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• 1. [Article] Action Plan for an Age-Friendly Portland

  The goal of this Action Plan is to enhance Portland, Oregon’s age friendliness. As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), an "age friendly" city: has structures and services that are accessible ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Action Plan for an Age-Friendly Portland Author: The Age-Friendly Portland Advisory Council Year: 2013 The goal of this Action Plan is to enhance Portland, Oregon’s age friendliness. As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), an "age friendly" city: has structures and services that are accessible and inclusive of older people with varying needs and capacities emphasizes enablement rather than disablement, and is friendly for people of all ages and abilities The action steps that comprise this plan are intended to move Portland toward future development and activities that foster not only physical environments but also social and service environments that meet these criteria, making Portland a community for all ages. Title: Action Plan for an Age-Friendly Portland Author: The Age-Friendly Portland Advisory Council Year: 2013 The goal of this Action Plan is to enhance Portland, Oregon’s age friendliness. As defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), an "age friendly" city: has structures and services that are accessible and inclusive of older people with varying needs and capacities emphasizes enablement rather than disablement, and is friendly for people of all ages and abilities The action steps that comprise this plan are intended to move Portland toward future development and activities that foster not only physical environments but also social and service environments that meet these criteria, making Portland a community for all ages. Close

• 2. [Article] Aging and Equity in the Greater Portland Metropolitan Region

  Aging and Equity in the Greater Portland Metropolitan Region discusses the opportunities and needs created by the increase in older adults in the region. The 65 and older population is expected to more ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Aging and Equity in the Greater Portland Metropolitan Region Author: DeLaTorre, Alan Kenneth, Neal, Margaret B. Year: 2014 Aging and Equity in the Greater Portland Metropolitan Region discusses the opportunities and needs created by the increase in older adults in the region. The 65 and older population is expected to more than double over the next two decades, to over half a million people. Planning for the inevitable and unprecedented aging of our population provides an opportunity to improve our environments while becoming a leader in the push to create sustainable, equitable, and age-friendly communities. Title: Aging and Equity in the Greater Portland Metropolitan Region Author: DeLaTorre, Alan Kenneth, Neal, Margaret B. Year: 2014 Aging and Equity in the Greater Portland Metropolitan Region discusses the opportunities and needs created by the increase in older adults in the region. The 65 and older population is expected to more than double over the next two decades, to over half a million people. Planning for the inevitable and unprecedented aging of our population provides an opportunity to improve our environments while becoming a leader in the push to create sustainable, equitable, and age-friendly communities. Close

• 3. [Article] Evaluating Your Age-Friendly Community Program: A Step-by-Step Guide

  This guidebook was developed to help you document and evaluate your community’s progress in becoming more age friendly. Although this task may sound intimidating, with a small dose of courage and by understanding ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Evaluating Your Age-Friendly Community Program: A Step-by-Step Guide Author: Neal, Margaret B., Wernher, Iris Year: 2014 This guidebook was developed to help you document and evaluate your community’s progress in becoming more age friendly. Although this task may sound intimidating, with a small dose of courage and by understanding a few key terms, the building blocks of evaluation can come alive and help guide your work. Title: Evaluating Your Age-Friendly Community Program: A Step-by-Step Guide Author: Neal, Margaret B., Wernher, Iris Year: 2014 This guidebook was developed to help you document and evaluate your community’s progress in becoming more age friendly. Although this task may sound intimidating, with a small dose of courage and by understanding a few key terms, the building blocks of evaluation can come alive and help guide your work. Close

• 4. [Article] Working Caregivers: Issues, Challenges, And Opportunities For The Aging Network

