For some time the continuum of care has intrigued social planners and policy analysts as a concept with potential for influencing the delivery of social services. More recently, the Older Americans Act, as amended, 1978, includes the mandate to State Units and Area Agencies on Aging to provide a continuum of care for the vulnerable elderly. This state of the art review examines the continuum of care concept by isolating areas of consensus, highlighting points of disagreement, and identifying issues relevant to continuum of care as a conceptual framework for policy decisions and service delivery to the elderly population.