A Quality of Life Assessment

Project Team

Project Consultant: Amy Flowers, Ph.D.

Project Manage: Kathryn Dodge, Ph.D.

Project Advocate: Torie Foote

Advisory Committee

Hank Bartos

Denise Daniello

Wendy Dominique

Jennifer Jolis

Banarsi Lal

Karen Parr

Bella Jean Savino

Freda M. Williams

Vickie L. Wilson

Allison K. Wing

Karen Wood

The Question

What services and characteristics of

Fairbanks encourage seniors and baby

boomers to stay – or leave – the FNSB?

What actions can the FNSB, community,

and service providers take to strengthen

these services or characteristics?

Methodology

414 early input survey participants

35 qualitative and in-person interviews

11 community forums with 78 participants

Phone/on-line/paper survey 251 seniors

250 baby boomers

49 internet / paper

Gender of All Respondents

43%

57%

Male

Female

Age of All Respondents

2%

45%

32%

16%

5%

Under 45

45-64

65-75

76-85

Over 85

Race/Ethnicity of All Participants3% 5%

0%

89%

3%

African American

Alaska Native

Pacific Islander

White

Other

Male45%

Female55%

Gender

n=500

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 90 91 93 94 95108

Pe

rce

nta

ge

Age

"Age Distribution"

African American

2%Alaska Native

3%

Hispanic1%

Asian American1%

White92%

Other2%

Ethnicity

n=478

Employed Full time30%

Employed part time11%

Unemployed2%

Stay-at-home parent

homemaker or caregiver

2%

Retired52%

Medical disability

2%

Decline to answer

1%

Employment Status

n=496

$0 to $19,9994%

$20,000 to 29,0006% $30,000 to

$39,9998%

$40,000 to $49,000

7%

$50,000 to $59,999

11%$60,000 to

$74,99912%

$75,000 to $99,999

12%

$100,000 or more16%

Decline to State23%

Annual Household Income

n=501

$19,999 or less

$20,000 to 29,000

$30,000 to

$39,999

$40,000 to

$49,000

$50,000 to

$59,999

$60,000 to

$74,999

$75,000 to

$99,999

$100,000 or more

5.5%3.7%

6.9%

9.2%

14.3% 14.3%

20.7%

25.3%

6.0%

13.3%15.1%

10.2%

13.3%

17.5%

10.2%

14.5%

Income and Future vs. Current Seniors

45-64 years of age 65 and over

n=383Significant at .05

Another city in Alaska

23%

Another state75% Lived here all

my life2%

Moved From

n=500

4 years or less2%

5 to 9 years3%

10 to 14 years6%

15 years or longer89%

How long have you lived in FNSB?

n=498

Rent10%

Own90%

Home Ownership Status

n=495

House91%

Apartment6%

Retirement Community

1%

Assisted Living1%

Other1%

“Which of the following best describes where you live?“

n=499

Yes74%

No26%

“Do you have immediate family in the Borough?”

n=499

Common Complaints

Not enough Medicare doctors

Door to door transportation should be

readily available – wherever the door

is in the borough

Don’t want to ask people for help

Don’t know who or where to ask for

help

Energy too expensive

Limited housing options

Common Misconceptions

Borough has social service powers

Tax dollars pay to deliver

transportation services

I can move when I need to

Boomers will never be seniors

No jobs available for seniors

Proposed Service Delivery Model

CentralizedService Delivery

North

Pole

Chena

Ridge

SalchaEster

Two

Rivers

Fox

Importance of Services to Boomers and Seniors

1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00

Job training and career development�

*Job opportunities�

Continuing education and learning

Recreational opportunities�

Public transportation�

Mental Health services�

Sense of community�

Availability of assisted living facilities�

Caregiver support services�

Affordable senior housing�

Services to help seniors stay in homes�

Doctors specializing in older people

Doctors that take Medicare�

2.32

2.54

2.78

2.86

3.04

3.07

3.20

3.29

3.33

3.42

3.52

3.57

3.78

2.45

2.80

2.76

2.96

3.04

2.99

3.11

3.24

3.29

3.41

3.52

3.55

3.69

45-64 65+

Not at all Important Very important* Significant at .05

Satisfaction with service

1.00 1.50 2.00 2.50 3.00 3.50 4.00

Doctors that take Medicare�

*Affordable senior housing�

Availability of assisted living facilities�

*Doctors specializing in older people

Services to help seniors stay in homes�

Mental Health services �

Public transportation�

Job opportunities�

*Caregiver support services�

Job training and career development�

*Recreational opportunities�

Continuing education and learning�

Sense of community�

2.23

2.20

2.29

2.29

2.47

2.58

2.68

2.84

2.59

2.75

3.00

3.12

3.12

2.35

2.43

2.44

2.51

2.63

2.76

2.80

2.82

2.89

2.93

3.21

3.22

3.24

45-64 65+

Very Somewhat Somewhat VeryDissatisfied Dissatisfied Satisfied Satisfied

* Significant at .05

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

�Crime prevention or safety �

�Local job opportunities�

�Long term care: Availability of facilities�

�Parks and recreation�

�Healthcare: Physicians refusing to take …

�Availability of services for caregivers�

�Assisted living: Availability of facilities�

�Inflation �

�Public transportation�

�Healthcare: General Affordability�

�Healthcare: Availability of doctors�

�Taxes �

�Housing: Availability of affordable …

�Cost of heating oil and fuel�

0.4%

0.0%

1.3%

0.4%

4.0%

0.0%

2.6%

5.7%

3.1%

4.8%

7.0%

3.5%

14.5%

47.6%

0%

0%

0%

1%

2%

3%

3%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

54%

What do you feel is the single most important issue facing older residents and seniors in the Borough?

