Fact Sheets

The Eldercare Locator is a public service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. This toll-free telephone service puts callers in touch with information about state and area agencies, tribal organizations and private organizations serving the elderly in their own communities or anywhere in the country. The Eldercare Locator is administered by the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging and the National Association of State Units on Aging.

Why Do Older Persons and Their Caregivers Need the Eldercare Locator?

Older persons and their caregivers need the Eldercare Locator because it is the first step in finding necessary and convenient community services and resources. Listed below are just some of the services about which information is available through the Eldercare Locator:

• Local home and community-based care services, such as meal delivery, transportation assistance and chore services
• Housing options
  
• Community senior centers
  
• Adult day care and respite from daily caregiving responsibilities
  
• Financial, legal services and elder abuse prevention programs
  
• Specialized services for older individuals with Alzheimer's disease, cancer, heart disease and other illnesses.

How Does the Eldercare Locator Work?

Callers to the Eldercare Locator are greeted by a caring, highly trained information specialist. This person will ask for the county, city name or zip code of the elderly person in need of assistance, as well as a brief description of the problem or situation.

In response to the caller's needs, the specialist accesses databases containing the following:

• General agency information, hotlines and special services offered by state or area agencies, tribal organizations, community organizations or private organizations, and
  
• A list of information and referral/assistance providers serving the particular county, city or zip code of the person needing assistance.

Callers do not need to reside in the same area as the older person in need of assistance. In fact, the Eldercare Locator is specifically designed to assist caregivers who may live miles away from the person who needs support.

Callers are provided with information about the best resources and services available in the elderly person's own community, including names, addresses and telephone numbers. To ensure that callers get the most helpful information possible, each state and area agency tailors the referral process for its own state and communities so that callers get the most timely and accurate information available.

How Can I Contact the Eldercare Locator?

You can reach the Eldercare Locator by dialing toll-free, 1-800-677-1116, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. The Eldercare Locator is not an automated, touch-tone information system. Callers speak to a friendly, caring person who can help them.

An on-line version of the Eldercare Locator, www.eldercare.gov, provides users with 24-hour access to community assistance resources for seniors.

The website provides consumers with basic contact information about elder service agencies in the state and local area requested by zip code. The website will gradually expand to provide links to the full range of services now available by telephone.

The toll-free Eldercare Locator service is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time.

For More Information

Working in close partnership with its sister agencies in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the AoA is the official Federal agency dedicated to policy development, planning and the delivery of supportive home and community-based services to older persons and their caregivers. The AoA works through the national aging network of 56 State Units on Aging, 655 Area Agencies on Aging, 236 Tribal and Native organizations representing 300 American Indian and Alaska Native Tribal organizations, and two organizations serving Native Hawaiians, plus thousands of service providers, adult care centers, caregivers, and volunteers. For more information about the AoA, please contact:

U.S. Administration on Aging
Department of Health and Human Services
Washington, DC 20201

Phone: (202) 619-0724
Fax: (202) 357-3560
E-mail: aoainfo@aoa.gov
Website: http://www.aoa.gov
Eldercare Locator: 1-800-677-1116, Monday – Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET