strategic planning for an aging community building on assets, addressing needs paula dressel, ph.d
TRANSCRIPT
Strategic Planning for an Aging Community Building on Assets, Addressing Needs
Paula Dressel, Ph.D.
Paula Dressel, Vice President JustPartners, Inc., Baltimore, MD• How to think broadly about strategic planning
for aging communities • What such planning looks like using both
assets- and needs-based approaches• How the approaches together create
pathways for innovation in growing-demand, but financially-constrained communities
Key Points
Elders’ needs are fairly predictable, but the magnitude of those needs, and how/who best to meet them, varies across places.
Government alone can’t make places elder-friendly, so look beyond government for data, programs, resources.
Think of strategic planning for an aging community as a way to mobilize new allies.
Together with a needs assessment, assets-based information-gathering beyond the “usual suspects” can spawn innovation.
Cases from two places
Frederick County, MD
Alexandria, VA
Two different places, yet similar elder aspirations to…
Age in placeHave ready access to responsive, long-term community-based services and supports & good geriatric careLive as independently as possibleEnjoy the community’s amenities
Differing scales of growth…
60+, 201060+, 2030
0
10,000
20,000
30,000
40,000
50,000
60,000
70,000
80,000
Alexandria VAFrederick Co MD
39,792
7,298
Growth in Population 60+, 2010-2030
Differing scales of place…
Square Miles0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
Alexandria VAFrederick Co MD
Scan of needs: data
The usual suspects:• State Office on Aging
Strategic Plan• Area Agency on Aging data • Local offices and strategic
plans of Planning, Community Development, Transportation, Human Services
Don’t overlook: • Local offices of
Labor/Employment, Parks & Recreation, Natural Resources/ Environment
• Sources that identify the needs of other generations, specific ethnic groups
• Town halls, focus groups, online surveys
Scan of assets: beyond government services, programs
• Older residents themselves
• Volunteer services• Nonprofits, agencies
serving other generations, specific ethnic groups
• Local educational institutions
• Chambers of commerce, local business organizations
• Faith institutions, interfaith alliances
Illustrative opportunities: outside the box…
Local community college & AAA collaborate to enhance pipeline for CNAs
Local businesses develop new products and services that enable aging in place
Institutional meals programs utilize Community-Supported Agriculture
Older volunteers address community needs
Options for developing a Strategic Plan on Aging…
Do-It-Yourself Enlist a consultant
Combine theseE.g., consultant for town halls, focus groups, surveys
In-house staff, with available time, tools, resources
Turn-key process and product with local input, if funds available
