Reference no: EM133867957

Problem

Gary was panicked. His mother, Ruth, was coming home from the hospital in two days. Ruth, 81, had suffered her third stroke. She was confused and weakened on her right side but not paralyzed. Gary knew that his mother could not return to her apartment at this time, but he could not imagine Ruth living with him. Because he was currently employed at two jobs, he simply could not provide the care and attention she needed. His girlfriend suggested that he search the Internet for community services for older adults to find help. There he found the Area Agency on Aging's Carelink listed under senior services. He didn't know what to expect, but he knew he had to start somewhere. He called Pete, the Area Agency on Aging Carelink information and referral specialist, and spent 30 minutes on the phone with Pete identifying and discussing several options for him and Ruth. When Gary talked with his girlfriend that evening, he told her that he still felt overwhelmed but that he had had no idea there were so many services for seniors with difficulties such as his mother's.

It is easy to see why Gary was overwhelmed with the idea of caring for his mother. Who would supervise her during the day? Who would cook her meals and administer her medications when he was at work? What about rehabilitation therapy? Although people such as Gary know that there must be services and programs in their community that can help, they often do not know where to begin to look. Not knowing whom to call for assistance can result in leaving a personal or familial crisis unresolved; finding help, however, can be extremely difficult. As Levinson (1988) points out, the volume of services is so great that the result is a complex and fragmented network that makes finding information problematic for the average person. Information and referral/assistance (I&R/A) services are designed to help older adults and their families access the services they need. Chelimsky (1991) defines I&R/A as "the active process of linking someone who has a need or problem with an agency that provides services meeting that need or solving that problem" (p. 2). Get the instant assignment help.

I. Barriers to Access: Identify potential barriers that diverse populations might face when seeking I&R/A services.
II. Strategies for Improvement: Suggest specific resources or strategies that could make these services more accessible and effective.
III. Application to Gary's Case: Propose additional resources or support that might help Gary and Ruth in their situation.