Abstract:

The Older American Act of 1965 & its amendments have created problems of crisis proportions at the local level for Area Agencies on Aging, the substate planning bodies. While the legislative strategy is based on a rational planning goal model, the nonrational behavior of organizations & communities dictates the need for a more flexible model. Discussed are crucial issues that must be resolved before effective planning can take place at the national, state, or local level, including: (1) fragmentation of services & philosophy, (2) lack of coordination among services, & (3) lack of citizen involvement & lack of use of those citizens who wish to be involved. Based on the literature & practical experience, a social systems model is offered as a remedy for many of the problems faced in the installation of an effective planning process in these agencies.