Descriptive study of community based agencies serving the elderly in one urban area

This pilot project explored the characteristics, services, clientele, concerns, and networks of community based agencies serving the elderly in Memphis and Shelby County, TN. Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to a total of 75 social and home health agencies during the summer of 1986. Data analysis was based upon returns from 31 agencies (43% return) from 23 social service and 9 home health agencies. Descriptive statistics were used in the analysis although the sample of home health agencies limited sequential analysis. Differences between these two major agency types were found in all major areas of study. Gaps were found in service provision; however the major contribution of this study was in illustrating the two rather different conceptual and operational frameworks under which these two agency types operate and the general lack of coordination between these two agency types, most especially by home health agencies, and the need for improvement in connecting linkages.