Sometimes, some assistance is all the elderly need to continue to live in the community independently. Visiting programs, home health care, non-medical care, delivered meals, homemaking, and case management are a few approaches that can help seniors and their family caregivers. But if those services are to be effective, they have to be available and well-coordinated.

Frequently that’s not the case: instead of a “one-stop shopping” option, services are fragmented and difficult to find, especially for seniors and caregivers who tend to look for them only when an urgent need arises. Ensuring that a variety of supports is available is just one part of the challenge: the other is providing a centralized source of information that permits the elderly and their family caregivers to make informed decisions about services in the community. This means investing the staff, funds, and time to create an adequate “central clearinghouse.”