SLIDE 1 Conducting Needs Assessments | October 3, 2012
Co Cond nducting Commu Communi nity Ne Needs ds Assessmen ments:
Planning for the growing older population
Jan Mutchler, PhD Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging Gerontology Institute University of Massachusetts Boston
Massachusetts Council on Aging Membership Meeting 2015 February 6, 2015
SLIDE 2
Outline of Today’s Presentation:
▸What is a needs assessment? ▸How can a needs assessment be helpful to a Council on Aging? ▸Steps in a needs assessment ▸Developing data for a needs assessment
SLIDE 3 What is a needs assessment?
▸”Needs assessment is the process of identifying needs, prioritizing them, making needs-based decisions, allocating resources, and implementing actions in organizations to resolve problems underlying important needs.”
SLIDE 4
How Can a Needs Assessment be Helpful to a Council on Aging?
▸Provide backdrop for planning ▸Achieve internal goals ▸Achieve external goals
SLIDE 5 8 Steps for Conducting a Needs Assessment
Identify parameters Identify needed information Determine what information exists already Design methods/instruments Collect/analyze data Prepare report Obtain stakeholder feedback
Formal dissemination S2 S1 S1 S1 S2 S3 S3 S3
SLIDE 6
Pre-assessment: Stage 1
▸Understand WHY you are conducting a needs assessment
▸Broad and informative, or targeted to a specific goal
▸Develop a roadmap and timeline for the process
▸Accept that this will change and be delayed
▸Identify areas of concern or potential barriers
▸Develop strategies about how to overcome them
▸Promote Awareness
SLIDE 7 Demographic
Sample survey Community comparison Key informant interviews Focus groups Community Forum Asset map
Potential components
assessment
Assessment: Stage 2
SLIDE 8
Some sources of demographic data
▸U.S. Census Bureau
▸Decennial census ▸American Community Survey
▸Other organizations that generate projections
▸Donahue Institute at UMass ▸Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
▸Organizations that package demographic data from these and other sources
▸MAPC ▸http://mahealthyagingcollaborative.org/data- report/explore-the-profiles/
SLIDE 9
Using demographic data
▸Opportunities and examples:
▸Data from the decennial Census (latest was 2010) for every community: age, race, sex, household composition, owner occupied residence ▸Data from the American Community Survey (conducted annually). Available every year in one- year files (for the largest communities); in three year files (for medium-sized communities) and in five year files (for small communities)
SLIDE 10 Source: 2010 Census of Population
SLIDE 11
Growth of older population for Hingham, 2000-2010
Population 2010 Population 2000 % growth All ages 22,157 19,882 11% Age 50-59 3,299 2,989 10% Age 60-79 4,020 2,872 40% Age 80+ 1,715 828 107%
SLIDE 12 Growth in the number of residents by age group, 2000-2010, Littleton
Source: 2010 and 2000 Census, Summary File 1, Table QT-P1 9%
45% 37% 37% 38%
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% Total all ages Under age 50 Age 50-59 Age 60+ Age 60-79 Age 80+
SLIDE 13 Springfield: Change in number of residents age 60+, by race and ethnicity (2000-2010)
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% 120% All age 60+ White non- Hispanic Black non-Hispanic Hispanic Source: 2000 and 2010 Census of Population
SLIDE 14 Source: 2010 Census of Population
SLIDE 15 Source: Donahue Institute, University of Massachusetts
SLIDE 16 Source: Donahue Institute, University of Massachusetts
SLIDE 17 In Falmouth, seniors are expected to make up nearly half of the population
5,000 10,000 15,000 20,000 25,000 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2030
Under age 60 Age 60 and
Source: 1980-2010 Census of Population; Donahue Institute (2020-2030)
SLIDE 18
Some features of population composition, from the U.S. Census Bureau website
SLIDE 19 Percent of homeowners who are age 60+
55% 32% 40% 42% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Falmouth Boston Hingham Newton Source: 2008-12 American Community Survey
SLIDE 20 Percentage with disability among residents age 65+
23% 41% 34%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% Barnstable Brockton Massachusetts
SLIDE 21 Percentage of 65+ residents with an independent living disability*
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% Barnstable Chicopee Cambridge Plymouth Worcester *having difficulty doing errands alone, such as visiting a doctor’s office or shopping Source: 2008-2012 American Community Survey
SLIDE 22 Median household income in Worcester
$25,955 $44,580
$0 $10,000 $20,000 $30,000 $40,000 $50,000
Householder 65+ All householders
SLIDE 23 Fall River Springfield
Source: 2008-2012 American Community Survey
SLIDE 24 Percentage in Linguistically Isolated Households, Boston
12% 19% 20%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% Age 45-59 Age 60-79 Age 80+
SLIDE 25
Conducting a Survey
▸Establishing scope of the survey
▸What is the purpose of your assessment? ▸What information do you already have? ▸What information will you obtain some other way? ▸Prioritize your needs for information and keep your focus
SLIDE 26
Conducting a Survey
▸Creating a questionnaire
▸Harvest questions from existing questionnaires ▸Plan how you will use every question asked ▸Think about your respondents when designing the questionnaire
▸Consider typeface and white space ▸Do not make it too long ▸Ask only one question at a time
▸Pilot your questionnaire with appropriate respondents
SLIDE 27
Conducting a Survey
▸Choose a means of distribution
▸Mailing or other hard-copy delivery ▸Telephone ▸Online ▸In-person
▸To sample or not to sample?
