in honduras specific primary care services are included in the basic health package for disadvantaged communities while uruguay runs a care and diagnosis protocol for older persons at the primary care level it includes various types of assistance provided in their residences to enable them to remain at home and in their own environment one of the main advantages of these services is that they reduce institutionalization and hospitalization costs while slowing the functional deterioration associated with old age englishspeaking caribbean countries seem to have more extensive experience in providing social and health services for older persons