Aging in Place in the New River Valley

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Aging in Place in the New River Valley Aging in Place in the New River Valley Next Steps towards Building Lifespan Friendly Communities Prepared by the Aging in Place Leadership Team June 2015 For more Information or to Get Involved: Action 1: Conduct a NRV Aging in Place Housing Survey and Action 4: Attain Age Friendly Community Certification Nancy Brossoie, Ph.D. Senior Research Associate Center for Gerontology at Virginia Tech 540-231-2335 [email protected] Action 2: Develop aLifespan Friendly Homes Program Shelley Fortier Executive Director Habitat for Humanity of the New River Valley 540- 381-1144 [email protected] Action 3: Establish a TimeBank in the NRV Ellen Stewart Housing & Community Development Grants Coordinator Town of Blacksburg and New River Valley HOME Consortium 540-951-4347 [email protected] www.nrvhome.org Action 5: Create an Aging in Place Services Connector Tina King Executive Director New River Valley Agency on Aging 540-980-7720 [email protected] Action 6: Encourage Land Use Policies and Regulations for Lifespan Friendly Communities Carol L. Davis Sustainability Manager Town of Blacksburg, Virginia 540-558-0786 [email protected] 2 In recognition of growing housing and service challenges, Successfully Aging at Home in the New River Valley – a grassroots, community-based initiative – was established to meet an unmet and growing need: the ability of residents to age in their homes and communities. The initiative is guided by the New River Valley (NRV) Aging in Place Leadership Team—a collaboration of eight regional organizations, which emerged during the 2010-2013 NRV Livability Initiative: NRV HOME Consortium NRV Area Agency on Aging Habitat for Humanity of the NRV Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology VA Dept. for Aging & Rehabilitative Services Community Foundation of the NRV Virginia Tech School of Construction NRV Planning District Commission Aging in Place Leadership Team activities have included: 2013 Aging in Place Workshop - Over 80 community members met in Christiansburg to discuss the meaning of aging in place and conceptualize housing options and neighborhood configurations that could extend independence for older adults and foster healthy and successful aging across the lifespan. The housing, neighborhood, and community designs that emerged reflect regional values, priorities, and culture, support resident independence and self-determination, facilitate social interactions, and promote stewardship and conservation of the natural environment. The guidebook can be downloaded at: https://nrvhome.files.wordpress.com/2014/06/home-matters.pdf 2014 Aging in Place Workshop - Because participant response to the first workshop exceeded expectations and attendees were eager to delve deeper, a follow-up workshop was offered to explore the financial, policy, and decision-making obstacles that traditionally interfere with making our homes and communities truly lifespan friendly—great places to grow up and grow old. The event was attended by 125 participants, including community professionals representing aging services and advocacy, housing and community development, local and State government, as well as community members. More than 20% of attendees traveled from other regions of the state (e.g., Richmond, Charlottesville, Roanoke, & Danville) to learn more about how the NRV was addressing aging in place. Workshop discussions were robust and led to the identification of next steps for the Aging in Place Leadership Team to effectively promote aging in place in the NRV. The Aging in Place Leadership Team plans to initiate the 6 priority action items within this guidebook. It is our hope that this plan will inspire focus and momentum and serve as an invitation for other community members to participate in making this action plan a reality for the NRV. 3 #1: Conduct a NRV Aging in Place Housing Survey A comprehensive housing survey of adults aged 50+ living in the NRV is needed to identify individual and community priorities related to housing and the ability to age in place in the region. This survey of older adults will focus on characteristics of their current home, including accessibility, visit-ability, location to services and amenities, and their housing needs and wants. The survey results will help our region develop effective strategies to implement the priorities identified and promote aging in place in the NRV. Why is this survey important? According to AARP, 90% of older adults nationwide want to remain in their homes for as long as possible before dying. Yet, findings from 2010 US Census block data suggest that homes in the NRV may not be designed to accommodate the needs of aging homeowners. Most homes were built 40+ years ago and include multi-story living, stepped entries, narrow doorways and hallways, second story bedrooms and single bathrooms adjacent to the bedrooms. Most of these older homes are likely to need repairs, modifications, and energy updates to meet the needs of older residents and remain habitable. A housing survey needs to be conducted with NRV residents to identify their current and future housing needs and preferences. The information collected will be shared with residents, builders, local government officials, health and human service professionals, and persons who speak for the needs of vulnerable older residents. Findings will help: local government make informed decisions about infrastructure and service priorities builders plan for identified demand and preferences in new construction and existing home renovations service organizations manage resources effectively by focusing on identified gaps and projected future demand Potential Challenges and Solutions The primary challenge to implementing a regional phone survey is lack of funding. To address this challenge the Center for Gerontology will collect pilot data to be used as baseline data when seeking funding from foundations, local businesses, stakeholders, and local government resources. If funding for a regional phone survey or the opportunity to link to another survey opportunity conducted by the Virginia Tech Center for Survey Research does not materialize, self-administered surveys could be distributed by members of the Aging in Place Leadership Team at local events and through door-to-door canvasing. An electronic survey can also be developed to recruit respondents using social media. 4 Key Implementation Partners Nancy Brossoie, PhD, a home and community-based services evaluator at Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology has a research interest in Aging in Place. She will be responsible for overseeing project management including survey development, data collection, and analysis. She will also spearhead efforts to secure funding for regional implementation. Members of the Aging in Place Leadership Team and knowledgeable community members (builders, developers, service providers, local government officials, and residents) will be asked to provide feedback on survey questions during initial stages of survey development. Their input will ensure that a comprehensive and meaningful survey is administered. The Aging in Place Team will work closely with localities and other community partners to distribute survey results. Scope The proposed survey will be offered to householders (rent or own) aged 50+ living within the New River Valley. Each respondent will be asked to report the needs of all older members (age 50+) in the household, resulting in one survey participant per household. A representative sample size will be predetermined for each jurisdiction in the NRV. Samples will further be defined by sex, age, and housing characteristics (age, type, ownership, location) so that the needs of older residents can be effectively identified. Action Plan Identify the types of information desired and develop initial survey questions. Anticipated survey items include characteristics of the current home, accessibility, visit-ability, distance to services and amenities, and resident housing needs and wants. Identify what type of data is currently available on housing in the NRV and what data can be linked to homeowners. Use of currently available data will eliminate having to ask about information that is already accessible. Sources to be explored include Federal block census data and town personal property records. The Aging in Place Leadership Team will provide feedback on survey questions to support further refinement. Input on survey development is critical in ensuring that the multiple factors that influence housing are explored and represented. Virginia Tech Center for Gerontology will pilot the survey to ensure item reliability and validity. Pilot results will be used to solicit funds for implementing the region-wide survey. Administer survey and analyze results over a 12 month period. Ideally, the survey will be conducted by telephone within a 3 month period using the services of Virginia Tech Center for Survey Research. The timeframe allotted for hand distributed surveys is anticipated to extend to 6-9 months. It will take another 3 months to analyze and synthesize findings for the final report. Share and disseminate findings across the NRV to help inform community discussions on housing. 5 # 2: Develop a Lifespan Friendly Homes Program The Lifespan Friendly Homes Program will provide low- income homeowners with assistance to obtain low or no cost modifications to address issues that inhibit accessibility to essential parts of their home. Home modifications for elderly or disabled residents, which allow them to remain
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