Being Independent As Long As Possible: Are Community Support Services Enough for Aging-in-Place?

Background and Purpose: As people age, they want to remain in their own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably as long as possible, regardless of age, income, or ability. One of important factors for successful aging-in-place is community support services. However, many communities are not designed to meet the changing and unique needs of older adults. The purpose of this study is to assess needs and challenges of community support services for their optimal aging at home in the Wood County, Ohio, with research question: Is Wood County an optimal place to age in place?

Methods: This study is a cross-sectional, exploratory study with a mixed quantitative and qualitative methodology. Data was collected by focus groups in Wood County, Ohio. Participants were recruited from seven sites of Wood County Committee of Aging through newsletters (e.g., newsletter of Wood County Senior Center and BG-Sentinel) in Wood County. Participants are aged 60 and older, regardless of gender, race and ethnicity, dwelling in the Wood County. Participants were asked to fill out the questionnaire and researchers helped them to fill it out when they need assistances. The questions included general information about participants, quality of life, independence, social relationship, environmental safety, and spirituality. And then they participated in the focus group. Each focus group session lasted for 50 minutes. Audio-recorded and observation notes taken for focus groups were transcribed. Researchers then analyzed transcripts and notes, developing new cate­gories through observation and discussion and creating common themes.

Findings:  The 50 participants (average age = 76.42; range = 61–101) are predominantly Caucasian American (98%), female (76%), living alone (74%), and high educated (90% was more than high school graduate). From qualitative data analysis, several themes emerged from the transcribed data, including social interaction, accessibility to community support services, safety environment, support system, self-determination, independence, and adjustment for changing needs. The findings indicated that Wood County needs to develop a county-wide volunteer service for older adults home-bounded without transportation, find “trusted” service for safety, develop programs and/or activities to meet needs and desires of baby boomers, remodel the environment of senior centers, and raise public awareness to erase stigma toward senior centers. Quantitative data analysis indicated that the average scores of quality of life of participants including level of independence, social relationship, environmental safety, and spirituality were 3.2~4.2 (range, 1~5). An independent sample t-test was conducted to examine how two age groups (under aged 85 and 85+) differ in quality of life, showing that younger group was significantly higher in psychological quality of life and level of independence.

Conclusion and implications:

The synthesis of qualitative and quantitative research findings indicate that Wood County appears the optimal place to age-in place, given community based services to meet changing needs of older adults. Social workers can help develop programs to meet needs and desires of baby boomers for their aging-in-place, advocate for older people to stop negative stereotype, monitor possible changes of quality of life they may have although participants satisfy with their current conditions.