Florida dementia resources by region

Updated October 12, 2026

Last verified October 2026. Phone numbers were checked against the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, FDLE, the Alzheimer’s Association and other official sources listed at the bottom of this page. Programs change; if a number does not work, call the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337.

Start here: your Area Agency on Aging (ADRC)

Florida is divided into 11 planning and service areas, each with an Area Agency on Aging that also serves as the Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC).

The ADRC is the front door to publicly funded help: caregiver training, case management, home-delivered meals, and respite paid for by Florida’s Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative (ADI). ADI respite covers in-home, facility-based, emergency and extended stays of up to 30 days for adults with probable dementia. Many programs have waitlists, so call early, even before you think you need help.

South Florida

Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach families start here.

Southwest Florida and Sarasota-Manatee

Note that Manatee belongs to a different agency than Sarasota.

Tampa Bay, Orlando and Jacksonville

Hillsborough and Pinellas are served by separate agencies.

Agency names and phone numbers are from the Department of Elder Affairs ADRC directory; county assignments are from UF/IFAS Extension.

Note that Sarasota and Manatee, and Hillsborough and Pinellas, sit in different service areas.

Memory Disorder Clinics (Alzheimer’s Disease Initiative)

The Florida Legislature authorized 17 Memory Disorder Clinics across 13 service areas. They provide diagnostic evaluations and referrals, train caregivers and professionals, and support research. If your loved one is waiting months for a neurologist, ask your doctor about a referral to the clinic serving your area. The list below covers the regions Dementia Companions serves, from the 2025 Memory Disorder Clinic map.

Miami-Dade clinics

Three clinics serve Miami-Dade families.

Broward and Palm Beach clinics

Broward has one clinic and Palm Beach has two.

Gulf Coast clinics

Southwest Florida and Tampa Bay clinics on the state list:

Central and Northeast Florida clinics

Orlando and Jacksonville families can call these clinics:

Collier County families: the state list has no clinic in Collier itself; the closest on the list is in Fort Myers.

Call the clinic to confirm which counties it serves and whether a referral is needed. Florida also runs a state Brain Bank, partially funded by ADI, which works with Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami for families interested in brain donation for research.

Statewide help lines

Care and support

Start with these two for programs and caregiver support.

Benefits and everyday needs

For insurance counseling and help with bills, food or housing:

Information and missing persons

For research information and missing-person cases:

State agency and crisis help

The state agency behind these programs, and help in a crisis:

The Alzheimer’s Association describes its helpline as open around the clock, 365 days a year.

SHINE counseling is free and confidential. Spanish-language health information from the National Institute on Aging is at nia.nih.gov/espanol, and our Spanish-language guide covers care at home.

If your loved one goes missing: Florida Silver Alert

1. Search immediately and call 911 quickly, telling the dispatcher your loved one has dementia. Contact law enforcement where the person was last seen.
2. Local Silver Alert: under FDLE’s recommended criteria, for a person 60 or older (or 18-59 in limited cases) with a verified permanent loss of cognitive function, missing on foot.

If your loved one may have left by car, a statewide alert is possible:

3. State Silver Alert: same criteria plus a motor vehicle whose tag or details law enforcement has verified; highway signs may be activated. Only law enforcement can request it.
4. If you see a missing person or vehicle, call 911 or *FHP (*347).

Details are from FDLE’s Silver Alert activation steps and FAQ. Prevention tips are in our Florida wandering guide and our glossary entry on wandering.

How to use these resources together

1. Diagnosis: primary care doctor first, then a Memory Disorder Clinic or specialist.
2. Benefits and programs: call your ADRC for an eligibility screening; call SHINE about Medicare and Medicaid choices. Our Florida programs guide and Florida Medicaid guide explain the options.

Then line up support for yourself and help at home:

3. Support for you: the Alzheimer’s Association helpline for support groups and care consultations.
4. Help at home now: public programs can take time. Families often bridge the gap with private-pay dementia companion care or respite care; see Florida dementia care costs.

Local pages by city

• Miami
• Fort Lauderdale
• West Palm Beach
• Naples
• Fort Myers
• Sarasota
• Tampa
• Orlando
• Jacksonville