As the elderly population has continued to grow in numbers and diversity, its service needs have grown more numerous an more complex. Public sector planners face a mounting challenge in determining appropriate services for an increasingly diverse population. Private sector developers posses to precise mechanism for assessing demand for their services for particular populations of elderly. This phase I application proposes a feasibility study of the development of an automated system for planning elder services. Referred to as an elder services decision support system incorporation of the databases into a software application, and development of analytical functions for assessing the various service needs for specific populations of older Americans. The ES/DSS would profile a targeted elderly population, assess the type and level of needs, and indicate the most appropriate service models for meeting these needs. The applicant organization anticipates significant opportunities for the sale of the proposed ES/DSS system to both public and private sector entities. Those without need for a full-scale installation could gain access to the ES/DSS through annual subscriptions, usage fees or some other mechanism.
The proposed elder services decision support system has considerable potential for commercial applications in both the public an private sectors. Public agencies planning elder services must be able to make informed decisions on locating limited funds for senior services. Private sector developers need to determine the types of services required by particular elderly populations and/or test the feasibility of proposed service models on target populations. The system could be sold as a stand-alone application, purchased on a subscription basis, or accessed via the Internet.
