Gilbert and Terrell (1998) also pose four questions in assessing a social welfare need.
              1- Basis of social allocation:  Who gets? What criteria will be used?
              2- Nature of social provisions: What? What do these people get?
              3- Structure of delivery system: How? How will it be delivered?
              4- Mode of financing: What are the sources and types of financing?
             (Capella University, HS 81001, Unit 3: Introduction and Presentation, 2005)

     The benefits flowing directly from the OAA are designed to save the older adults (60+) money rather than provide income to them. As an age tested program, the income of an older adult is not considered for most benefits. Although health screening is a part of the OAA, it does not function as health insurance or medical coverage. It does not try to compete with the private sector; it employs the private sector in providing goods and some services. Although it has multiple funding sources, most of its revenues come from the general tax fund of the U. S. government; it is not a part of Social Security in any way. The Administration on Aging directs the national efforts and funnels appropriations to the state aging services through PSAs, which are regional administrators. The state aging services then funnels money to the Area Agencies on Aging (AAA’s) which pays the bills of the local senior centers, Meals on Wheels, and other providers. Activities sponsored by the AAA are carried out at the grass roots level in the senior citizen centers. (Executive Summary, n.d.).    

      Dolgoff and Feldstein's (2000) and Gilbert and Terrell's (1996) research helps greatly, when applied to the quality of life issues of older Americans. Since quality of life issues are individual, it is difficult to create an universal institutional model that will be accessible to all older adults and solve all quality of life issues. There are a great many individual needs among the 13% of the population currently 65 years of age and older. There are large age variations within those older adults, ranging from the stated 65 years of age up to individuals approaching the theoretical life span of man; around 125 years. The elderly population includes many races and ethnicities and is comprised of a wide variation of health statuses, both mentally and physically (Atchley, 2000). Since it is economically difficult to deliver goods and services consistently into the home of every older American, the goal will have to lean towards the institutional model; having most of the older Americans come to service centers (Senior Citizen Centers).

     Realistically, the goal of a program to address these issues must include most of the elderly population to be politically acceptable (even if some do not need the subsidized programs) and must try to deal with needs that are relatively universal for the elderly population. Alternatively, the policy could employ not only age testing, but also means testing in a limited way to further boost the amount of help that would be given to the poorest segment of the elderly population. Any effort must rely on existing programs to cover as many of the needs as possible, and, therefore, must use a residual model lens to save expense. Americans are not fond of tax hikes and it is doubtful that many of the elderly have insurance or could otherwise afford to pay for goods or services that would increase their existing quality of life.

    The social provisions of the policy must be measurable and effective. There must be a measurable increase in the quality of life of the older American. The cost to benefit ratio must be acceptable. One such measurement is health and wellness status. If it is found that the cost of a program is offset by the savings in Medicare and Medicaid, for example, the program may be successful. Creating a policy or program that does not result in high acceptance by the targeted population and the general population will serve to lessen confidence in any later attempts at a solution. Benefits to the target population must address their stated needs, so research is necessary not only to create the policy but also to measure it's effectiveness.

    Existing structures and administrations would be the most economically feasible way to implement social policy. However, there may not be a good match with the stated goals of the policy and existing institutions. As an example, Social Security gained fame from its very low administrative costs (1/2%) and was given more additional responsibilities. However, research and practical observation shows that they are not as efficient in the additional areas as they were in the original system. It was difficult for Social Security to perform too many programs (Atchley, 2000). Since the policy will deal with a number of social problems for the elderly, creating an unique administration (The Administration on Aging, AoA) was warranted as well as state Divisions of Aging and  local Area Agencies on Aging who create the Senior Citizen Centers.

     Creating the OAA and the AoA with its local grass roots levels helps bring goods and services closer to the older America living in any state of the Union. Adding transportation services, Meals on Wheels, telephone reassurance and other programs helps bring benefits closer to all of America's aging. Since the goal was to try to make a universal policy for all elderly, financing this vast social welfare policy was also considered universally. The OAA is supported by federal tax dollars which come from the general fund, rather than any specified trust fund or from Social Security. Due to the popularity of OAA, there have been few who dissented from this economic arrangement (Atchley, 2000). In practice, the AAAs employ donation boxes to encourage the elderly to help pay for goods and services and other government entities have been enticed to help defray costs, including local counties, cities, and states. For the food programs, excess food products are often donated from other government groups as well as local markets and farmers. Although most of the financing comes from federal coffers, the total financing is an ever changing mixed bag of money as well as donated goods and services.

          Dolgoff (1999) suggests five issues with regards to social welfare in his conclusions.
        1. The necessity to recognize the reality of the context.
        2. Examination of criticisms so that accurate corrective action can take place.
        3. The need to gather empirical evidence that social welfare programs are efficient,
           effective and produce benefits for society.
        4. Re-consideration of traditional policy and practice.

        5. Use productivity as a strategic tool with education and political organizing (p.298).

     When held on time, there is a White House Conference on Aging every ten years to deal with these concepts. It looks and the current context of the OAA within American Society and studies the needs of the elderly. Originally designed from an institutional perspective, it has been amended, added to and subtracted from over the years. It handles criticism which is growing due to perceived intergenerational inequalities. As one current response, many now support a change from simple age testing for services to some combination of means testing and age testing in an attempt to calm generational strife. During the conference, many papers are reviewed with relationship to empirical evidence as well as a great amount of information that flows from the Administration on Aging. Although a complete and thorough review of the entire OAA program is not usually attempted, there is strong revaluation of those elderly who may be missing needed services. The educational arm seeks to reach out to seniors through the Senior Citizen Centers and the Internet (Atchley, 2000).

     Diane Justice (1995) contends that, at least to some degree, the federal aging network and the state aging networks are at odds with each other due to the contexts in which they operate. “once program funding reaches a certain threshold, [state] policy makers and advocate alike begin to realize that resources must be directed to people in need through specific standards. In contrast, [federal] policy makers may conclude that establishing functional and income related criteria for the OAA would only highlight the extent to which its resources fall short of its promise” (p. 62).