CARIE VISION: To be a leader in identifying needs, providing education and advocacy services to improve the lives of senior citizens.

CARIE MISSION: To improve the well-being, rights and autonomy of senior citizens through advocacy, education and action.

Description:
CARIE, Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly, is a non-profit organization, based in Philadelphia, dedicated to improving the quality of life for vulnerable senior citizens. CARIE stands apart from other agencies in the aging field through its comprehensive array of programs and services. CARIE'S programs include, The CARIE LINE that includes outreach to the Latino community, The Philadelphia Long Term Care Ombudsman Program, The Health Care Fraud Education Project, The Providing Advocacy for the Victimized Elderly program, The Education and Training Program, Policy/Legislative Program, and Community outreach and special events. CARIE's programs extend to the entire Delaware Valley and beyond. CARIE is a leader in providing direct assistance to the elderly, their families, and professionals in the aging field. Through telephone contacts and site visits to Philadelphia area long term care facilities, the agency assists older people and their caregivers to assess needs, identify service resources, and to make the necessary connections to resolve elder care issues. CARIE has pioneered the service mediation approach whereby agency staff intervene at points of crisis, bolster the family's ability to cope, and help caregivers to understand and pursue the best available options for elder care. Through its on-going system wide advocacy, CARIE has developed a national network of contacts, including service providers, policy makers, elected officials, and consumers. In addition to its direct service activity, CARIE is committed to improving the service system. Its community education program works to raise public awareness through informational brochures, a speakers' bureau, a periodic newsletter, and public service announcements. Advocacy is also accomplished through its many members and committees. Issues are identified by the committees, then organizing strategies are developed by the committee.

History:
CARIE was founded in 1977 primarily as an advocacy organization for the frail elderly. Its initial program, The CARIE LINE, quickly became recognized throughout the region as a resource for a wide range of people and institutions seeking to resolve elder care issues. Today the agency's telephone consultation service is just one aspect of a coordinated array of programs that have made CARIE a model agency respected by professionals and policy makers nationwide.

Contact person: Kathy Cubit, Director of Advocacy Initiatives, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: 215-545-5372

Address:

100 S. Broad Street, 1500 Land Title Building Philadelphia, PA 19110 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.carie.org

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	No