Assets and Unmet Needs of Diverse Older Adults: Perspectives of community-based service providers in Minnesota

This paper examines assets and unmet needs of diverse older adults and highlights the need for programs and policies that address the social determinants of health. The United States is undergoing an unprecedented demographic shift, becoming increasingly diverse and aging rapidly. Given these changing demographics, it is important to understand the strengths and needs of our diverse population of older adults. This study captures perspectives of diverse service providers who work with older adults in communities, to identify existing assets as well as unmet needs and challenges facing diverse older adults in Minnesota. Qualitative data were collected using key informant interviews with community-based service providers (N=15) as part of a year-long engagement project. Participants were purposively selected to represent African American, East African, American Indian, Southeast Asian, Latino, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) communities. Interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s approach to thematic analysis. Results indicate a number of assets supporting Minnesota’s diverse older adults. Assets of cultural communities include culturally specific services, faith communities, and close-knit families. Assets of older adults include their cultural and historical knowledge, wisdom, experience, and resilience. Despite the many assets supporting diverse older adults, results indicate seven primary categories of unmet needs: (1) health (2) healthcare, (3) transportation, (4) housing, (5) education, (6) social support, and (7) financial security. All unmet needs sub-themes address health or social determinants of health, indicating the need for a broad range of policies and programs. As the U.S. population grows increasingly older and more diverse, it is critical that these unmet needs are addressed to ensure equity for aging well

Applying the Age-Friendly Health System Framework to Long Term Care Settings

Recognizing the growing need for geriatric expert health care, a collaborative of the John A. Hartford Foundation, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), American Hospital Association, and Catholic Health Association of the United States established the Age-Friendly Health System (AFHS) initiative to increase quality, effective person-centered healthcare for older adults (1-3). Age friendly care follows evidence-based practices, causes no harm and focuses on “what matters” to each older adult, their family and caregivers. The four core elements – the 4Ms framework – provide an evidence-based framework for age-friendly care (Table 1). The 4Ms include “what matters”, “mobility”, “mentation”, and “medications”. The 4Ms are not meant to be implemented individually but rather incorporated together to provide agefriendly care (4)