Providers' perspectives on need, strategies, and challenges are critical in targeting of programs. This study was undertaken to understand the meanings and challenges of targeting from the perspectives of program providers in the Elderly Nutrition Program (ENP). Qualitative in-depth interviews were done with a sample of 36 local ENP providers from six counties in upstate New York. Each interview was tape-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed. Qualitative analysis revealed four distinct meanings of targeting including maximum outreach, reaching out to the most needy, serving only the most needy, and evaluating coverage. Regardless of the meaning or type of targeting, local providers reported universal challenges for outreach, need assessment, and resources in implementing targeting. Understanding these different meanings about targeting could contribute to crafting better targeting policies and program procedures to deliver adequate nutrition service to elders in need in the community.

This study aimed to understand how local Older American Acts Nutrition Program (OAANP) providers perceive and assess client need for the OAANP. Qualitative in-depth interviews were done with a sample of 36 local OAANP providers in upstate New York. Providers' perceptions of needs for the OAANP were determined by comprehensive understanding of the extent to which an elderly person has problems eating properly to maintain good nutritional and health status. Need was determined by various aging and environmental factors including food insecurity of the elderly, rather than by a single characteristic of problems of elders. Efforts to better understand and meet the needs of elders will enable nutrition programs to respond to heterogeneous needs in ever increasing older population.