Public Service Clinics Topics
Faith in Action
Agency/Program Overview
Faith in Action marshals volunteers from congregations and other community organizations and puts them to work supporting seniors. The services are free, and open to all seniors living independently in the greater Sammamish and Issaquah area. The services include: transportation, housekeeping, yard work, and information and referral to additional resources in the community.
Specific Research Question
What does the elderly population in the City of Sammamish look like, and what are their needs?
Additional Project Background
The census data for the City of Sammamish - the only demographic data readily available - is nearly ten years old. We know that, over this period of time, the city has undergone tremendous growth. Many more multifamily units (rental and home ownership) have been built. We also know that Sammamish's growth has been built around automobile ownership and use.
What we suspect, but do not know is that those who have moved into the community to retire may now be aging in place. Those aging in place may be unable to drive, may be living on reduced incomes, and may have increasing disabilities and health conditions that decrease their mobility and independence. Immigrant populations, particularly from East and South Asia, may have increased - and may include seniors who do not speak English.
While we state that we serve the independent senior population of greater Sammamish, Faith in Action serves only 19 Sammamish residents, of which 5 are identified as low-income. Without accurate data about the size of the elderly population or its key characteristics, we cannot assess the population's needs or modify our services to meet those needs. This lack of data prevents us from evaluating our effectiveness.
Further, with better data, we could better target our outreach to seniors. If the elderly immigrant population has indeed grown, then we may need to enhance our cultural sensitivity and offer new services, like translation assistance. If lack of mobility due to the city's auto-centric design is a major issue, then we may need to focus on increasing awareness about our transportation services. If there is a significant portion of low-income seniors, then stressing that our services are at no cost may be more important.
Because Sammamish is a relatively small city, our research project is limited in scope, and could be easily handled by a single student.
Key Steps
- Examine existing census data and other information about Sammamish's elderly population.
- Determine a method to sample the elderly resident population. The method would likely be a cluster survey, which would collect data about a sample of residents and allow the student to make projections about the entire population.
- Develop a survey instrument with the agency to determine the needs of the elderly population.
- Implement the research.
- Write an analysis of the results, with recommendations about how Faith in Action should modify or expand our programming and outreach efforts.
Additional Research Resources
City of Sammamish may have some data beyond the census data. We have our own paltry statistics about the people we have served to date; other nonprofits serving the area's elderly population may have more.
If you have questions about this topic or would like more information, please contact Claire Petersky at claire@faithinaction4seniors.org.