Q: I’m the sole caregiver for my aunt who lives in Illinois. She’s in her mid-80s, and still doing pretty well. A longtime neighbor checks on her regularly, and I call her most every day. But I’m worried that she’s just a bit more forgetful and getting a little frail. Before she has a serious problem, I want to find the network of services in her area that could help maintain her independence. How does one go about locating that kind of information for another state?

A: You’re in luck. The Eldercare Locator, a public service of the Administration on Aging, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is a nationwide service that connects older Americans and caregivers with information on senior services. The Eldercare Locator is designed to help older adults and their families and caregivers find their way through the maze of services for seniors by identifying trustworthy local support resources. The goal is to provide the information and resources that will help older persons live independently and safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible.

Established in 1991, the Eldercare Locator links those who need assistance with local area agencies on aging and community-based organizations that serve seniors and their caregivers. Whether an older person needs help with services such as meals, home care or transportation, or a caregiver needs training and education or a well-deserved respite from caregiving responsibilities, the Eldercare Locator is there to point that person in the right direction.

The Eldercare Locator is administered in partnership with the National Association of Agencies on Aging and the National Association of State Units on Aging.

The Eldercare Locator telephone service, available at 1-800-677-1116, is open weekdays, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The Web site, http://www.eldercare.gov, is available 24 hours per day. For calls after normal hours of operation, a message recorder is available for the caller to leave a name and telephone number. Calls will be returned the next business day. For TDD/TTY service, access your local relay services or call for your relay operator. Instruct the operator to connect you to the Eldercare Locator at 1-800-677-1116. For non-English or limited English speakers, full language line service for 150 languages is available when you call the Eldercare Locator.