Standards of advice and help with social care vary from one council to another in Wales, according to the official watchdog.
A report by Auditor General for Wales Adrian Crompton says demand for adult social care services is set to rise in the next 30 years.
It says councils are doing a good job in preventing social care demand, but information, advice and assistance are 'not consistently effective'.
Recommendations include mapping the availability of preventative services to understand levels of provision and identify gaps and duplication.
The report says councils should involve third sector partners in producing preventative solutions to meet people’s needs.
Mr Crompton said: 'With an ageing population, it’s good to see that social care is focusing much more on early intervention, preventative services and community-based support.
'But there’s still too much variation in the access and quality of services available across Wales.
'In particular, local authorities need to take stock on how they are implementing the legislation and to refocus their efforts on ensuring carers get equal access to the help they need and are entitled to.'
