Attention senior citizens in Hawai'i, there are many places to go to get help or answers to your questions, just let your fingers do the walking.

As more and more baby boomers turn gray and find themselves caring for spouses or ailing parents, the city government and other agencies are helping them navigate the labyrinth of programs and agencies designed to help senior citizens.

During the past decade, the number of O'ahu residents 85 and older grew 67 percent, compared to the overall population growth of 5 percent, the city said.

And the number of elderly residents is expected to continue to swell. Over the next two decades, one in every four residents will be older than 60, according to the city's Elderly Affairs Division.

The division was established by the Older Americans Act of 1965, and its mission is to help people 60 and older and their caregivers. One of the division's high-profile services is its weekday hotline, 523-4545. There callers will find someone to listen and offer to help, said Lot Lau, city information and assistance coordinator.

Midge Wright, a 59-year-old former phone company customer service representative, needed help recently on deciphering the new Medicare Part D plan. The Nu'uanu resident is a caregiver for her husband and called the hotline number to get some answers.

"I saw the number in a Hono-lulu gerontology newsletter that I get," Wright said. "I had gone to other places before calling the hotline. I'm still trying to get more information because it's very confusing. The hotline was very helpful, but it turns out I have to make up my own mind."

Lau said, "We don't know all the answers, but we're willing to take the time to research the problem and call people back."

People call the division for all sorts of questions, such as: