This document provides information about data sources and tools that can be used for community assessments related to aging. It lists numerous federal and local government data sources that provide statistics on demographics, housing, transportation, health, employment and other topics. It also summarizes several community assessment tools and indexes that use indicators to evaluate factors like livability, sustainability, and successful aging for communities. These tools involve surveys, interviews, and observations and measure areas such as basic needs, social engagement, health, transportation and housing.

1. The Data AdvantAGE
Showcasing Positive Outcomes
How to Use Data
Danylle Rudin, Executive Director
The Florence V. Burden
212.872.1150 / drudin@fvbf.org

2. The Data AdvantAge
Showcasing Positive Outcomes
Always Ask:
Where is data from?
When was it collected?
Who is it about?
What does it mean?
How was it collected?
Why should I care?

3. Promotes Social
and Civic Engagement
• Fosters meaningful connections
with family, neighbors, and
friends
• Promotes active engagement in
community life
• Provides opportunities for
meaningful paid and voluntary
work
• Makes aging issues a
community-wide priority
Addresses
Basic Needs
• Provides appropriate and affordable
housing
• Promotes safety at home and in the
neighborhood
• Assures no one goes hungry
• Provides useful information
about available services
An Elder -
Friendly
CommunityOptimizes
Physical and Mental
Health and Well Being
• Promotes healthy behaviors
• Supports community activities
that enhance well being
• Provides ready access to
preventive health services
• Provides access to medical,
social, and palliative services
Maximizes
Independence
• Mobilizes resources to facilitate
“living at home”
• Provides accessible
transportation
• Supports family and other
caregivers
http://www.vnsny.org/advantage/chart.html

4. Seniors
Community
Survey
Final Report based on findings from the
Senior Needs Assessment Project of Clinton/
Hell’s Kitchen and Chelsea Neighborhoods
June 2013
http://www.actorsfund.org/others/pdfs/NY/Seniors.pdf

5. U.S.
Census
Bureau
Data
on
U.S.
Ci1es
h3p://www.census.gov
h3p://www.city-­‐data.com
American
Community
Survey
Nat’l
Ctr
for
Health
Sta1s1cs
(CDC)
h3p://www.census.gov/acs
h3p://www.cdc.gov/nchs/
NYC
Department
of
Planning’s
U.S.
Bureau
of
Labor
Sta1s1cs
Community
District
Profiles
h3p://www.bls.gov
h3p://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/html/lucds/cdstart.shtml
U.S.
Bureau
of
Jus1ce
U.S.
Department
of
Transporta1on
h3p://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=dctp
h3p://www.dot.gov
Dept
of
Housing
&
Urban
Development
AoA
Profile
of
Older
Americans
2012
h3p://www.hud.gov
h3p://www.aoa.gov/Aging_Sta1s1cs/Profile/2012/2.aspx
Administra1on
on
Aging:
AGing
Integrated
Database
(AGID)
h3p://www.agid.acl.gov
DataFerret
h3p://dataferre3.census.gov
Secondary
Data
Sources

6. Surveys
&
Survey
Tools
Best
Ci1es
for
Successful
Aging
is
an
Index
with
composite
rankings
based
on
a
weighted,
mul8dimensional
methodology.
One
hundred
large
ci8es
&
259
smaller
metro
areas
are
ranked
using
mul8ple
indicators.
The
informa8on
is
derived
from
the
most
up
to
date,
publically
available
data,
not
household
surveys.
The
rankings
will
be
updated
every
2
years.
A
sec8on
on
“Programs
with
Purpose”
includes
brief
descrip8ons
of
promising
programs
found
during
research.
hGp://successfulaging.milkenins8tute.org
Livable
Community
Indicators
for
Sustainable
Aging
in
Place
presents
an
indicator
system
that
focuses
on
a
community’s
physical
and
social
characteris8cs
and
how
those
characteris8cs
influence
older
adults’
physical
and
mental
health
and
ability
to
age
in
place.
The
indicators
were
developed
using
three
sources:
1)
a
review
of
exis8ng
livable
community
and
sustainability
indicator
systems
and
checklists;
2)
a
review
of
exis8ng
literature
on
community
characteris8cs
that
impact
older
adults’
health
&
ability
to
age
in
place;
and
3)
interviews
with
19
aging
experts.
www.MatureMarketIns8tute.com,
hGp://longevity.stanford.edu
Apprecia1ve
Inquiry
is
a
form
of
“asset
based
community
development,”
which
seeks
to
discover
and
build
on
the
strengths
and
posi8ve
aspects
of
a
community
or
organiza8on
instead
of
focusing
on
what
is
wrong.
It
is
a
par8cipatory
process,
involving
as
many
cons8tuents
as
possible.
hGp://apprecia8veinquiry.case.edu/

7.
Vital
Communi1es
Toolkit
includes
two
assessment
tools:
1)
Vital
Communi8es
Assessment,
which
includes
a
brief
survey
with
ques8ons
in
3
categories:
1.Mee8ng
basic
needs
for
self-­‐sufficiency
(e.g.
housing,
nutri8on);
2.Encouraging
a
community’s
involvement
(e.g.
accessible
transporta8on,
support
for
community
par8cipa8on);
3.Promo8ng
a
high
quality
of
life
(e.g.
exercise
opportuni8es;
educa8onal
programs).
The
Aging
Texas
Well
Community
Assessment
Toolkit
is
designed
for
TX
communi8es
to
use
to
assess
community
capacity
to
provide
physical
and
social
environments
that
meet
older
adults’
needs.
There
are
6
sec8ons
in
the
community
assessment,
each
with
mul8ple
indicators:
1.Demographics;
2.Residen8al;
3.Transporta8on;
4.Health
care,
mental
health,
&
substance
abuse
services;
5.Recrea8on
&
wellbeing
and
6.Community
supports
&
services.
Data
collec8on
methods
include:
Obtaining
Census
&
other
community
aggregate
data;
key
informant
interviews
with
stakeholders;
focus
groups
with
“emerging
elders”
&
older
adults;
observing
the
community
through
walking
or
riding
tours.
hGp://www.vital-­‐aging-­‐network.org
Boomer
Bond
Community
Assessment
Tool
has
136
“yes-­‐no”
ques8ons
covering
topics
such
as
community
infrastructure
(e.g.
sidewalks);
housing;
transporta8on,
public
safety,
services
for
older
adults,
and
many
others.
(As
of
this
wri8ng,
the
assessment
tool
does
not
appear
on
the
website.)
hGp://www.drcog.org/index.cfm?page=BoomerBond10
Sustainable
Communi1es
for
All
Ages
includes
an
assessment
tool
called
a
“Checklist”
&
includes
five
“Areas
of
Opportunity
for
Building
Sustainable
Communi8es
for
All
Ages”:
1.Lifelong
educa8on
and
civic
engagement;
2.Community
and
economic
development;
3.Individual
and
family
wellness;
4.Affordable
quality
housing;
and
5.Land
use,
transporta8on,
&
natural
resources.
hGp://www.viablefuturescenter.org/