Hudson Valley Senior AdvisorWhere do Dutchess County families start?
With the Dutchess County Office for the Aging at (845) 486-2555, which handles NY Connects, HIICAP Medicare counseling, home-delivered meals, caregiver support and EISEP.
Its Legal Services for Seniors program is reached through the same office.
Where do Orange County families start?
With the Orange County Office for the Aging at (845) 615-3700, the county's door to NY Connects, HIICAP, meals, caregiver respite and EISEP.
The statewide NY Connects line is 1-800-342-9871.
Who handles elder abuse at home?
Adult Protective Services: Dutchess (845) 486-3000, with a 24-hour elder abuse hotline at (845) 485-9700, and Orange (845) 291-2800.
Call 911 if someone is in immediate danger.
Is there a PACE program in Dutchess or Orange?
We found no PACE organization serving either county as of November 2026; Managed Long Term Care plans are the main Medicaid home care option.
NY Connects can confirm whether a PACE program has since expanded into the area.
Who takes complaints about a residence's billing or contract?
The New York Attorney General's Poughkeepsie Regional Office, (845) 485-3900, takes consumer complaints; care and safety complaints go to the Department of Health.
Adult care facilities: 1-866-893-6772. Nursing homes: 1-888-201-4563.
Where do veterans in Dutchess and Orange get help with benefits?
Each county's Veterans Service Agency helps with VA pension and Aid and Attendance claims at no cost, and the VA Hudson Valley Health Care System's Castle Point campus serves veterans' medical needs.
Ask the county Office for the Aging for the current veterans service office number and hours.
Where can a family get free legal help about long-term care?
Dutchess County's Office for the Aging connects older residents with Legal Services for Seniors at (845) 486-2555, and Orange County's Office for the Aging at (845) 615-3700 can refer residents to free or low-cost legal programs for older adults.
For Medicaid planning involving a house, a spouse or recent gifts, a private elder law attorney is usually worth the fee.
Who can help a family compare Medicare plans?
HIICAP, New York's free Medicare counseling program, runs through the county Offices for the Aging and helps compare Medicare Advantage, Part D and Medigap options without selling anything.
Open enrollment runs from October 15 to December 7 each year; book a HIICAP appointment early in the season.
At a glance
| Free help comes from | Free help does not come from | |
|---|---|---|
| Counties | Offices for the Aging and NY Connects | Facility sales offices |
| Advocacy | The Hudson Valley ombudsman program | Paid listings |
| PACE | Not found in either county today | A guaranteed local option |
Each answer rests on New York law or regulation, a Department of Health publication, CMS, the VA, a county Office for the Aging or CareScout's 2025 survey. When a figure changes we update the answer and the reference page it links to, and where no published number exists we say so instead of estimating.
