A case study of the elder care functions of a Chilean non-governmental organization

This paper examines the history and role of a faith-based Chilean nonprofit organization, Hogar de Cristo (Christ's Home), in providing elderly care in the context of recent economic and sociopolitical changes in the country. Chile has been at the forefront of market-based reforms in the delivery of social services and its experience provides insights into the intersecting roles of the state, the market, and the non-governmental sector in addressing basic human needs. Based on in-depth interviews, archival data, and field observations, we investigate the institutional, political, and social factors that account for the organization's success. These result from a number of factors including a capacity to adapt to changing client needs, the successful adoption of an entrepreneurial style of management and outreach, and the building of trust through effective public relations. Although conditions unique to the situation of this faith-based organization in a highly Catholic country may account for its success, the experience of Hogar de Cristo provides useful lessons for the future of elder care policy in the Americas.