Regional Planning for Aging in Place: Older Adults' Perceptions of Needs and Awareness of Aging Services in Washington State

Abstract

AbstractAging in place (AIP), or being able to maintain independence in one's home and community, will be a big challenge for older adults in coming decades. As interest in AIP, age‐friendly policies, and livable community initiatives grows, successful policy planning should be based on the perspectives of older adults, especially those from marginalized communities with limited resources. We surveyed 252 community‐dwelling older adults (M = 73.61; SD = 8.44) via computer‐assisted‐telephone interviews about their health, support needs, access to services/supports, and awareness of the local aging services organization. Nearly one‐third of participants (31%) reported having unmet support needs for their activities of daily living. The most prevalent unmet needs were related to home maintenance tasks (i.e., home repairs, yard work, housekeeping, and other services). Regression analyses revealed that poor health (physical and mental) increased risk for unmet needs, but adequate knowledge of aging services lowered the risk (all p < 0.05). Most participants were not familiar with the local aging services organization and nearly one‐quarter did not know where to get the help they needed. Content analysis revealed four pathways of anticipated help: (1) reliance on friends/family, (2) general expectations that government, social services, or community support will be available, (3) pursuit of non‐specific searches for support, and (4) referrals from medical professionals. Raising awareness about affordable community‐based aging services, bolstering cross‐sector engagement, and proactively investing in age‐friendly community initiatives are necessary actions toward effectively planning for future support needs and addressing the comprehensive AIP needs of diverse older adults.