# Presentation: 730805

## Step 1: Assess Community Readiness and Capacity for Supporting Aging Well and Long Term Living

- Karen Johnson, President/CEO, United Ways of Texas
- _[karen.johnson@uwtexas.org](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)_
- (512) 478-6601

## Community Assessments 

- In order to complete a community assessment, you should:
- Understand the environment in which older Texans live
- Identify the resources and unique talents of those living in your community
- Design a strategic plan
- Determine which resources help achieve the goals outlined in the strategic plan
- Empower members of your community
- (DADS 2005)

- United Ways of Texas

- Department of Aging and Disability Services.

## Who Completes Community Assessments?

- Some assessments are not directly related to aging issues while others are directed solely towards discovering the needs of the aging population.  All the groups in a community need to work together for the benefit of the aging population.

## Community Assessments

- Of course there are opportunities and challenges relating to the completion of community assessments:
- Bringing awareness to the needs of a diverse population
- Mobilizing community leaders

- United Ways of Texas

## National Governors Association Initiative

- Promoting Elder-Friendly Communities
- Governors may wish to re-examine the earlier impact of baby-boomers on communities, employ the most up-to-date techniques that promote growth and quality of life, and borrow from the best practices of their colleagues. Activities could include:
- Educational efforts
- Implementing community design strategies
- Highlighting best practices of various private/public partnership models
- (DADS 2005)

- United Ways of Texas

## Executive Order of the Governor, 2005

**“****The Department of Aging and Disability Services shall work with public and private community partners, including state and local governments, to build capacity to serve a growing aging population through partnership development and action planning using formal community assessment processes.”**

- United Ways of Texas

## Aging Texas Well

- Assessment is a good model
- Other states are creating their own models such as the Successful Aging Initiative of The Cleveland Foundation and the Kansas Lifelong Community
- Community involvement from all levels and walks of life is critical to success
- A community assessment is just the starting point
- To access the community assessment tool, go to the DADS website: http://www.dads.state.tx.us/services/agingtexaswell/communityassessment/step1.html

- United Ways of Texas

## Recommendations

- Complete community assessments using the Aging Texas Well guidelines
- Work with your local Area Agency on Aging
- Work with your local United Ways and others, who are already completing assessments
- If you are a small community without this support take the lead and use the state’s resources on the web

- United Ways of Texas

## Karen Johnson, President/CEO, United Ways of Texas

- _[karen](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)__[.](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)__[johnson](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)__[@](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)__[uwtexas](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)__[.org](mailto:karen.johnson@uwtexas.org)_
- (512) 478-6601