Mississippi Administrative Code › Title 18 - HUMAN SERVICES › Part 2 - Division of Aging and Adult Services › Chapter 1 - State Plan on Aging › Section 18-2-1-VIII - Statewide Needs Assessment

Current through June 25, 2024
The overall goal of the 2011 Mississippi Older Adults Needs
				  Assessment and this report is to provide insight into factors that affect
				  Mississippi's ability to meet the added demands of an increasing aging
				  population and to address the requirements of the Older Americans Act of 1965.
				  Specifically:
1. Project the change in
				the number of older individuals in the state.
2. Analyze how such changes may affect
				individuals, including individuals with low incomes, individuals with greatest
				economic need, minority older individuals, older individuals residing in rural
				areas, and older individuals with limited English proficiency.
3. Analyze how programs, policies, and
				services provided by the state can be improved, including coordinating with
				Area Agencies on Aging (AAA), and how resource levels can be adjusted to meet
				the needs of the changing population of older individuals in the
				state.
4. Analyze how the change in
				the number of individuals aged 85 and older in the state is expected to affect
				the need for supportive services.
METHODS:
Data:
Data for the 2011 Mississippi Older Adults Needs Assessment
				  were collected from several primary and secondary sources in order to fully
				  address the goals and objectives of the study. Primary data were collected
				  through a telephone survey - the General Needs Assessment Survey - of
				  Mississippians 55 and older, a telephone survey - the Waiting List Needs
				  Assessment Survey - of Mississippians currently on a waiting list for DAAS
				  services, and a focus group of service providers. All primary data collection
				  was undertaken during the months of February and March 2011.
Additional data included administrative and secondary sources
				  consisting of population estimates and projections from the U.S. Census Bureau,
				  socioeconomic and demographic data from the Current Population Survey, health
				  indicator data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and service
				  trend data from the Administration on Aging. These supporting sources of data
				  were vital in meeting and fully addressing the goals and objectives of the
				  study because they allowed comparisons to be made between state and national
				  trends and provided a more complete picture of the aging population, its
				  specific characteristics, and the daily challenges they face.
The minimum age for inclusion in the GNAS component of the
				  assessment was 55 years rather than 60, the age when individuals are eligible
				  for services. This was done so agencies can begin planning not only for those
				  currently eligible for services but for those who will become eligible in the
				  next five years. Respondents were selected using list-assisted
				  random-digit-dialing (RDD), which includes both listed and unlisted telephone
				  numbers. A representative sample of 1,025 Mississippians 55 and older completed
				  the survey. There was equal representation of survey respondents from each of
				  the ten AAAs, and the margin of error was +/- 3 percent for responses.
For both telephone surveys, information was gathered on a
				  variety of topics, including the health, well-being, economic situation, and
				  social support status of respondents.
Sample Characteristics:
The characteristics of the sampled populations are reported
				  in Table 1. The sampled group for the GNAS is an accurate representation of
				  Mississippi's overall population of people 55 and older and the population
				  served by DAAS when comparing national data and previous research. The WLNAS
				  sample is more representative of low-income Mississippians, a group that is
				  underrepresented in the GNAS. The underrepresentation of the aging population
				  with low income in the GNAS does not affect results.
Gender
.
Mississippi's
				  55-and-older population has a gender breakdown of 53.9 percent male and 46.1
				  percent female (Current Population Survey 2008-2010). Over 70 percent of AAA
				  clients were female (Preliminary MDHS 2010 Data). Like most surveys, there was
				  a much higher percentage of female participation compared to male
				  participation. The GNAS included 279 males (27 percent) and 744 females (73
				  percent). The WLNAS included 50 males (17.7 percent) and 229 females (80.9
				  percent).
Race
.
Mississippi's
				  55-and-older population is 73 percent white and 26 percent African-American
				  (Current Population Survey). The GNAS mirrors this breakdown, while the WLNAS
				  has just over 60 percent of respondents as white and about 37 percent as
				  African-American. Administrative data from the Mississippi Department of Human
				  Services for Fiscal Year 2010 reports that over half of clients were
				  African-American while less than 48 percent were white.
The report presents the results of a study conducted to
				  evaluate the needs of the elderly population along with information that
				  highlights strengths and weaknesses of the services provided to senior citizens
				  in the state. The data came from multiple sources, including the most recent
				  Census data, national and state epidemiological data, and administrative data.
				  Data were also collected through two telephone surveys and a computer-assisted
				  focus group to provide information on the awareness and use of services
				  provided by the Mississippi Department of Human Services Division of Aging and
				  Adult Services (DAAS) and on the developing need for services over the next 10
				  years to meet projected changes in the aging population. The telephone surveys
				  and focus group were conducted during February and March 2011. Data collected
				  from the telephone surveys included health, well-being, and economic and social
				  support variables on the general 55-and-older population in the state and from
				  a sample of seniors awaiting services from DAAS.
The data reveal several straightforward conclusions regarding
				  population characteristics, health, services, and needs.
POPULATION CHARACTERISTICS
* Mississippi's elderly population will increase by 30
				  percent by 2020 and double by 2050
* Thirteen percent of those 65 and older continue to be
				  actively engaged in the workforce
* On average, the elderly population earns just over $25,000
				  per year
* Seventeen percent of the elderly population lives in
				  poverty
HEALTH
* An appreciative number of the elderly are disabled
* Obesity and diabetes are becoming the most prevalent health
				  issues among the elderly
SERVICES
* Twenty-nine thousand elderly were served in 2009, an
				  increase of 32 percent from 2006
* Home-delivered meals is the most prevalent service provided
* Congregate meal service needs are growing at a faster rate
				  than other service needs
NEEDS
* Current and future concerns center on personal physical
				  health and financial well-being
* Lack of affordable, accessible, and reliable healthcare and
				  transportation
* Senior discount programs, repair services, home delivered
				  meals, home healthcare, and information and referral services are top-ranked
				  service needs
* Those who seek assistance are among the most vulnerable
				  elderly population in the state
* Clear lack of awareness of services available to
				  seniors
RECOMMENDATIONS
In sum, the 2011 Mississippi Older Adults Needs Assessment
				  shows that older adults have greatly varying needs and that no single service
				  or program will be an answer to every individual. There are, however,
				  recommendations that can help the state better meet the needs of the aging
				  population in Mississippi:
* Increase capacity to absorb the growing elderly population
				  along with the increased demand for services
* Develop capacity to provide home healthcare assistance
* Develop programs to include repair services and referral
				  services
* Develop appropriate workforce to meet the demands for jobs
				  serving the elderly
* Develop marketing campaign for raising awareness of
				  services provided to seniors
* Build strong and sustainable partnerships with for-profit
				  and nonprofit organizations
* Develop educational campaign about aging and the role of
				  the elderly in the community