Sebastian &
Indian River County
Home Safety Resources
A safer home is only part of aging well. Find local help with repairs, meals, rides, equipment, memory changes, caregiver breaks and the next steps after a hospital stay.
Free to use. No registration. Reviewed October 17, 2026.
What kind of help would make today easier?
Choose the need closest to your situation. Each organization below has a different role; you do not need to call all three.
Not sure where to begin?
The Area Agency on Aging of Palm Beach/Treasure Coast helps Indian River County families navigate aging, disability and long-term-care services.
Ask: “My family member lives in Indian River County and needs help with ____. Which screening or local program should we start with?”
Meals, daily help or a caregiver break?
Senior Resource Association connects Indian River County residents with meals, adult day care, in-home assistance and transportation programs.
Ask: “What support fits this need, how do we enroll, and is there a funded or private-pay option?”
Equipment or an inaccessible home?
Resource Center for Disability Solutions serves people with disabilities in Indian River and Brevard counties, including adults whose needs change with age.
Ask: “Could an equipment loan, home modification assessment or independent-living service help?”
Describe the need—not just the diagnosis.
Have the physical address, age, main concern and a safe callback number ready. Explain what the person cannot manage alone: getting into the shower, preparing a meal, reaching an appointment, or being left alone.
Before hanging up, ask: Who qualifies? Is intake open? Is there a fee, loan or waitlist? Which documents are needed? What is the next step—and who should follow up?
Share financial, medical or identity documents only through the organization’s confirmed application process. This page does not collect them.
Repair, accessibility & safer ways in.
The strongest first call depends on the problem, the property, household income and current program funding. Check the intake and repayment details before starting a project.
County SHIP repair assistance
Indian River County’s housing program can help eligible households through low- or no-interest loans. It is not automatically a free home-repair grant.
First step: Describe the hazard and ask whether Emergency Rehabilitation fits, what work can be covered, and what repayment or lien conditions apply.
Indian River Habitat home repair
Habitat’s Neighborhood Revitalization program lists roof, air-conditioning and water-heater repairs, plus wheelchair ramps and other preservation projects.
Applicants must meet income and other requirements and own and occupy the Indian River County home as their primary residence.
Ramps, grab bars & home access
RCDS’s home-modification program considers changes such as ramps, handrails, grab bars and wider doorways according to an individual’s needs.
First step: Explain the exact barrier, whether the home is owned or rented, and which mobility aid is used. Ask about assessment, eligibility, funding, cost and timing.
USDA Section 504 home repair
Very-low-income homeowners in eligible rural locations may qualify for repair loans. Grants have additional rules, including being age 62 or older, and address health or safety hazards.
For Fellsmere, western county areas or another potentially rural home, ask the Champions Gate area office to check the specific address and household circumstances.
Before paying a contractor: Ask the assistance program whether it must approve the scope, choose the contractor or inspect the home before work begins. Starting early can create an unreimbursed expense.
Equipment, supplies & low-vision support.
A loan, a reused item or independent-living instruction may be more useful than another purchase. Confirm the fit and the actual stock before making the trip.
An equipment loan instead of a purchase
RCDS offers free short- and long-term equipment loans to registered consumers in Indian River and Brevard counties, subject to inventory.
Ask about a walker, shower chair, commode, transfer wheelchair or portable ramp. Confirm size, weight capacity, pickup arrangements, loan length and return expectations.
Reused equipment & care supplies
SRA helps eligible seniors obtain donated equipment and consumable care supplies. Examples on its program page include mobility aids, shower seating, toilet supports and incontinence supplies.
First step: Call with the exact item and size needed; ask about recipient eligibility, availability and collection arrangements.
When vision loss changes daily life
The Florida Division of Blind Services’ adult independent-living program helps eligible people with significant vision loss develop skills for daily routines and mobility.
Ask about: Eligibility assessment, low-vision services, home-management skills and orientation or mobility support. RCDS can also help with disability-resource navigation.
Food, personal care & a little more support.
Different programs solve different problems: food arriving at the door, lunch with other people, or hands-on help with daily tasks.
