Service coordinators in senior housing. An exploration of an emerging role in long-term care

The evolving role of service coordinators in federally subsidized senior housing offers a new opportunity to enhance service delivery to older adults who are aging in place. Senior housing occupies an unrecognized but important niche in the long-term care continuum. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has acknowledged the need for housing-based social services by developing and funding service coordinator positions. Efforts by visionary agencies have demonstrated that an on-site social service professional improves access to needed supportive services and assists housing staff to understand age-related issues. Although the need and efficacy of housing-based services have been substantiated, the day-to-day practice has not been widely examined. This article offers a description of the unique dynamics of providing social services in a housing setting, based on the experiences of service coordinators in the San Francisco Bay area.