Useful Sites for Seniors in Santa Cruz County

The Seniors Council helps elderly residents in Santa Cruz, San Benito, Monterey and Santa Clara counties live independently in their homes and in the community. The council offers a variety of such services as adult day care, home-delivered meals, legal assistance, transportation, caregiver support and help with health insurance.

The nonprofit Bridge of Hope Foundation serves residents living in nursing homes, people with disabilities and people strugging with homelessness and mental illness. Founded in 1996, the foundation offers visits to nursing care facilities, nondenominational worship services, recreational trips, donations of food, clothing and medical equipment, and other programs.

For more than 40 years, the nonprofit Grey Bears organization has worked to help seniors live a healthier life and improve the environment. Its core programs include delivering weekly healthy food to nearly 4,000 seniors in the county, operating three recycling centers to the general public, and running a thrift store, electronics/computer store, hardware store and bookstore. The organization also hosts seniors and accepts volunteers and donations.

The Seniors Commission advocates on behalf of and promotes the interests of Santa Cruz County seniors. When the COVID-19 pandemic began, the commission switched to virtual meetings every other month at which commissioners discuss with the Santa Cruz Board of Supervisors the needs of local seniors, conduct outreach and monitor services, resources and programs available to the elderly. Interested citizens who are able to serve can learn about vacancies on this commission or other county advisory bodies.

Founded in 1972, Senior Citizens Legal Services offers free legal aid to elderly people 60 and older in Santa Cruz and San Benito counties. Attorneys and trained paralegals consult with clients on such matters as elder abuse, age discrimination, tenants’ rights, patient rights, and Social Security and SSI.

The Volunteer Center is a “one-stop-shop” for all things volunteer-related in Santa Cruz, with thousands of volunteers who serve youth, families and the community. Special help for seniors includes medical assistance with 911, falls prevention, grocery shopping, technical support, home repairs, and emergency and disaster preparedness. 

Santa Cruz Parks, Open Space and Cultural Services hosts several year-round programs and activities for adults and seniors, many taking place in the Capitola Mall. Activties include walks around the mall Monday through Friday, senior stretch classes and free blood pressure checks. The department also offers a seniors cruise and trips to both national and international destinations.

The state- and county-funded Veterans Services Office, established in 1946, helps veterans, military retirees and military families obtain benefits they have earned. The office's staff assists with home loans, pensions, healthcare, burial benefits, military records requests, CalVet college fee waivers and many other needs, as well as outreach services. 

Part of Santa Cruz County Health Services Agency’s Behavioral Health Division, the Older Adult Mental Health Services Program helps adults 60 and older with mental health treatment, including clinical services, medication monitoring, socialization and life-management skills, and other services. Staff includes a psychiatrist, a crisis specialist, and care coordinators who assist seniors with Medi-Care and Medi-Cal insurance in private homes, nursing homes, senior centers or hospitals.

Part of the Diversity Center, a local nonprofit that serves the area’s LGBTQ+ community, the 60Plus Program hosts events such as luncheons and men’s and women’s socials where older LGBTQ+ residents can network. The center also provides cultural sensitivity training at other local senior service organizations.

The Central Coast Center for Independent Living provides advocacy, education, and support to people with disabilities, their families, and the community. Since 1984, CCCIL has worked to fulfill the unmet needs of people with disabilities of all ages. It now serves the Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito tri-county area. It provides help with obtaining information and referrals, peer support, assistive technology, housing assistance, personal services, and other training to develop the skills to live independently.