Meals delivered to the home
SRA’s meal programs help older adults who are homebound or disabled and lack reliable help preparing food. Delivery includes a regular check-in.
Ask about: Eligibility, the assessment, current waitlist, delivery coverage and funded versus private-pay options. Existing meal clients can also ask about help with pet food.
A meal—and a reason to get out
SRA offers free weekday social-dining meals for eligible Indian River County residents age 60+, with a nutrition assessment.
Its published locations include By the River in Sebastian, Wabasso and Gifford sites, and Vero Beach locations.
Call before going: Confirm enrollment, the current site and serving time, and whether transportation is available.
Help with everyday care at home
SRA’s in-home programs can support eligible adults 60+ with functional limitations through services such as homemaking, personal care, respite and companionship.
Start with the Elder Helpline screening, then confirm which services and hours are actually available. Explain when the caregiver is unavailable and what tasks require hands-on help.
A break. A conversation. A regular check-in.
Caregiver support belongs in the plan—not at the bottom of the list after everything else is handled.
A planned break from caregiving
SRA’s adult-day program offers supervised daytime activities and support, with a meal, while caregivers have time away.
Sebastian location: 815 Davis Street. Ask about an assessment, days available, daily cost, financial assistance and Community Coach transportation.
Support when memory is changing
The Alzheimer & Parkinson Association of Indian River County, now the Center for Memory & Movement, offers local family support and activities.
A Sebastian caregiver group is listed for the second Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. at Sebastian Yacht Club, 820 Indian River Boulevard. Call to confirm before attending.
A friendly call when someone is isolated
Sunshine provides free daily reassurance calls for eligible people living at home. It serves older adults, some younger homebound or disabled adults, and isolated family caregivers.
First step: Dial 211 and ask about Sunshine enrollment, the callback plan and emergency contact information.
Choose the ride that fits the person.
A free bus route and an eligibility-based door-to-door ride are not interchangeable. Begin with what the rider can manage and plan the return trip too.
GoLine: a regular bus route
GoLine is Indian River County’s zero-fare, accessible public bus system. It can work well when the rider can reach a stop and manage the trip, independently or with support.
Before an appointment: Check the exact route, transfers, service day and last return bus. A stop near the destination does not establish that the walking route is manageable.
Community Coach: a reserved shared ride
Community Coach provides eligible riders with shared, door-to-door transportation. ADA paratransit is based on disability-related difficulty using fixed-route buses—not age alone. Transportation Disadvantaged eligibility is screened separately.
Ask before booking: Which application applies? What is the current fare and reservation window? Can a wheelchair, personal care attendant and return trip be accommodated?
Make the handoff home less fragile.
Pair the discharge plan with the meals, equipment, transportation and human help that will actually be available.
Getting home is not the same as being ready at home.
Before discharge, describe the actual entrance, bathroom, sleeping space and available caregiver help. A plan that depends on a person, piece of equipment or service that is not there yet needs another conversation.
CDC fall-prevention information (opens in a new tab)Ask the discharge team
- Care instructions: Which medication list is current, what changes require a call, and who answers after hours?
- Equipment: Who orders it, delivers it, fits it and teaches the family to use it?
- Help at home: Is there a confirmed first visit, or only a referral? Who covers bathing, meals and supervision between visits?
- Follow-up: Who schedules the appointment and arranges transportation?
Ask about Emergency Meals on Wheels
SRA lists temporary meal support when an older adult or their caregiver has been discharged from a healthcare facility within the past 30 days.
Explain the discharge date, home address and what has changed. Ask about eligibility, duration, cost and the earliest available delivery.
The right specialist can save another round of calls.
Use independent counseling and official assistance programs to ask about options. Eligibility, available funds and case acceptance are determined by the organization—not by this page.
Medicare questions without a sales pitch
SHINE provides free, unbiased Medicare counseling, including help understanding coverage, prescription-drug costs, claims and possible financial assistance.
First step: Request a counselor through the Elder Helpline. Ask what insurance information and medication list to have ready for the appointment.
