It's easy to get lost in the maze of public and nonprofit services that help, or try to help, people find in-home assistance for their parents. A good starting point is the Eldercare Locator, a service of the U.S. Administration on Aging. Through its website or toll-free telephone number (800-677-1116), the locator links people with state and regional senior services, including in-home care providers. (Note that it supplies information about local government and nonprofit organizations, not independent providers.) The phone service is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. eastern time.