Document Type
Research Report
Publication Date
11-2019
Keywords
Lexington, Massachusetts, age friendly communities, needs assessments
Disciplines
Demography, Population, and Ecology | Gerontology | Public Administration
Abstract
The Lexington for All Ages initiative is meant to ensure that Lexington is and remains a place where older adults can comfortably and safely age in place. This report describes research undertaken by the Center for Social & Demographic Research on Aging within the Gerontology Institute at the University of Massachusetts Boston, on behalf of the Lexington Department of Human Services, to investigate the needs, interests, preferences, and opinions of Lexington’s residents age 50 and older. Structured around livability principles embedded in the World Health Organization’s Age-Friendly Community framework, the Lexington for All Ages initiative considers physical infrastructure as well as social and service environments as it seeks to strengthen livability for Lexington’s older residents. The contents of this report are designed to inform the Lexington Department of Human Services and intersect with and advise other ongoing efforts, including the development of the Lexington Comprehensive Plan and the 13-town collaborative effort of the Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination (MAGIC) to advance regional age-friendly planning. Research in support of this report began with a stakeholder focus group in January 2019, where representatives from organizations that work with or support Lexington older adults shared their insights regarding the strengths and challenges of growing older in the Town. Subsequent data collection included two community forums conducted in March of 2019, during which residents offered input about the current livability in Lexington for older adults and their hopes for future improvements. A resident survey was mailed to a sample of 3,500 residents age 50 and older in April 2019. A total of 1,053 responses were received, representing a strong return rate of 30%. An additional focus group and two interviews were held in the Fall of 2019 to expand upon results from survey data. In addition, a demographic profile was developed based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey and several key Town documents were reviewed.
Recommended Citation
Berger, Sue; Mutchler, Jan; Velasco Roldán, Nidya; Somerville, Ceara; Mailman, Rebecca; and Coyle, Caitlin, "Lexington for All Ages: A Community Needs Assessment" (2019). Center for Social and Demographic Research on Aging Publications. 41.
https://scholarworks.umb.edu/demographyofaging/41
Included in
Demography, Population, and Ecology Commons, Gerontology Commons, Public Administration Commons
Comments
Commission by The Department of Human Services, Town of Lexington