An electric bill or shutoff concern
The Economic Opportunities Council of Indian River County administers LIHEAP energy assistance for eligible households.
Call instead of relying on the online form: Explain any disconnect notice and ask about current intake, crisis options and required documents. If no assistance is available, ask 211 about other local options.
A housing, benefits or legal problem
The Florida Senior Legal Helpline offers civil legal help to eligible residents age 60+, subject to screening. Ask about a housing problem, benefits issue or planning document before an urgent deadline passes.
Florida Rural Legal Services also serves Indian River County and screens for civil legal assistance: 888-582-3410.
Local help navigating veterans’ benefits
Indian River County’s Veterans Services staff help veterans and eligible family members navigate benefits and claims.
Sebastian office: 1235 Main Street. Call for an appointment and ask which records to bring, including information about any existing VA benefits.
For aging at home, ask which care or home-accessibility benefit pathways may fit the veteran’s circumstances.
Make the plan before the weather makes it urgent.
Separate shelter registration, transportation, medical supplies and electricity needs. Enrolling in one program does not complete the rest of the plan.
Register before an evacuation is imminent
Indian River County requires advance registration for its special-needs shelter pathway and for evacuation transportation. Medical needs are reviewed to determine an appropriate setting.
The county now directs applicants to the Florida Special Needs Registry. Ask for assistance or a paper application by phone when online registration is difficult.
Alerts & the actual evacuation zone
Use ALERT Indian River, linked by county government, for notification enrollment. Check the county-linked evacuation map using the home’s location—not just a mailing city or ZIP code.
Plan with the person: Who receives alerts, who explains the instructions, and who makes the transportation call when action is needed?
Power-dependent medical equipment
FPL’s Medically Essential Service uses medical certification for qualifying electricity-dependent needs and requires annual renewal.
The critical limitation: Enrollment does not guarantee uninterrupted power or priority restoration. Work with the clinician and equipment supplier on backup power, safe relocation and the point at which to leave.
A Sebastian postal address.
A different county’s services.
Barefoot Bay and Micco in ZIP 32976 are in Brevard County. Use these contacts for county-specific aging services, meals and emergency planning.
Use Brevard’s aging-services navigator
For Barefoot Bay or Micco, start with Senior Resource Alliance, the regional aging agency serving Brevard County.
Elder Helpline: 800-963-5337. The agency’s main line is below; give the person’s Brevard physical address, especially when calling from another county or state.
Meals & local support in Brevard
Aging Matters in Brevard is a local starting point for Meals on Wheels, Seniors at Lunch and other aging-service needs.
Ask: “Do you serve this Barefoot Bay or Micco address? What meal or caregiver-support program fits, and how do we enroll?”
Use Brevard’s storm registration
Use Brevard County’s own special-needs and evacuation-assistance instructions, not the Indian River County application pathway.
Ask about: Registration, annual updates, medical equipment, a caregiver, pets and transportation needs.
One useful cross-county option: RCDS serves both counties. Its Vero office can help route a home-modification or equipment question to the appropriate team. A shared postal label does not establish shared program eligibility.
A safer home starts with a clearer agreement.
Use both professional-license verification and the correct building office. Do not let a mailing address, a friendly estimate or a label such as “senior specialist” substitute for those checks.
Start with the person.
Confirm the scope.
Check the license.
Put it in writing.
A bathroom, ramp or doorway project should solve the movement problem your family is actually facing—not just look accessible in a photograph.
Verify a Florida professional license (opens in a new tab)Questions worth asking before signing
- Needs: Should an occupational or physical therapy professional assess transfers, mobility or the home layout first?
- Identity: Does the business on the contract match the license holder and insurance documents? Does the license cover the work?
- Details: Are materials, placement, cleanup, dates, payment milestones and change-order procedures written down?
- Approvals: Who confirms permit requirements, pulls permits and arranges inspections? Is owner, landlord or association approval needed?
- Funding: Does a repair program need to approve the project before work begins?
City of Sebastian
Ask Building & Business Tax to confirm jurisdiction and requirements for the exact address and project.
