Leutz and his colleagues offer the most practice-oriented and realistic assessment of how chronically ill elders are being served at the community level. They analyze options and opportunities open to policy makers and practitioners relative to long-term care in the community environment where so many elders want to be. In the process, the authors evaluate the range of needs, the importance of gender and cultural differences, and the effectiveness of Medicare and Medicaid as entitlement strategies.

Community care constitutes a major gap in the nation's health-care system. The authors...