News
Eldercare Locator Receives Award for Leadership in Technology Use
n4a's Eldercare Locator recently received a national honor through its participation in the Technology in Practice competition, which seeks to showcase promising practices in the use of technology in I&R/A aging and disability programs.
The initiative is sponsored by the National Information and Referral Support Center, which is administered by the National Association of States United for Aging and Disabilities.
“We took our commitment to leveraging the power of technology and data to a new level when we created a staff position dedicated to IT solutions, call center support, data analytics and the coordination of resource information,” said Eldercare Locator Director Patrice Earnest. “Each month we receive over 20,000 calls in our Center and 40,000 visitors to our website so it is critical to have a clear picture of who is contacting us and why.”
In 2015, the Locator publicly released its first data report and will update those findings with a new report to be released in summer 2017.
Another important role of the Locator is ensuring that the contact information for the many organizations, including AAAs, Adult Protective Services, Long-Term Care Ombudsman Programs, SHIPs and other state and local agencies—housed at eldercare.gov—is accurate. A rigorous schedule has been maintained to ensure that the Locator's information updating process is even more robust, and as a result, the process for connecting consumers to the community-based resources that best match their needs is also strengthened—a win-win for the Aging Network.
Don't forget the Eldercare Locator is also a resource for your agency! Check out the Locator's many resources, including an extensive library of consumer-friendly publications.