FREE 2012-2013 SERVICE GUIDE NOW AVAILABLE IN PRINT AND ONLINE

NEW CASTLE (July 5, 2012) - The free "2012-2013 Guide to Services for Older Delawareans and Persons with Disabilities" is now available in print and online in both English and Spanish.

The 294-page guide includes contact information for organizations and businesses in 29 service categories, including caregiving, financial assistance, home health care, housing options, transportation, medical and dental services, and volunteerism. It is produced every other year by the state Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD).

"We want to help a growing number of Delaware seniors and people with disabilities find the resources they need to remain fully engaged in their communities," Gov. Jack Markell said."This guide provides a great resource not only for individuals, but families caring for their loved ones."

By 2020, older people will make up one-fourth of Delaware's population, totaling more than 250,000. By 2030, the state is projected to have the ninth-highest proportion nationally of people age 65 and older. Currently, about one in five Delawareans is 60 or older.

Today, more than 27 percent of Delawareans who are 60 or older and are living in the community have at least one disability. As baby boomers age, the number of Delawareans with Alzheimer's, dementia, Parkinson's, diabetes and other conditions is expected to increase dramatically.

"This user-friendly, comprehensive resource guide allows Delaware residents to review the services they may need for themselves or their family and friends as they age or acquire a disability," said Rita Landgraf, secretary of the Department of Health and Social Services, which oversees DSAAPD. "For Delaware families, it's better to seek out information and understand your options now instead of in the midst of a crisis. This guide provides information to make good decisions about how to get the best care for those who need it."

To order an individual print copy, call (800) 223-9074 or email delawareadrc@delaware.gov . For bulk orders, organizations can call or email to arrange for a pick-up at several locations across the state.

The guide can be viewed and downloaded online at both www.dhss.delaware.gov/dsaapd and www.delawareadrc.com.

For more information about the guide, go to www.delawareadrc.com or www.dhss.delaware.gov/dsaapd or contact Carol Barnett, planner at DHSS, at (302) 255-9364.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.