Seniors and Baby Boomers in the Fairbanks North Star Borough

1. A Quality of Life Assessment Seniors and Baby Boomers in the Fairbanks North Star Borough

2. Project Team Project Consultant: Amy Flowers, Ph.D. Project Manage: Kathryn Dodge, Ph.D. Project Advocate: Torie Foote Advisory Committee • Hank Bartos • Denise Daniello • Wendy Dominique • Jennifer Jolis • Banarsi Lal • Karen Parr • Bella Jean Savino • Freda M. Williams • Vickie L. Wilson • Allison K. Wing • Karen Wood

3. The Question • What services and characteristics of Fairbanks encourage seniors and baby boomers to stay – or leave – the FNSB? • What actions can the FNSB, community, and service providers take to strengthen these services or characteristics?

4. Methodology • 414 early input survey participants • 35 qualitative and in-person interviews • 11 community forums with 78 participants • Phone/on-line/paper survey • 251 seniors • 250 baby boomers • 49 internet / paper

5. Gender of All Respondents

6. Age of All Respondents

7. Race/Ethnicity of All Participants

19. Common Complaints • Not enough Medicare doctors • Door to door transportation should be readily available – wherever the door is in the borough • Don’t want to ask people for help • Don’t know who or where to ask for help • Energy too expensive • Limited housing options

20. Common Misconceptions • Borough has social service powers • Tax dollars pay to deliver transportation services • I can move when I need to • Boomers will never be seniors • No jobs available for seniors

21. Proposed Service Delivery Model North Pole Ester Centralized Service Delivery Salcha Fox Chena Ridge Two Rivers

22. Importance of Services to Boomers and Seniors

23. Satisfaction with service

25. Issues Sorted by Importance to Seniors

26. Gaps in Importance Job opportunities Job training /career development Recreational opportunities Services to help seniors stay in homes Public transportation Affordable senior housing Doctors specializing in older people Continuing education and learning Caregiver support services Availability of assisted living facilities Mental Health services Sense of community Doctors that take Medicare

27. Attitudes towards Health Related Issues

28. Comparison of Senior and Boomers on Health-Related Issues

37. Q42 I recognize most of the people who live in my community (.761) Q57 “I have the information I need regarding retirement and financial planning for old age” (-.535) How important are mental health services to the quality of life for seniors and future seniors in the Borough? Q58 I have lost out on a promotion raise or other benefit at work because of age (-.502) Q56 I know someone who has experienced elder abuse (.460) Q55 I would like to work part-time in my retirement years (.346) R2=.586 Significance of the model=.000 Q53 Growing older has limited the kinds of activities I can do (-.344) * Beta scores in multiple regression analysis indicate the relative impact of each variable on the program’s overall effectiveness score.

38. Why Do People Stay? • Having family and friends nearby • Friendliness of community • Willingness of community to help others • Strong sense of community • Recreational and continuing education activities

40. Why Do People Leave? • Harsh climate • Family elsewhere • Lack of job opportunities • Cost of housing • Cost of heat

42. Why are Seniors Important to Our Community? • Investors • Voters • Opinion influencers • Volunteers • Mentors • Part of the family • Caregivers • Active historians

43. How Should We Invest in our Seniors? • Investing in: • Transportation helps seniors stay in their homes • Coordinating service delivery improves quality of life and reduces expense of service • Providing senior housing reduces injuries and cost of service delivery

44. What Can We Do? • Things We Can Change or Influence • Friendly community • Job opportunities for seniors & baby boomers • Cost of energy • Affordable housing • Coordination of service delivery • People friendly winter environments • Advocate for improvements in whole person healthcare • Things We Can’t Change • Presence of family • Harsh climate

45. What Can Our Community Do? • Develop: • Aging and Disability Resource Center • Improved transportation system • System to coordinate volunteers and part-time senior home care/rehab workers • Additional affordable senior housing • Workforce development services • Resolve health and social services powers issue within borough • Strengthen FNSB Senior Commission

46. Next Steps • Make final results available to service providers, local and state government • Establish Aging and Disability Resource Center • Explore establishing transportation and service delivery system for outlying areas • Review FNSB Senior Commission placement, charter, and funding • Inform Alaska State Strategy for Senior Services • Develop local Strategy for Senior Services • Strengthen relationship with Alaska Commission on Aging

47. Questions?

48. Copy of Presentation or Final Report kdodge@fnsb.us http://www.co.fairbanks.ak.us/MayorsOffice/EconomicDevelopment/default.htm