:
Senior Housing
Senior Reduced Fare – Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)
All individuals 65 years old and older who are ineligible for the RTA Ride Free Program are eligible to receive a reduced fare permit.
Senior Services Information and Assessment Assistance – City of Chicago
Information and Assessment is the key element to accessing all programs and services for senior citizens, a “one stop link” to eldercare service providers in the City of Chicago and throughout the nation. By placing a call to 312.744.4016, an older person or caregiver receives information about the services offered by the Chicago Department of Family and Support Services. Central Information and Assessment is located in City Hall with five community locations in each regional senior center.
Senior Citizen Sewer Rebate Program – City of Chicago
The City of Chicago offers a rebate through the Chicago Department of Finance for condo, town home, co-op residents 65 years of age or older. If you are a senior citizen living in a condominium, town home or co-op and you share a water meter and pay a water bill in conjunction with other units in your building or complex, you may you can qualify for the Senior Citizen Sewer Rebate of $50.00 per calendar year.
Senior Citizen Sewer Service Charge Exemption – City of Chicago
The Senior Citizen Sewer Exemption entitles seniors aged 65 or over, residing in their own residence with separate metered water service or a separate city water assessment for that residential unit, to an exemption from payment of the sewer service charge for their residence. This exemption provides substantial savings to seniors.
Senior Exemption – Cook County
The Senior Exemption (also called the Senior Citizen Exemption) provides tax relief by reducing the equalized assessed valuation of an eligible residence. This savings is in the form of a deduction on the second-installment real estate tax bill.
Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program – Cook County
The Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral program is a tax-relief program that works like a loan. It allows qualified seniors to defer a maximum of $5,000 per tax year (this includes 1st and 2nd installments) on their primary home. The loan from the State of Illinois is paid when the property is sold, or upon the death of the participant.
Senior citizens having a hard time paying their property taxes can take advantage of a loan program administered by the Cook County Treasurer’s Office, Treasurer Maria Pappas said today.
Applications for the Senior Citizen Real Estate Tax Deferral Program are available on cookcountytreasurer.com.
Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) – State of Illinois
The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) helps eligible low-income households pay for home energy services (primarily heating during winter months). Energy costs can place severe and continuing stress on a family’s budget. In some instances, households are forced to make painful decisions regarding which bills to pay and which necessities to survive without. Illinois residents with a household income that does not exceed an amount determined annually by the Department of Commerce are eligible. Annual eligibility levels are determined based on available funding and may not exceed 150% of the federal non-farm poverty level.
Benefit Access Program Benefits – State of Illinois
The Illinois Department on Aging (IDoA) helps older adults live independently in their own homes and communities. As the population ages, services and programs for older adults must evolve as well because longevity means more when quality of life is enhanced. To best serve older adults, we must also serve their families and teach younger people about the realities of aging, so many of our programs have an inter-generational emphasis. Working with Area Agencies on Aging, community-based service providers and older adults themselves, the Illinois Department on Aging strives to improve quality of life for current and future generations of older Illinoisans.
For additional information and resources regarding seniors, go to the City of Chicago website pages entitled Seniors, For Seniors and Caregivers and Initiative for Seniors.
The spring issue of the Chicago Department of Family and Support Service’s Senior Life Enrichment Guide is now available at our office, at the department’s regional and satellite senior centers, libraries and many other locations. Inside the guide, seniors will find information about health and wellness, educational, recreational and many other types of events, trips, classes and lectures, along with schedules and registration details. Most of these are free or at a nominal cost.
This issue also urges older Chicagoans to “Unleash the Power of Age” –the theme of this year’s Older Americans Month. By focusing their efforts and influence, Chicago’s nearly 400,000 seniors can greatly enrich their own communities and our entire City. The contents of the guide are also posted online at www.cityofchicago.org/fss. Further information about DFSS services and programs is available by calling the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) at (312) 744-4016.