Many elderly residents of Connecticut are not aware of all the programs and resources that are available to them. Seniors are having a hard time making ends meet in today's economy, and without sufficient care planning done in advance, many feel that they may have nowhere to turn. Not only that, but sons and daughters of elderly parents may not be able to help or even realize that help is needed.

However, there are several programs that can benefit low-income senior citizens. In fact, there is some $20 billion available to those who qualify. Connecticut's department of social services and aging has tried to get the word out about how seniors can receive assistance, but many still do not know about them.

Two valuable resources are from the National Council on Aging and the U.S. Administration on Aging. The National Council on Aging has a program called BenefitsCheckUp that lists thousands of programs, both public and private, that can be accessed by low-income people who receive Medicare benefits. The group estimates that 71 percent of those who were eligible were missing out, to the tune of more than $1 billion in benefits.

The aid can range from information and counseling to assistance with heating, health care, prescriptions and food bills. Medicare's disability program may give some financial support, but it is not often enough. With nearly 10 percent of adults in the U.S. ages 60 and over living below the poverty line, there are opportunities for a lot of people to make themselves more comfortable.

Source: USA Today, "Finding benefits: Many elderly who qualify don't apply," Janice Lloyd, Feb. 15, 2012