  This paper provides an overview of the issues associated with working caregivers. We will examine the social and demographic trends influencing the growth of this group, their characteristics and their ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Working Caregivers: Issues, Challenges, And Opportunities For The Aging Network Author: Neal, Margaret B., Wagner, Donna Year: 2002 This paper provides an overview of the issues associated with working caregivers. We will examine the social and demographic trends influencing the growth of this group, their characteristics and their contributions to elders, and the consequences of caregiving for caregivers and their work. Next, we will briefly describe the various employer-initiated programs currently in place to support working caregivers and the evolution of these programs, followed by federal and state governments’ response to working caregivers, to date. The remainder of the paper details the potential role of the aging network in better supporting working caregivers, including current best practices and other possible strategies. We offer tips for getting started, including ideas and recommendations for internal program consideration, and tips for working with the business community. Title: Working Caregivers: Issues, Challenges, And Opportunities For The Aging Network Author: Neal, Margaret B., Wagner, Donna Year: 2002 This paper provides an overview of the issues associated with working caregivers. We will examine the social and demographic trends influencing the growth of this group, their characteristics and their contributions to elders, and the consequences of caregiving for caregivers and their work. Next, we will briefly describe the various employer-initiated programs currently in place to support working caregivers and the evolution of these programs, followed by federal and state governments’ response to working caregivers, to date. The remainder of the paper details the potential role of the aging network in better supporting working caregivers, including current best practices and other possible strategies. We offer tips for getting started, including ideas and recommendations for internal program consideration, and tips for working with the business community. Close

• 5. [Article] Consumer Satisfaction with Aging & Disability Resource Connection of Oregon: Round 4

  The report describes the fourth round of consumer satisfaction surveys that were conducted with people who had been in contact with the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Call Center or received ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Consumer Satisfaction with Aging & Disability Resource Connection of Oregon: Round 4 Author: White, Diana, Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy Year: 2015 The report describes the fourth round of consumer satisfaction surveys that were conducted with people who had been in contact with the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Call Center or received Options Counseling (OC) services of Aging and Disabilities Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon. Data for this survey were collected in November 2014. This Executive Report summarizes and presents data on overall satisfaction, conclusions, and recommendations for the ADRC program. Title: Consumer Satisfaction with Aging & Disability Resource Connection of Oregon: Round 4 Author: White, Diana, Elliott, Sheryl DeJoy Year: 2015 The report describes the fourth round of consumer satisfaction surveys that were conducted with people who had been in contact with the Information & Referral/Assistance (I&R/A) Call Center or received Options Counseling (OC) services of Aging and Disabilities Resource Connection (ADRC) of Oregon. Data for this survey were collected in November 2014. This Executive Report summarizes and presents data on overall satisfaction, conclusions, and recommendations for the ADRC program. Close

• 6. [Article] Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are: A Content Analysis of Homeless Transgender Youth in Social Service Literature

  Homeless, transgender youth are underrepresented in research studies in the United States and over-represented among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) transitional-age (16 – 24) ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are: A Content Analysis of Homeless Transgender Youth in Social Service Literature Author: Crossley, Shannon Year: 2015 Homeless, transgender youth are underrepresented in research studies in the United States and over-represented among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) transitional-age (16 – 24) homeless youth population, at a reported 20 - 40% of the entire homeless youth population. Although this figure is staggering, it is not representative of the actual number of LGBTQ youth currently living on the streets. Exact numbers are unknown due to fear of victimization and discrimination faced both by their homeless peers and in services that are established for homeless youth. This study critically examined how homeless, transgender, transitional-age youth are represented in or ignored by the social service scholarly literature. The study implemented a thematic analysis of academic articles from 2008 - 2013 with a specific focus on homeless, transitional-age youth found in the Social Services Abstract database. Themes identified from the selected articles relate to perceptions of services, barriers to care, gender identity, risk factors, and a comparison of heterosexual to homosexual homeless youth. These factors will be used to determine the level of representation or exclusion from available studies about homeless transgender youth. Title: Come Out Come Out Wherever You Are: A Content Analysis of Homeless Transgender Youth in Social Service Literature Author: Crossley, Shannon Year: 2015 Homeless, transgender youth are underrepresented in research studies in the United States and over-represented among the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) transitional-age (16 – 24) homeless youth population, at a reported 20 - 40% of the entire homeless youth population. Although this figure is staggering, it is not representative of the actual number of LGBTQ youth currently living on the streets. Exact numbers are unknown due to fear of victimization and discrimination faced both by their homeless peers and in services that are established for homeless youth. This study critically examined how homeless, transgender, transitional-age youth are represented in or ignored by the social service scholarly literature. The study implemented a thematic analysis of academic articles from 2008 - 2013 with a specific focus on homeless, transitional-age youth found in the Social Services Abstract database. Themes identified from the selected articles relate to perceptions of services, barriers to care, gender identity, risk factors, and a comparison of heterosexual to homosexual homeless youth. These factors will be used to determine the level of representation or exclusion from available studies about homeless transgender youth. Close