Indian River County
The county Building Division serves unincorporated Indian River County and the City of Vero Beach.
Confirm by street address
For Fellsmere, Indian River Shores, Orchid or a Brevard home, confirm the responsible building office. A “Sebastian” or “Vero Beach” mailing address alone is not enough.
Do not use a contractor’s assurance as the only permit check.
Take the next step, one part of the home at a time.
Use these practical guides to organize questions before an assessment, a purchase or a contractor visit.
Walk through the home
Notice the routes, fixtures and everyday tasks that have become difficult, then organize the follow-up.
Plan bathroom changes
Connect bathing, toilet and nighttime concerns with the right questions about equipment and modifications.
Think through a ramp
Consider the person, mobility aid, entry route and professional input before choosing a ramp.
Recheck after a fall
Review home changes and questions for the care team after a fall or a change in mobility.
Need help beyond local resources?
The local programs and services on this page can help you find support close to home. Caregiver Compass™ also offers a complete Aging at Home & Safety resource center with free interactive tools, caregiver guides, Home Safety Q&As, planning worksheets, and practical help for deciding what to do next.
Explore Aging at Home & SafetyNeed professional help
with the home itself?
Caregiver Connect™ is building a local professional-help pathway for home-safety and accessibility projects. Free community resources remain available whether or not you ever contact a paid professional.
No local business is presented on this page as a Caregiver Connect™ Verified Professional.
Questions families often need answered.
A few important distinctions to keep the next step from becoming another wrong turn.
Does this page cover Vero Beach and Fellsmere, or only Sebastian?
It covers Indian River County, including Sebastian, Roseland, Fellsmere, Vero Beach, Vero Lake Estates, Wabasso, Gifford and the county’s barrier-island communities. Individual programs still decide eligibility by physical address and other criteria. Barefoot Bay and Micco in ZIP 32976 use the separate Brevard contacts on this page.
Can I apply for free repairs or a wheelchair ramp?
Do not assume every repair program is free. County SHIP assistance can involve loans, and its posted intake notice currently limits new applications to Emergency Rehabilitation and Foreclosure Prevention. Indian River Habitat lists open repair applications but requires repayment participation. Ask RCDS about a home-modification assessment and current funding. Program staff must confirm eligibility, cost and availability.
Where can we try to borrow a walker or shower chair?
RCDS offers free equipment loans to registered consumers in Indian River and Brevard counties, subject to stock. Call 772-774-3060 about the exact item, fit, pickup and return arrangements. Senior Resource Association is another source to ask about reused equipment and care supplies. Confirm with a clinician or therapist that an item suits the person.
Is there meal help just after a hospital stay?
Ask Senior Resource Association at 772-569-0760 about Emergency Meals on Wheels. It offers temporary support for seniors when they or their caregivers have been discharged from a healthcare facility within the past 30 days. Staff must confirm eligibility, duration and delivery availability; a recent discharge does not itself guarantee enrollment.
Is GoLine the same as Community Coach?
No. GoLine is a zero-fare fixed-route bus system. Community Coach is an eligibility-based shared-ride service that requires an application and advance arrangements. Disability-related ADA eligibility is different from simply being an older adult. Call 772-569-0903 to confirm the appropriate application, fare, reservation window and attendant arrangements.
Does a medical-electricity program guarantee power after a hurricane?
No. FPL’s Medically Essential Service does not guarantee uninterrupted electricity or priority restoration. It is separate from county shelter and transportation registration. Work with the care team, equipment supplier and emergency-management office on a backup and relocation plan before a storm.
Are the public organizations listed here paid TCC partners?
They are listed as independent community resources, not as Caregiver Connect preferred providers. Inclusion is not a paid-partner designation or a guarantee of services. The Sebastian professional-help request pathway remains inactive, and this page does not submit a referral or collect an inquiry.
Keep the next steps together.
The Caregiving Concierge is a family caregiving coordination platform: a shared care workspace where families can organize essential information, coordinate responsibilities, and see what needs to happen next.