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Community Assessment — Step 2: Define Your Community
Who Needs Aging Texas Well?
Aging is a lifelong process, not something that begins on your 60th birthday. It is a process that begins at birth. The choices we make at every age will impact our ability to age well. Whether planning for the next 10 years or the next 50 years, everyone needs Aging Texas Well.
When preparing for a community that is "aging well," you are creating an environment that improves the quality of life for all residents.
Who is My Community?
A community can be defined in multiple ways. Before proceeding with this assessment, you must first set the parameters of the community you wish to target.
At the local level, a community can be defined as a:
- neighborhood
- organization (e.g., faith-based entity, community group)
- city or town
- county
- region
At the state level, a community may be defined as:
- elected officials
- policy agencies
- advocacy groups
- stakeholders
- providers
Defining your community will depend on your mission, potential partners, jurisdiction of the coordinating entity, and the political and economic resources to conduct the assessment. You should enlist your local Area Agency on Aging in these initial discussions.
The Next Steps
- Understand the Key Principles of Community Assessment
- Define your Community
- Form A Community Assessment Team
- Use the ATW Community Assessment Survey
- Take Action and Plan for Your Future
Related Links
For more information about Aging Texas Well, please e-mail the Aging Texas Well coordinator at: AgingTexasWellCoordinator@dads.state.tx.us.
Updated: September 15, 2009