Staff of local governments, Area Agencies on Aging, home owners’ associations, facilities and programs for older adults are increasingly aware that the growing number of older residents will change drastically the demands for service. Planning for the increased number of older adults requires the wisdom to ask older adults themselves about their circumstances and needs. NRC offers a unique scientific survey of older adults’ perceptions of their communities and future needs. Our customizable services include consultation, administration, analysis and reporting on a variety of older adult needs. The NRC older adult needs assessment service package serves as a strategic planning and evaluation tool that communities may use to develop their older adult service plans, determine how future resources will be allocated, evaluate their current service provision, influence key stakeholders, empower community members and monitor success .
Objectives |
Identify community strengths and weaknesses |
Methods |
Multi-contact mailed survey |
Goals |
Provide useful, information for planning, resource allotment, development and leverage, advocacy efforts and stakeholder engagement |
The CASOA package consists of a:
- A systematic and representative sample of older adults
A 5-page templatized survey mailed to 1,000 randomly selected older adult households (48% average response rate)
A results brief highlighting 20+ areas of community strength and weakness and prevalence for 40+ common older adults needs
The economic contribution of older adults in your community
Insight into your older adult population's needs, perspectives and potential to age productively in your community
A baseline understanding of your older adult population that can be used to compare changes over time
Use of the CASOA will provide insight into your older adult population’s needs, perspectives and potential to age productively in your community and will offer a baseline understanding of your older adult population that can be used to compare future findings. Planners will use results for creating new facilities and programs, training, and updating policies.
Additional features that can be added to the basic CASOA package:
- Benchmark comparisons of key results compared to more than 35,000 older adults in 175+ communities across the nation
Demographic profiles of your current older adult population
Demographic projections of future older adult population and needs
A fully interpreted, detailed report including a set of recommendations to address larger areas of community need
A stakeholder package including a stylized study brief and PowerPoint® slideshow
Spanish and other language translation and administration
The Cost of CASOA
National Research Center developed CASOA to be a low-cost means to obtaining high quality needs assessment data. The package is customizable to make if affordable to communities both large and small. See our reduced introductory pricing for first time clients.
CASOA has just finished being implemented in 5 cities: Dallas, TX, Walnut Creek, CA, Novi, MI, Delhi Township, MI and Arvada, CO. For more infomation about the CASOA services, contact casoa@n-r-c.com.
Topics Assessed Through CASOA
CASOA focuses on a series of resident needs and community supports that foster successful aging. More than 40 common issues affecting older adults drawn from older adult programming practices and the literature on aging are assessed in categories of health and wellness; community land use and design; participation in various productive activities and community resources for information and planning. Opinions about current community amenities and opportunities also are measured in the assessment.
The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults™ (CASOA) Focus Areas
Health and WellnessPhysical health
Mental health
Health Care
Safety
Independent Living
|
Community Design and Land UseLand use
Mobility
Housing
|
Productive ActivitiesCivic Engagement
Civic Engagement
Employment & Education
Recreation, Arts & Culture
Caregiving contribution Economic contribution |
Information and PlanningInformation
|
Results to Expect from CASOA
As a result of implementing CASOA in your community, you will be provided with information to answer these questions: answers illustrate fictionalized data.
How do older residents rate our community today?
What characteristics of our community foster or hinder our older adult population's ability to "age in place"?
Area of need |
Percent with need |
Number affected in 2008 (n=40,119) |
Civic engagement needs |
69% |
27,682 |
Information and planning needs |
63% |
25,275 |
Housing needs |
54% |
21,664 |
Physical health needs |
46% |
18,455 |
Social Engagement needs |
49% |
19,658 |
Social support needs |
77% |
30,892 |
Mental health needs |
36% |
14,443 |
Home maintenance needs |
42% |
16,850 |
Financial needs |
46% |
18,455 |
Health care needs |
31% |
12,437 |
Employment and education needs |
74% |
29,688 |
Recreation, arts and culture needs |
63% |
25,275 |
Institutionalization risk needs |
47% |
18,856 |
Caregiver burden needs |
72% |
28,886 |
Mobility needs |
41% |
16,449 |
Safety needs |
54% |
21,664 |
View sample report with fictionalized data.
Analyses of the CASOA Benchmark Dataset
The following presentations were made at the 2009 Aging in America Conference hosted by the American Society on Aging and the National Council on Aging. The analyses are based on a series of databases capturing the opinions and behaviors more than 35,000 older adults across the nation.
Civic Engagement or Purpose/Meaning in Aging: Harnessing the Treasure in the Golden Tidal Wave
National Research Center researchers reported the findings from surveys on civic engagement conducted with older adults to demonstrate the prevalence of older resident civic behaviors and to assess the extent to which strong civic engagement relates to other measures of resident health and well-being.
An Innovative Approach to Assessing Seniors' Needs in a Community
The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) is a customizable public opinion survey that explores older residents' perceptions of a community and assesses their current and anticipated future needs. This session described the process by which the City of San Mateo used this innovative survey tool and presented a case study of its use.
Presented by Richard Adler, Project Director for the Institute for the Future; Sheila Canzian,
Director of the City of San Mateo’s Department of Parks & Recreation; and Michelle Kobayashi, Vice President of National Research Center.
Livable Communities: Are Our Communities "Liveable" for Older Residents?
This session examined the results of series of surveys that focus on community livability. National patterns of community strengths and challenges will be highlighted. Identifying these "drivers" of senior opinion can help guide community planning strategies.
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