Northeast Missouri Area Agency on Aging: Older Adults Survey

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. Your feedback is appreciated!

This survey takes about 10-15 minutes to complete.

To begin, please think back to the fall of 2019 and first two months of 2020 (before the spread of the coronavirus).

Question Title

* 1. What did you see as the top three needs or priorities among your older adult clientele/in your community (before the pandemic)? Please select either three of the following options or type in other priorities as you see them.

Need for home delivery of meals/access to healthy food and nutrition

Need for social interaction/socialization

Need for financial assistance

Need for transportation assistance

Need for safety/well-being checks

Need for safe/affordable housing

Need for assistance with maintaining household/home repairs

Need for affordable residential/nursing care

Need for respite/support for caregivers

Need for disease management/medication monitoring

Need for mental health treatment/support

Need for help with shopping and other errands

Need for assistance with utility bills

Other (see below)

If you checked "other" above, please add other priorities in this space:

Question Title

* 2. What were some of your client’s biggest barriers to getting the services they needed before the pandemic? Please select 3 to 5 or type in your own if they are not on the list.

Lack of transportation

Reduction in funding resulting in service limits

Can't afford services

Long wait time/difficulty applying or getting an appointment

Unaware of available services

Mental/cognitive issues

Fear/mistrust

Lack of support from caregiver

Communication issues

Mobility issues

Other (see below)

If you chose "other" in the list above, please type in other barriers here:

Question Title

* 3. Considering the past 2-3 years before the pandemic, what were some of your organization’s biggest challenges? Once again, please focus on your top 3 to 5 barriers.

Budget reductions/limited funding

Marketing/client recruitment

Maintaining enough staff

Attracting/maintaining quality staff

Grant expectations/program evaluation

Government/accreditation regulations

Record keeping

Planning for the future

Personnel/leadership transitions

Availability of staff training

Adequate facilities to meet client needs

Staff safety

Other (see below)

If you selected "other" from the options above, please add in your own challenges here:

Please respond to the next set of questions based on what you are NOW observing (including the past 2-3 months).

Question Title

* 5. What do you currently see as the top needs or priorities among your older adult clientele/in your community? Please select your top 3 to 5 priorities or type in your own.

Need for affordable treatment for COVID-related health concerns

Need for PPE

Need for help with social isolation; assistance in coping with stress, anxiety, or depression

Need for home delivery of meals/access to healthy food and nutrition

Assistance accessing needed services that have limited availability

Need for financial assistance

Need for appropriate transportation

Need for increased safety/well-being checks

Need for accessing the internet/increasing ability to use virtual services and resources

Needs for personal care items beyond PPE

Need for safe/affordable housing

Assistance maintaining household/home cleaning and repairs

Need for affordable residential/nursing care

Need for respite/support for caregivers

Need for disease management/drug monitoring services

Need for mental health treatment/support

Need for help with shopping and other errands

Need for assistance with utility bills

Other (see below)

If you selected "other" from the list above, please type in your own answers here.

Question Title

* 7. What are some of your client’s biggest barriers to getting the services they need now?

Facility lockdowns; quarantines

Maintaining social distance

High risk status and fear related to contracting the coronavirus

Lack of appropriate transportation

Closures/reductions of hours/lack of safe access to community resources (including businesses)

Reductions in service availability (due to COVID, staff furloughs, etc.)

Lack of access to affordable health care

Long wait time/difficulty applying or getting appointments

Difficulty accessing the internet/virtual resources

Unaware of available services

Unable to afford services

Mental/cognitive health issues

Homebound/mobility issues

Mistrust of in-home providers

Lack of support/potential for abuse or neglect from caregivers/family members

Communication issues (including challenges in using the phone)

Other (see below)

If you selected "other" from the list above, please type in your own answers here:

Question Title

* 8. During the pandemic, have you made adjustments to your services in supporting your clients? If so, please let us know if you've made any of the following changes and also tell us about other adjustments:

Increased use of telephone contacts

Delivery of services/resources using the internet

Home delivery of meals and food

Home delivery of PPE and other personal care items

Home delivery of household/cleaning supplies

Providing more access to appropriate transportation/increased transportation assistance

Providing social interaction for clients with their family members through computer/internet or smart phone screens

Increased use of volunteers

Other adjustments (see below)

Please tell us about other adjustments here:

Question Title

* 9. What are some of your organization’s biggest challenges going forward? Please focus on your top 3 to 5 current challenges:

Maintaining adequate funding to continue organizational services

Maintaining client health/safety during the pandemic; preventing the spread of COVID

Maintaining staff health/safety during the pandemic; preventing the spread of COVID

Staff adjustments to working from home

Client access to the internet

Clients' abilities/skills in using technology (the computer, internet and/or cell phones)

Client adjustments to changes in service delivery

Dealing with uncertainty related to current health and economic concerns

Personnel/leadership transitions

Availability of staff training

Adequate facilities to meet client need

Other (see below)

If you selected "other" from the list above, please write in other challenges here:

10. What are your top priorities for advocacy (for policy, funding and systems changes) in your region and in our state in: a) addressing older adult needs during the pandemic, and b) addressing older adult needs at the point when effective approaches to COVID prevention and treatment have been implemented?

Question Title

* COVID-related priorities:

Question Title

* General priorities:

Question Title

* If you have any comments you would like to add, please use the space below:

This last set of questions will help our research consultant analyze our data and the data from other organizations distributing this survey:

Question Title

* Name of your organization:

Question Title

* Is your organization: (please check one)

A non-profit organization?

A government agency?

A for-profit business?

Something else: please describe:

Question Title

* In what zip code area(s) is your agency located?

Question Title

* What zip code area(s) do you primarily serve? If your clients live in many zip codes, feel free to list the top 3-5.

Question Title

* What are the primary services you provide to your clients? Again, feel free to list the top 3-5.

Question Title

* Finally, what is your organization’s annual operating budget?

Less than $250,000

$250,000-$999,999

$1 million-$5 million

More than $5 million

Question Title

* Does your organization track/keep a list of clients' unmet needs?

Yes

Question Title

* If yes (you do something to track clients' unmet needs), would you be willing to share this information (via email) with the Future of Aging Coalition to identify unmet needs by regions of the state?

Yes

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey. We appreciate your input.