Eldercare Locator

        


Connecting Older Adults to Critical Local Resources 

Launched in 1991, the Eldercare Locator is the only national information and referral resource to provide support to consumers across the spectrum of issues affecting older Americans. The Locator was established and is funded by the U.S. Administration on Aging, part of the Administration for Community Living, and is administered by USAging. 

Through its National Call Center (800.677.1116), which operates Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 9:00 PM ET, and website (www.eldercare.acl.gov), the Locator is a trusted gateway for older adults and people with disabilities searching for information and resources vital to their well-being and independence.

The Locator receives about 500,000 requests for assistance annually on a wide range of topics including transportation, housing, benefits eligibility and home and community-based services. Certified Information Specialists refer the majority of inquiries to the 617 Area Agencies on Aging and more than 270 Title VI Native American Aging Programs that provide vital services and supports in virtually every community in America; referrals are also made to federal/state agencies and nonprofits. To learn more about how the Locator works, view our infographic for an analysis of needs of those who contacted the Eldercare Locator in 2021. 

Raising Public Awareness of Major Issues Affecting Older Adults

The Eldercare Locator also educates the public about some of the most important issues affecting older adults in the U.S. By developing and distributing consumer brochures on such high-profile topics as combatting isolation and loneliness, transitioning to a non-driving future and strengthening brain health through its annual Home for the Holidays Campaign, the Locator plays a vital role in stimulating a national conversation about these serious issues. To order copies of these and many other brochures, visit the Eldercare Locator website

We also develop outreach toolkits to enable local aging organizations and others interested in promoting important issues to spread the word with media and other stakeholders in their communities. To access the toolkit and other resources supporting the 2023 Home for the Holidays campaign on vaccinations for healthy aging please visit the campaign page.

Resources
Project Lead
Sara Tribe Clark, Director, Eldercare Locator and the Disability Information and Access Line (DIAL)