Step 2: Assess Need

In this step, you will learn how to collect more detailed information about the age-friendly priorities in your community and identify your community’s person-environment fit for older adults. This includes a consultation phase to gather evidence from a complete range of community stakeholders, particularly older adults, people with disabilities, caregivers, community organizations and service providers. This section provides detailed information to help you engage stakeholders through a combination of consultation methods such as: community-wide needs assessment (survey), key informant interviews, focus groups and community meetings.

You will learn about the process to:

• leverage your assets that already exist within the community to accelerate and strengthen your work. If your local municipality is leading or supporting your AFC movement, your efforts will benefit greatly from the experience of municipal staff or councillors. Successful strategies that communities have used include:
  – collaborating with a university or college
  – getting advice and technical assistance from professionals in a relevant field
  – accessing the experience and expertise of other AFC committees
  – submitting a grant application for funding to support a needs assessment
• carry out a Community-wide Needs Assessment (survey) designed for your unique geographic, social and demographic circumstances, with questions addressing local realities. This includes creating a list of questions and administering a survey, using a variety of methods.
• collect information using multiple methods (for example, interview local stakeholders, conduct focus groups and host community meetings) to ensure you are reaching a representative sample of the older adults and key stakeholders in your community.
• update your Age-Friendly Community Profile developed during Step 1 after you have conducted consultations within your community.

Read more about Step 2 in the Creating a More Inclusive Ontario: Age-Friendly Community Planning Guide.

Tools to Support Your Work

The following tools can be found in the Creating a More Inclusive Ontario: Age-Friendly Community Planning Toolkit to support Step 2:

• Assets and Capacities Worksheet
• Guide to carry out a Community-wide Needs Assessment (Survey)
• Guide to conduct AFC Focus Groups

Online Resource List

• 2020 AFC Instrument Database (Excel Spreadsheet)
• Conducting Surveys General Overview including PowerPoint (Community Tool Box)
• Tips for visual design (SurveyMonkey)
• Age-Friendly Communication: Facts, Tips, and Ideas (Public Health Agency of Canada)