To reach the Southwest Tennessee Area Agency on Aging & Disability, start with the Southwest Tennessee Development District’s Aging & Disability page. It lists 1-866-836-6678 for information and assistance and (731) 668-6967 in Madison County. Its service area includes Henderson and Madison counties. Ask about assessment and referral options before assuming a bathroom project qualifies for assistance.[4]
EazyStep Bath provides grab-bar installation and bathroom remodeling in Lexington, Jackson, and nearby West Tennessee communities within its service area. This guide helps you separate a conversation about local installation work from a conversation with an agency about support programs.
Use the official contact route
The full agency name includes both Aging and Disability. The regional page describes the AAAD as a point of entry for information about long-term care programs and services for older adults and adults with physical disabilities, including people who do not qualify for Medicaid. That makes it a place to ask where to start, rather than a reason to assume a particular benefit is available.[4]
The Tennessee Department of Disability and Aging also maintains an official AAAD directory. It says callers from anywhere in the state can dial 1-866-836-6678 to be directed to their nearest Area Agency.[6] That is a state referral number, not an EazyStep Bath service line.
If you are calling for a relative, begin by giving the county where that person lives. If you are calling from outside the area, say so and ask whether you have reached the office serving the resident. Keep the agency name and number in your notes so you can distinguish it from a contractor, a separate housing program, or a directory listing.
Describe the bathroom difficulty before naming a product
Prepare a short description of what is difficult: stepping over the tub wall, moving through the doorway, standing at the sink, or getting help in a small room. Include the concern that prompted the call. You do not need to decide on a complete remodeling plan before asking which agency or professional can help you assess the situation.
A useful opening might be: “I am helping someone in Henderson County who is having difficulty getting into the bathtub. We need to understand what assessment or assistance options to ask about.” This is a suggested call outline, not an application form or a statement that the person qualifies.
Keep the first-call checklist brief:
- The resident’s county and a callback number.
- The bathroom task that is difficult and any immediate question you need answered.
- Whether the resident owns or rents the property.
- Whether you are asking about personal assistance, an assessment, a home modification, or more than one of these.
- Any existing program contact who has already advised you about the concern.
Ask which documents are needed and how to submit them securely. Avoid sending financial, medical, or identity documents to a contractor simply because you are also discussing a bathroom project. Keep program paperwork with the organization that requests it through its verified process.
Check the local installation area separately
If you also want to discuss work at the property, first check whether the home is within the EazyStep Bath service area. An installation conversation does not establish agency eligibility or funding.
Ask about assessment, eligibility, and next steps
The regional AAAD page describes several distinct services, including caregiver support, personal care, homemaker services, OPTIONS for Community Living, and CHOICES. These are not interchangeable names for bathroom remodeling. The page describes OPTIONS services as homemaker help, home-delivered meals, and personal care assistance.[4]
Ask the staff member which program, if any, fits the need you described. Then ask whether a separate assessment is required, who makes the eligibility decision, and what the next step is. If the discussion turns to home modifications, ask these questions before ordering materials or authorizing work:
- Does the specific program consider the proposed type of bathroom modification?
- Must an assessment or written authorization happen before work starts?
- Are there requirements for the contractor or the estimate?
- Is there a waiting list, and how can its current status be checked?
- Who can explain any costs or responsibilities that remain with the household?
These questions are a preparation checklist, not a summary of universal program rules. Let the agency confirm the requirements that apply to the individual. If you need to separate a functional assessment from installation planning, read our guide to when an occupational therapist can help with bathroom planning.
Research home modification assistance by program, not by a grant headline
If you are researching Tennessee home modification assistance, keep the agency referral and the funding application separate. THDA says homeowners do not apply directly to THDA for the repair and modification programs on its home-repair page. The page points readers to a local Emergency Repair Program agency or to United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee for its Home Modifications and Ramps Program.[1]
Emergency repairs and accessibility changes have different purposes
THDA describes the Emergency Repair Program as help with an essential system or critical structural problem that poses an immediate danger to life, safety, or health for low-income homeowners who are elderly, age 60 or older, or disabled. It explicitly says this is not a comprehensive home renovation program.[1] A request to update bathroom finishes should not be presented as an approved emergency repair. Describe the actual condition and let the administering agency determine whether it fits.
THDA describes its Home Modifications and Ramps Program as funding for ramps and other modifications that help people with disabilities gain better access to their homes. It identifies United Cerebral Palsy of Middle Tennessee as the statewide administrator.[1] That statewide program description is not EazyStep Bath’s service area, a promise of an award, or confirmation that a particular bathroom product will be covered.
Ask what must happen before an estimate becomes work
Use the official program page to reach the administrator and explain that the property is in Henderson County or Madison County, as applicable. Ask whether applications are being accepted for that county, whether the proposed bathroom change is considered, and which eligibility documents the agency needs. A directory entry alone does not answer those questions for your household.
Before paying a deposit or ordering a product in anticipation of assistance, ask for the program’s instructions about:
- Whether an assessment, site inspection, or written authorization must come first.
- Whether the household can choose a contractor or must follow a specified process.
- What an estimate must include, and whether multiple estimates are required.
- Which costs the household would remain responsible for, including any repayment terms.
- Whether starting work before approval affects eligibility for payment.
These are questions to ask, not rules claimed for every program. Keep the administrator’s written response with the proposed scope. If the bathroom needs both an access change and unrelated cosmetic work, ask the contractor to describe them separately so the agency can evaluate the requested modification without confusing it with the rest of the remodel.
This guide does not confirm current funding, waiting-list status, an individual’s eligibility, or EazyStep Bath’s participation in any assistance program. Research and confirm those points before relying on assistance to pay for work.
Keep a record of the referral
After the call, write down the date, the office you reached, the program discussed, and the next action. If you are referred elsewhere, ask for the organization name and a verified contact route. Record which questions remain unanswered rather than filling the gaps with assumptions.
For broader preparation, use our West Tennessee bathroom mobility planning guide. EazyStep Bath can discuss installation scope, but this article does not establish an agency affiliation, program-provider status, payment arrangement, or eligibility for assistance.
Questions about contacting the agency
Does the Southwest AAAD serve Henderson and Madison counties?
Yes. The Southwest Tennessee Development District lists Henderson and Madison within its Aging & Disability planning and service area. Use its official contact route to ask about the services relevant to the resident.
Which number should I use to ask where to start?
The regional agency lists 1-866-836-6678 for information and assistance and (731) 668-6967 in Madison County. Tell the office the county where the resident lives.
Does contacting EazyStep Bath apply for agency assistance?
No. Contact EazyStep Bath to discuss local bathroom work. Contact the agency through its official channels to ask about assessments, referrals, and program requirements.
Discuss bathroom work at your West Tennessee home
EazyStep Bath serves Lexington, Jackson, Henderson County, Madison County, and nearby West Tennessee communities by appointment. Bathroom service takes place at the customer’s property. Check the service area, then contact us about the installation or remodeling work you want to discuss.
Check our service area Call (731) 506-1336 Contact EazyStep Bath
Sources
Official pages checked October 6, 2026. Contact details and program status can change; confirm the current requirements directly.