• 7. [Article] The Health and Housing Specialist: An Emerging Job Classification to Support Aging in Place in Subsidized Housing

  As the U.S. population ages, the availability of workers with a basic understanding of aging and health-related services has not kept pace. This is true in traditional health care organizations such as ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: The Health and Housing Specialist: An Emerging Job Classification to Support Aging in Place in Subsidized Housing Author: Carder, Paula C., Weinstein, Jenny, Kohon, Jacklyn Nicole Year: 2012 As the U.S. population ages, the availability of workers with a basic understanding of aging and health-related services has not kept pace. This is true in traditional health care organizations such as hospitals and primary care clinics as well as in long-term care settings and senior housing, including subsidized housing, the focus of this report. Nearly 1.8 million older persons receive some form of publicly-subsidized rental assistance. Some subsidized housing providers, including those that operate buildings designated for older persons, are developing new systems of service delivery that would either coordinate or provide health screenings, physical activity programs, nutrition programs, health monitoring, adult day health, and home care. Such efforts are intended to deliver health related services that allow older adults to remain in their apartment for as long as possible while also reducing their use of hospital emergency departments or nursing facility placement. However, because housing providers have not traditionally hired or contracted with health and social services workers, neither the specific job tasks, nor the qualities of workers, have been studied. This report describes the findings from a study designed to identify the characteristics of subsidized housing employees who work primarily with older residents. The study took place during 2011- 2012 and included interviews with housing providers, health and social services professionals who have clients in subsidized housing, current residents, and resident service coordinators who work in subsidized housing. A systematic job analysis, including a national survey with 87 service coordinators from 23 states, was conducted in order to identify the specific job tasks and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of subsidized housing employees whose job would entail supporting aging in place for older residents. Based on this study, it is clear that significant numbers of older residents of subsidized housing have a variety of unmet needs that place them at risk of eviction, hospitalization, and premature nursing home admissions. Four broad categories of supports identified by study participants include information and referral, health, social and personal care services, case management and care coordination, and building-specific supports. While most residents are independent and want to remain so, many need assistance on a short-term basis, such as during an acute illness or after a hospitalization. Others need on-going supports such as personal care, medication management, and health monitoring. Currently, few housing providers have a means of assessing or monitoring the health status or needs of residents. Most study participants believed that a designated staff person who could assess and monitor resident health would be beneficial, though some cautioned against creating an institutional environment or forcing services onto residents who do not want such assistance. Title: The Health and Housing Specialist: An Emerging Job Classification to Support Aging in Place in Subsidized Housing Author: Carder, Paula C., Weinstein, Jenny, Kohon, Jacklyn Nicole Year: 2012 As the U.S. population ages, the availability of workers with a basic understanding of aging and health-related services has not kept pace. This is true in traditional health care organizations such as hospitals and primary care clinics as well as in long-term care settings and senior housing, including subsidized housing, the focus of this report. Nearly 1.8 million older persons receive some form of publicly-subsidized rental assistance. Some subsidized housing providers, including those that operate buildings designated for older persons, are developing new systems of service delivery that would either coordinate or provide health screenings, physical activity programs, nutrition programs, health monitoring, adult day health, and home care. Such efforts are intended to deliver health related services that allow older adults to remain in their apartment for as long as possible while also reducing their use of hospital emergency departments or nursing facility placement. However, because housing providers have not traditionally hired or contracted with health and social services workers, neither the specific job tasks, nor the qualities of workers, have been studied. This report describes the findings from a study designed to identify the characteristics of subsidized housing employees who work primarily with older residents. The study took place during 2011- 2012 and included interviews with housing providers, health and social services professionals who have clients in subsidized housing, current residents, and resident service coordinators who work in subsidized housing. A systematic job analysis, including a national survey with 87 service coordinators from 23 states, was conducted in order to identify the specific job tasks and the knowledge, skills, and abilities required of subsidized housing employees whose job would entail supporting aging in place for older residents. Based on this study, it is clear that significant numbers of older residents of subsidized housing have a variety of unmet needs that place them at risk of eviction, hospitalization, and premature nursing home admissions. Four broad categories of supports identified by study participants include information and referral, health, social and personal care services, case management and care coordination, and building-specific supports. While most residents are independent and want to remain so, many need assistance on a short-term basis, such as during an acute illness or after a hospitalization. Others need on-going supports such as personal care, medication management, and health monitoring. Currently, few housing providers have a means of assessing or monitoring the health status or needs of residents. Most study participants believed that a designated staff person who could assess and monitor resident health would be beneficial, though some cautioned against creating an institutional environment or forcing services onto residents who do not want such assistance. Close