SLIDE 28
Conducting a Survey
▸From responses to data
▸Confidentiality
▸Analyzing the data ▸Making sense of the responses
SLIDE 29 Percentage Feeling Sad or Depressed in the Past Month
23% 24% 4% 6%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% Seniors Boomers Sometimes Often or always
SLIDE 30 Difficulty Providing Care for Disabled Adults (among caregivers)
37% 68% 36% 17% 27% 15%
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Seniors Boomers
Very or somewhat difficult Neither difficult nor easy Somewhat or very easy
SLIDE 31 Driving Involvement
5% 21% 44% 56% 51% 23% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Age 60-79 Age 80+ Do not drive Modified driving Drive without modification
SLIDE 32 Percentage Willing to Pay a Nominal Fee to Participate in Senior Center Programs and Activities
86% 73%
65% 70% 75% 80% 85% 90%
Senior Center participants Senior Center nonparticipants
SLIDE 33 Support for Tax Work-off Program in the Community (Respondents 60+)
3% 5% 18% 27% 47%
0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 50% Strongly
Oppose Neither favor nor oppose Favor Strongly favor
SLIDE 34
“What are your greatest concerns about staying in your community as you grow older?”
▸ “I live on $1,317 a month Social Security check. My car is 16 years old. My house will need a new roof soon. I don’t know where I will get money for these things.” (Female, age 69) ▸ “How will I get around for errands and social activities when I can no longer drive?” (Female, age 52) ▸ “(I worry) that my spouse will die and leave me” (Male, age 82) ▸ “Getting mind and body to the end at the same time” (Female, age 85)
SLIDE 35
Focus groups
▸Adding depth to survey findings ▸Adding life to demographic results ▸Learning about special issues or difficult-to- reach populations ▸Obtain input from other stakeholders, such as other Town offices or organizations ▸Hearing from the community when a survey is not practical
SLIDE 36
Organizing a focus group
▸ Prepa epare who, where, when, and why
▸ Develop prompts and follow-ups
▸ Aim for groups of 6-10; sessions 60-90 minutes long ▸ Bring a note-taker or record the event ▸ Bring food ▸ Attempt to hear from everyone in the room ▸ Attempt to keep the conversation focused on the subject at hand (for the most part) ▸ Respect time limits ▸ Allow time afterward for the team to review notes and transcripts, discuss, and draw conclusions
SLIDE 37
Focus group prompts
▸NOT
▸“Do you think your department works well with the Council on Aging?”
▸BETTER
▸“Tell me about your department’s experience with the Council on Aging”
SLIDE 38
Post-Assessment: Stage 3
▸Dissemination of results
▸Printed and/or electronic report ▸Public presentations ▸News articles ▸Fact sheet
SLIDE 39
Concluding Thoughts
▸Be clear about the PURPOSE of your assessment ▸Have a detailed timeline and roadmap of the process
▸Build in extra time
▸Create awareness in the community ▸Consider research partners ▸Determine appropriate sources of data ▸Stay realistic
▸NEED versus WANT
SLIDE 40
Thank you!
Jan E. Mutchler: jan.mutchler@umb.edu
http://www.umb.edu/demographyofaging
