ABSTRACT
Planners and providers alike persist in believing that special efforts are indeed being made to reach minority elderly and therefore special results are being affected and that the status quo is thus satisfactory. It is helpful to consider obstacles to minority participation in community-based programs. Among the better-known are lack of knowledge on the part of minority elderly, language barriers, cultural differences and discrimination. Geographical dispersion is another obstacle, but it is less likely to be recognized, since the phenomenon occurs among only certain minority populations. There is a very definite need to be aware of and to use a segregated service model, particularly in response to the needs of geographically dispersed populations and those that are high-density — all require a service-segregated model. Service agencies are excellent workshops, or laboratories, in which students can learn first-hand the realities of providing services to all elderly people.
