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The Administration on Aging (AoA) announced a new pilot program to help American Indian elders and their families access available culturally appropriate services. The Eldercare Locator American Indian Outreach Initiative expands AoA's successful Eldercare Locator directory assistance service to pilot communities in Oklahoma and 14 counties in Northern California.

Established in 1991 as a public service of the AoA, the toll-free Eldercare Locator puts callers in touch with state and local resources such as caregiving, nutrition programs, home care, transportation, housing, legal and other services that help older adults remain independent in their own homes. The National Association of Area Agencies on Aging (N4A) administers the Eldercare Locator with oversight and funding from the AoA, in cooperation with the National Association of State Units on Aging.

Through the American Indian Outreach Initiative, family and friends seeking resources for American Indian elders in the pilot communities will be able to call the toll-free Eldercare Locator and then will be transferred automatically to the pilot sites for referrals to local, culturally appropriate services, regardless of tribal affiliation.

"While American Indian families face many of the same pressures other families face in providing care for their elders, the AoA recognizes the importance of tailoring aging services to meet the cultural heritage and whole life circumstances of American Indian elders," said Norman Thompson, Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Aging.

AoA originated the one-year pilot project working with an advisory group of Tribal representatives, the N4A, the Indian Health Service, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (formerly known as the Health Care Financing Administration). Two tribal organizations, the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe in California and the Oklahoma Indian Council on Aging (through the Chickasaw Nation) are coordinating with the Eldercare Locator to provide the specialized service to help American Indian elders.

The national toll-free Eldercare Locator, 1-800-677-1116, is available Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Eastern Time.

The Older Americans Act Amendments of 2000 contains an important new provision to support caregivers of Native American elders, which has been funded at $5 million for FY 2001.

The Administration on Aging 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 through the national aging network of state and local agencies on aging, tribal organizations, service providers and volunteers.

For further information, contact: Moya Benoit Thompson or Chris Rhatigan 202-401-4541.