• 8. [Article] Challenges, Experiences, and Future Directions of Senior Centers Serving the Portland Metropolitan Area

  A growing body of research emphasizes the development of an understanding of the relationship between older adults and their physical and social environments (Wahl & Weisman, 2003). Researchers, planners, ...

  Citation × Citation Citation Abstract Copy Title: Challenges, Experiences, and Future Directions of Senior Centers Serving the Portland Metropolitan Area Author: Cannon, Melissa Lynn Year: 2015 A growing body of research emphasizes the development of an understanding of the relationship between older adults and their physical and social environments (Wahl & Weisman, 2003). Researchers, planners, policymakers, and community residents have been increasingly interested in shaping urban environments as places that foster active aging and independence among older adults. Senior centers have served a critical role in their communities as focal points for older adults, as individuals or in groups, to participate in services and activities that support their independence and encourage their involvement in and with the community (NCOA, 1979). The aging of the population and influx of baby boomers into the older demographic, along with declines in participation rates and funding, are challenging senior center staff to be innovative and adaptive in order to demonstrate senior centers’ relevance to future older adults while maintaining the programming and services for their current participants. This research is a multiple-case study of five unique senior centers located throughout the Portland metropolitan area in Oregon. Different types and models of senior centers are represented by the selected cases, as they operate under different governance structures and vary in aspects such as administration, funding, participant characteristics, community partnerships, transportation options, physical environments, and range of services and programs offered. This study aims to better understand challenges, strengths, and future directions for different types of senior centers serving a metropolitan area. Data collection at each site included interviews with staff as well as focus groups with senior center participants. Interviews with key informants enriched the findings and provided outside perspectives of senior center experiences. Data analysis revealed challenges and strengths that were common across and unique to the different senior centers in this study. This research contributes to the literature in urban studies, community development, and gerontology by exploring potential opportunities for urban senior centers to adapt and continue to serve older adults. Recommendations were developed for how senior centers might capitalize on these opportunities and for how their communities might provide mechanisms of support to facilitate the continuation and contributions of senior centers in metropolitan areas. Title: Challenges, Experiences, and Future Directions of Senior Centers Serving the Portland Metropolitan Area Author: Cannon, Melissa Lynn Year: 2015 A growing body of research emphasizes the development of an understanding of the relationship between older adults and their physical and social environments (Wahl & Weisman, 2003). Researchers, planners, policymakers, and community residents have been increasingly interested in shaping urban environments as places that foster active aging and independence among older adults. Senior centers have served a critical role in their communities as focal points for older adults, as individuals or in groups, to participate in services and activities that support their independence and encourage their involvement in and with the community (NCOA, 1979). The aging of the population and influx of baby boomers into the older demographic, along with declines in participation rates and funding, are challenging senior center staff to be innovative and adaptive in order to demonstrate senior centers’ relevance to future older adults while maintaining the programming and services for their current participants. This research is a multiple-case study of five unique senior centers located throughout the Portland metropolitan area in Oregon. Different types and models of senior centers are represented by the selected cases, as they operate under different governance structures and vary in aspects such as administration, funding, participant characteristics, community partnerships, transportation options, physical environments, and range of services and programs offered. This study aims to better understand challenges, strengths, and future directions for different types of senior centers serving a metropolitan area. Data collection at each site included interviews with staff as well as focus groups with senior center participants. Interviews with key informants enriched the findings and provided outside perspectives of senior center experiences. Data analysis revealed challenges and strengths that were common across and unique to the different senior centers in this study. This research contributes to the literature in urban studies, community development, and gerontology by exploring potential opportunities for urban senior centers to adapt and continue to serve older adults. Recommendations were developed for how senior centers might capitalize on these opportunities and for how their communities might provide mechanisms of support to facilitate the continuation and contributions of senior centers in metropolitan areas. Close