Rapid assessment community case study : senior health and social services /
For this case study of senior health and social service planning, I assessed the effectiveness of health and social services in a southwestern suburban community with a primary focus on one senior center. This case study came about in response to a request from the director of the senior center to t...
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| Format: | eBook |
| Language: | English |
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London :
SAGE Publications Ltd,
2020.
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| Series: | SAGE Research Methods Cases: Medicine and Health.
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | Connect to the full text of this electronic book |
| Summary: | For this case study of senior health and social service planning, I assessed the effectiveness of health and social services in a southwestern suburban community with a primary focus on one senior center. This case study came about in response to a request from the director of the senior center to the regional School of Public Health, who stipulated a 1-month case study period. My goal was to offer recommendations for programs that can be implemented over a 10-year period to meet the needs of the projected growing senior population. Because of the imposed time constraint, I selected and applied a "Rapid Assessment" methodology for which I compiled and integrated demographic data, previous community assessments, and senior center and media reports. I also conducted key informant interviews with center and city service coordinators, planners, retirement community managers, and area service providers. In addition, I elicited focus group responses of senior advisory commission members. With these mixed qualitative and quantitative methods, I found the senior center provided effective social and therapeutic services, with participation in a regional network of senior centers, churches, and social agency services. My recommendations for areas in which local programs could be strengthened were building a larger facility in which health, mental health, and social services could expand; increasing the range of activities offered; and conducting community outreach to local seniors. While Rapid Assessment methodology was effective for this preliminary study, I recommend a more comprehensive community needs assessment, using a household survey for further future planning. |
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| Physical Description: | 1 online resource. |
| Bibliography: | Includes bibliographical references and index. |
| ISBN: | 9781529720587 1529720583 |