Senior Assets for Optimal Living:Improving Quality of Life for Midland’s Seniors

Jennifer HeronemaPresident & CEOThe Legacy Center

Alan BrownExecutive DirectorSenior Services

Why initiate this effort?• With the projected increase in the senior population in

general, and in older (over 80) seniors in particular, it will be critical for communities to wisely allocate scarce resources to assure the highest return on investment in protecting, caring for, and engaging our older citizens

• Senior Services was inspired by the positive outcomes youth experienced as a result of communitywide collaboration on Developmental Assets

What are Senior Assets?• By identifying those community, family and individual Assets

most conducive to optimal living for seniors, and assessing the degree to which they are present, interventions to increase and support those Assets could be more readily identified

• Senior Assets are a set of positive traits, qualities, and attributes necessary for seniors to succeed, be happy, and thrive

• Collaboration between Senior Services and The Legacy Center • Endorsement from Michigan Office of Services to the Aging• Funding provided by the Rollin M. Gerstacker Foundation• Assembled Steering Team of 20 experienced, and

knowledgeable senior advocates• Utilized federal, state and local research to identify Senior

Assets

4

How were they developed?

• Steering Team identified 32 Senior Assets that increase the likelihood that seniors will thrive– 18 External Assets—senior’s relationships– 14 Internal Assets—senior’s intrinsic qualities

• Model tested with survey of 120 Focus Group members and 1,475 Midland County seniors in May 2014

5

How were they developed?

7

Demographic Information

SURVEY DATA CENSUS DATA

Female Male TOTAL Female Male TOTAL

60-69 20% 11% 31% 24% 25% 49%

70-79 25% 13% 38% 19% 15% 34%

80+ 21% 10% 31%

12% 6% 17%

Total 66% 34% 1,475 54% 46% 16,54960-69; 31%

70-79; 38%

80-89; 25%

90+; 6%

What is your Age and Gender?

Do you Reside in the City of Midland?

City County

73%

27%

53%47%

Survey DataCensus Data

Survey Census

Yes 1045 73%

53%

No 390 27%

47%

Do you reside in Assisted Living?

Yes 41 3%No 1382 97%

Midland County: Assisted Living and Adult Foster Care estimated 335 capacity = 2.02% of our senior population

Is Social Security your Main Source of Income?

Nationally, almost 75% of Social Security recipients aged 65+ depend on Social Security for all or most of their monthly income. (Social Security Administration, 2012)

8

Demographic Information

Yes 587 41%

No842 59%

• Highest levels of Senior Assets associated with participation in Programs and Faith-Based Activities– Seniors participating in Programs have 24.9 of 32 Assets– Seniors in Faith-Based Activities have 24.4 of 32 Assets

• Seniors participating in Programs and Faith-Based Activities report– Feeling encouraged to live well– Having more supportive friendships– Having a sense of purpose

• However, participation rates in these Senior Assets are the lowest of all– Faith-Based Activities—41.6%– Programs—40.9%

11

Key FindingsPrograms/Faith-Based Activities

18.4

25.0 26.9 28.231.7 32.8

40.3

SS Not Main: Social Security is not Senior’s main source of incomeAssisted No: Senior does not reside in Assisted LivingSS Main: Social Security is Senior’s main source of incomeAssisted Yes: Senior resides in Assisted Living

Programs: Percent of Respondents Reporting 0 Hours/Week Spent in Clubs, Groups, or

Organizations

14.716.6 17.2 18.0

19.821.8

31.7

SS Not Main: Social Security is not Senior’s main source of incomeAssisted No: Senior does not reside in Assisted LivingSS Main: Social Security is Senior’s main source of incomeAssisted Yes: Senior resides in Assisted Living

Faith-Based Activities: Percent of Respondents Reporting 0 Hours/Week Spent in faith- based

program or service

• In addition to Programs and Faith-Based Activities, Family Boundaries and Caring Groups offer the greatest opportunities for Asset Growth

• Only 55% of respondents report having Family Boundaries (3rd lowest)

• Only 62% report having Caring Groups; Seniors tend to lose this Asset as they age (4th lowest)

Key FindingsFamily Boundaries/ Caring Groups

Older seniors (90+) experience the greatest deficit in Senior Assets, especially those Assets enabling social-emotional health (Caring Groups, Positive Peers, Learning Engagement, Creative Activities and Programs)

15

Other Noteworthy Findings

Senior Assets that Decrease with Age:

• Respondents indicating SS as their main source of income report appreciably lower levels of most Senior Assets (Caring Groups, Programs, Senior as a Resource, Learning Engagement, Other Relationships and Creative Activities)

• Seniors living with assistance have fewer Senior Assets than those living independently

16

Other Noteworthy Findings

• Respondents living outside the City of Midland have a lower number of Senior Assets

• Men report lower levels of Senior Assets than women

• Nearly 25% of seniors have not discussed their expectations and wishes with family members

17

Other Noteworthy Findings

• 20% of seniors report having no family nearby

• 11% of respondents indicate that their families seldom or never try to help them

• Most seniors believe that their finances are safe from exploitation and scams

18

Other Noteworthy Findings

• Explore other approaches to meaningful involvement in caring groups, clubs and organizations, especially for lower income, rural residents and men

• Improve access to transportation options, especially for lower income and rural residents

• Explore other avenues of meaningful involvement and support, such as outreach, virtual connections and other electronic options

• Strengthen public awareness of scams and exploitation and provide credible and easy options for answers and support

19

ImplicationsAction Items

• Encourage older adults and families to define expectations, boundaries and preferences around medical directives, living situation, finances and level of involvement

• Explore avenues for surrogate support for 20% of seniors without family members nearby

• Explore ways to offer meaningful connections and involvement, being aware of the physical and cognitive challenges for our oldest adults

• Programs and services should be sensitive to the different needs of those over 80

20

Implications

• Increasing outreach to the “hidden” population of seniors• Collaborating with organizations with high density population

of seniors to share the importance of Senior Assets• Lunchtime Learners session• Series of articles in Primetimes, Senior Services’ monthly

publication

Progress

What questions may we address?

22