45-64 years of age 65 and over

n= 501

Issues Sorted by Importance to Seniors

-10% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

0.0%

2.6%

3.1%

3.5%

4.0%

4.8%

5.7%

7.0%

14.5%

47.6%

3%

3%

4%

7%

2%

5%

3%

6%

8%

54%

What do you feel is the single most important issue facing older residents and seniors in the Borough?

45-64 years of age 65 and over

n= 501

Cost of Heating Oil and Fuel

Availability of Affordable Housing

Availability of Doctors

Inflation

Affordable Healthcare

Physicians that don't take Medicare

Taxes

Public Transportation

Availability of Assisted Living Facilities

Availability of Services for Caregivers

-0.1 -0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3

-0.09

-0.09

-0.09

-0.05

-0.04

-0.02

-0.01

-0.01

0.01

0.01

0.10

0.12

0.27

Difference between Boomer and Senior Importance Ratings

Gaps in Importance

Job opportunities

Job training /career development

Recreational opportunities

Services to help seniors stay in homes

Public transportation

Affordable senior housing

Doctors specializing in older people

Continuing education and learning

Caregiver support services

Availability of assisted living facilities

Mental Health services

Sense of community

Doctors that take Medicare

Attitudes towards Health Related Issues

28%

17%

16%

14%

9%

3%

58%

52%

42%

46%

42%

10%

10%

21%

32%

32%

33%

48%

3%

5%

7%

6%

8%

32%

When I need to see a doctor I can

* If memory problems become an issue I know where to go for help

*In the next 5 to 10 years I may need help with household chores like snow shoveling or maintenance

*Growing older has limited the kinds of activities I can do

If I became very sick I would no longer be able to live in my current home

I know someone who has experienced elder abuse

Strongly agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree

*Significant at .05 n=501

Comparison of Senior and Boomers on Health-Related Issues

1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

* �In the next 5 to 10 years I may need help with household chores like snow

shoveling or maintenance�

* �Growing older has limited the kinds of activities I can do�

�If I became very sick I would no longer be able to live in my current home�

* �If memory problems become an issue I know where to go for help �

�When I need to see a doctor I can�

3.0

2.9

2.6

3.0

3.2

2.4

2.5

2.5

2.8

3.1

45-64 65 and over

* Significant at .05

n=501

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Disagree Agree Agree

* Beta scores in multiple regression analysis indicate the relative impact of each variable on the

program’s overall effectiveness score.

R2=.586

Significance of the model=.000

Q55 I would like to work part-time in my

retirement years (.346)

Q42 I recognize most of the people who

live in my community (.761)

Q53 Growing older has limited the kinds

of activities I can do (-.344)

Q58 I have lost out on a promotion raise

or other benefit at work because of age

(-.502)

Q56 I know someone who has

experienced elder abuse (.460)

How important are

mental health services to

the quality of life for

seniors and future seniors

in the Borough?

Q57 “I have the information I need

regarding retirement and financial

planning for old age” (-.535)

Why Do People Stay?

Having family and friends nearby

Friendliness of community

Willingness of community to help others

Strong sense of community

Recreational and continuing education

activities

Nice place to live or raise

children

Having friends and family

nearby

Friendly neighborhood or community

Familiarity with places

Small town feel

Lived here since

childhood

Affordable living

Ability to make a positive

contribution to the

community

Nice house

21.6%

14.0%

10.8%10.0% 9.6%

8.0%

4.0% 2.0%1.2%

15.6%

30.8%

13.6%

9.6%

6.4% 6.0%

2.4% 1.6%

4.4%

What is the main reason you choose to live in the Fairbanks North Star Borough?

45-64 years of age 65 and over

n=501

Why Do People Leave?

Harsh climate

Family elsewhere

Lack of job opportunities

Cost of housing

Cost of heat

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Lack of transportation

Need for caregiver support or services

Healthcare needs

Cost of heat

Cost of housing

Lack of job opportunities

Family elsewhere

Harsh climate

1%

2%

3%

10%

11%

13%

17%34%

Q39 “What was the primary reason you considered leaving?”

n=232

Why are Seniors Important to Our

Community?

Investors

Voters

Opinion influencers

Volunteers

Mentors

Part of the family

Caregivers

Active historians

How Should We Invest in our

Seniors?

Investing in:

Transportation helps seniors stay in their

homes

Coordinating service delivery improves

quality of life and reduces expense of

service

Providing senior housing reduces injuries

and cost of service delivery

What Can We Do?

Things We Can Change or Influence Friendly community

Job opportunities for seniors & baby boomers

Cost of energy

Affordable housing

Coordination of service delivery

People friendly winter environments

Advocate for improvements in whole person healthcare

Things We Can’t Change Presence of family

Harsh climate

What Can Our Community Do?

Develop:

Aging and Disability Resource Center

Improved transportation system

System to coordinate volunteers and part-time

senior home care/rehab workers

Additional affordable senior housing

Workforce development services

Resolve health and social services powers

issue within borough

Strengthen FNSB Senior Commission

Next Steps

Make final results available to service providers, local and state government

Establish Aging and Disability Resource Center

Explore establishing transportation and service delivery system for outlying areas

Review FNSB Senior Commission placement, charter, and funding

Inform Alaska State Strategy for Senior Services

Develop local Strategy for Senior Services

Strengthen relationship with Alaska Commission on Aging

Questions?

Copy of Presentation or Final

Report

kdodge@fnsb.us

http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/MayorsOffic

e/EconomicDevelopment/default.htm