Getting Started
Longevity Planning to Help Build What’s Next
Incorporating a longevity lens means recognizing how longer lifespans and the changing needs of an aging population will impact what we do and how we do it. By considering long-term outcomes alongside short-term solutions, we can begin to lay a foundation that leads to a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable future for Maryland residents to thrive in across all stages of life. The following guide can help Maryland communities adopt a longevity lens and start building longevity resilience at the local level through planning and policy adaptations.
Collect and Leverage Meaningful Data
Incorporate intake questions on program registration and enrollment forms that collect appropriate details on the social determinants of health of participants, such as age, race, geographic location, income, and veteran status. Access similar data to better evaluate needs across diverse populations.
Age
Why it Matters
The needs of Marylanders vary significantly across the lifespan, including in the years above 60. Being able to identify how programs and support requests shift as participants age can help service providers anticipate needs and plan ahead.
Getting Started
- Include birthday form fields in applications and registration forms. Avoid grouping ages into larger categories (such as “60 and over”).
- Record the dates of program and service requests so emerging needs can be cross-referenced by age.
- Analyze age-specific information from reliable sources when determining program policy and evaluating needs.
Resources to Help
The LRM Data Dashboard provides important age-specific data on older adults to help service providers and policymakers identify needs, anticipate trends, and measure outcomes that impact longevity in Maryland.
Income
Why it Matters
Affordability impacts many areas of health and wellness. Being able to identify financially-insecure older adults can help service providers bridge economic barriers to getting support.
Getting Started
- Ask program participants questions about their income level and ability to meet basic expenses.
- Determine if program participants receive benefits like SNAP, Medicaid, disability income, or support from other financial assistance programs and services.
Resources to Help
The Framework Institute offers a guide on Explaining the Social Determinants of Health to help communicate about the nonmedical factors that impact health and ask the right questions in plain language.
Health and Mobility
Why it Matters
Many health and mobility challenges make it difficult to access basic needs and live independently. Being able to identify older adults with health and mobility challenges can help service providers connect them with appropriate supports that improve independence and delay or avoid dependent care.
Getting Started
- Ask program participants if any health or mobility challenges make it difficult to conduct daily activities like shopping, dressing, bathing, or scheduling appointments.
- Determine whether or not accommodations would help them access the products, programs, and services you provide such as transportation or delivery assistance, or remote or wheelchair access.
Resources to Help
The Gerontological Society of America offers researched-based guidance on Communicating with Older Adults: A Review of What Really Works.
Local Example:
Baltimore City Department of Planning
Baltimore City Department of Planning uses SNAP participation data to identify food-insecure priority areas and populations in the city, and create environmental strategies to reach those most at risk of food-insecurity.
Define Age-Friendly Policies
Consider how the work you do today will improve the lives of your clients as they age, and how your community, business, or organization will accommodate the needs of more older adults in the future.
Accessibility
Why it Matters
Communities thrive when residents of all ages and abilities have equal access to the products, programs, and services they need to help them stay healthy, safe, and connected.
Getting Started
- Local governments, businesses, and organizations should determine how older adults and their caregivers find information about the products, programs, and services they provide, what barriers exist in reaching them, and provide methods for bridging those gaps.
- Older adults should be included in policy and service delivery planning processes to ensure that their needs are being met.
Resources to Help
AARP Network of Age-Friendly Communities can guide communities through the age-friendly network’s assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation processes.
Service Delivery
Why it Matters
The ability to understand the needs of the growing older adult population will strengthen your organization’s ability to attract and retain clients across the lifespan.
Getting Started
- Ensure employees and representatives of your organization are trained in proper age-framing that is free from bias and inclusive of older adults.
- Prioritize multigenerational workplaces that support both older adult workers and clients, as well as their caregivers.
- Determine how the needs of your clients may change as they age, and what your organization is doing to meet those needs.
- Consider how your organization’s infrastructure and service delivery protocols may be impacted if the amount of older adult clients increases dramatically in the future, and plan for that eventuality.
Resources to Help
Become an Age-Friendly Employer and develop best practices from the National Center to Reframe Aging to learn more about ways to support older adult clients and workplaces.
Caregiving
Why it Matters
Caregivers are essential to our care system, yet many in this role don’t identify as a caregiver or access services that can help. Being able to identify caregivers and their needs can help businesses, organizations, and service providers create policies that support their critical work.
Getting Started
- Ask employers, clients, and program participants if they provide or receive care from or for another adult. If so, determine the level of care provided, and supports needed or received in managing their caregiving responsibilities.
- Incorporate caregivers as appropriate in developing communications and service delivery plans.
- Adopt caregiver-friendly workplace policies.
Resources to Help
The National Academy for State Health Policy has developed a Resource Guide for Employers to help create workplaces that are inclusive of caregivers and can help them balance workplace and caregiving responsibilities.
Local Example:
Jewish Council for Aging
JCA promotes the benefits of older workers and supports age-friendly workplaces in the Howard County region through public education, resources, workshops, and networking opportunities.
Strengthen Local Infrastructure
Audit, assess, and improve the resources, relationships, and service delivery methods your community offers that support older adult residents.
Asset-Mapping
Why it Matters
Building longevity resilience at the local level begins with an understanding of the resources available in your community and how to leverage those resources to cultivate longevity-readiness from within.
Getting Started
- Identify the people, places, infrastructure, and programs that support older adults in your community.
- Determine how those assets meet specific needs of the older adult community and what areas of need are not adequately being met.
- Develop an action analysis that translates that information into specific, achievable steps.
Resources to Help
Explore how Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) can help local communities build community capacity and reveal new opportunities for collaboration and engagement. Visit LRM’s Community Development Network web page to learn more on how the Erikson School of Aging Studies approaches ABCD through a recent Western Maryland workshop.
Referral Systems
Why it Matters
Older adults, people with disabilities, and their caregivers need help finding and navigating the sprawling spectrum of services, programs, and resources available at the state and local level that can support wellbeing and independence.
Getting Started
- Service providers should register with Maryland Access Point (MAP), a free resource that connects community-based organizations, health care, and social service programs with eligible participants.
- Startup organizations and service providers should connect with their local Area Agency on Aging to learn more about ways to integrate their services with their local network of aging service providers
Resources to Help
Visit MAP’s Information for Providers web page to learn more and register your organization
Finding Resources
Why it Matters
Community-based service providers need help in accessing data, expanding capacity, and building longevity resilience in key areas like transportation and mobility, housing, caregiving, and workforce development.
Getting Started
- Explore local, regional, state, and national service providers to identify committees, service providers, and programs that help build capacity, shape policy, and access information for addressing specific areas of need.
- Opt in for grant notifications and other funding opportunities that can help support your work.
Resources to Help
LRM’s Sector-Specific Resources provides actionable supports communities can use to build longevity resilience from regional, state, and national service providers in key priority areas.
Local Example:
Montgomery County Public Library (MCPL)
MCPL has age-friendly policies that support the needs of older Montgomery County residents, including local asset-mapping, on-site help with accessing key public services, and robust accommodation supports.