What is the community assessment survey for older adults?

Oct 25, 2025 3 min read •

senior care Healthy Aging public health

According to research from Polco and the National Research Center (NRC), the Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) provides statistically valid data on the strengths and needs of older adults. This powerful tool helps local governments and organizations understand the unique perspectives of their senior population and make informed decisions about resource allocation and public policy.

Quick Summary

The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA) is a scientifically validated tool used by local governments and organizations to gather data on the quality of life for seniors in their community, covering areas like health, housing, social engagement, and access to services.

Key Points

CASOA Defined: A statistically valid survey that captures the strengths, needs, and perspectives of older adults within a community to inform local policy and resource allocation.
Informs Policy: Provides data to help local governments, non-profits, and service providers shape public policy, enhance services, and prioritize funding for aging-related initiatives.
Measures Livability: Assesses key domains of older adult life, including community design, health, social engagement, finances, and access to services, to evaluate a community's livability.
Standardized Methodology: Utilizes a scientifically rigorous, standardized approach to sampling and data collection, allowing for reliable and comparable results across different communities.
Creates Age-Friendly Communities: Supports the development of proactive strategies that build supportive, accessible, and inclusive environments for an aging population, reducing isolation and enhancing well-being.
Data-Driven Action: Enables decision-making based on concrete evidence from the older adult population itself, moving beyond anecdotal information to address real-world challenges effectively.

Understanding the CASOA: A Tool for Informed Decisions

The Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults, or CASOA, is a standardized, data-driven tool designed to collect comprehensive feedback directly from older residents. It provides community leaders, non-profits, and service providers with crucial insights into the needs, challenges, and preferences of their aging population, enabling them to build more supportive and livable communities. By providing a clear, evidence-based picture of the local aging experience, CASOA moves decision-making beyond anecdotes and toward meaningful, data-informed action.

Core Objectives and Benefits

CASOA is a strategic instrument with specific goals that directly benefit older adults and their communities. The survey helps identify community strengths and pinpoint specific needs, articulating gaps in services or resources. It also gauges the contributions older adults make and explores their level of social engagement. This collected data empowers stakeholders to shape public policy and benchmark services against national trends.

What the Survey Measures: Domains of Livability

CASOA assesses community livability for older adults across several key domains, providing a holistic view of the aging experience. These typically include:

Community Design: Measures walkability, accessibility, and proximity to services.
Employment and Finances: Explores financial stability and access to resources.
Equity and Inclusivity: Evaluates how respected and included older adults feel.
Health and Wellness: Covers physical and mental health, including access to care and wellness programs.
Information and Assistance: Assesses the availability of information about programs and services.
Productive Activities: Examines opportunities for participation in meaningful activities.

The Method Behind the Measurement

CASOA uses a structured, scientifically valid methodology to ensure accurate results. A representative sample of older adults is selected, and surveys are administered through multiple channels in various languages. The collected data is then analyzed using standardized metrics, and a comprehensive report is generated with expert analysis and recommendations.

CASOA vs. General Community Surveys

The CASOA offers a dedicated focus on older adults compared to general community surveys. Here is a comparison:


Feature	Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults (CASOA)	General Community Survey
Focus	Specifically and deeply examines topics relevant to seniors, such as housing accessibility, social isolation, and senior services.	Covers a broad range of general community issues, with limited specific focus on senior-related concerns.
Data Granularity	Provides granular, statistically valid data on the needs and experiences of the older adult population.	Offers overall community data, which may not adequately capture the unique needs of older adults as a distinct demographic.
Actionable Outcomes	Directly informs policies and programs specifically for older adults, leading to tangible improvements in senior services.	Provides high-level data that requires additional interpretation to extract insights specific to the older adult population.
Sampling	Uses scientifically rigorous sampling methods to ensure the older adult population is accurately represented.	May not have a stratified sample that accurately represents all subgroups, including the senior population.
Benchmarking	Enables comparison of senior services and quality of life indicators against national standards and other communities.	Typically focuses on internal comparisons or general population satisfaction, without specialized senior benchmarking.

How Results Drive Action

CASOA results lead to practical improvements for older adults by providing data to inform resource allocation, program development, and policy changes. Data-driven decisions ensure resources address pressing issues identified by seniors.

The Wider Context of Healthy Aging

Using a CASOA is a proactive approach to healthy aging, recognizing the need to center seniors in community planning. The data helps build age-friendly communities where older adults can thrive. The insights gathered from such surveys are essential for designing programs that genuinely meet the needs of the aging population. You can explore resources from organizations that have used the survey, such as local Area Agencies on Aging or government reports. For instance, the Fairfax County Department of Family Services provides public access to its CASOA results.

Conclusion: A Foundation for Age-Friendly Communities

Ultimately, the Community Assessment Survey for Older Adults is an indispensable tool for healthy aging and senior care planning. It offers a structured, evidence-based approach to understanding and addressing the complexities of an aging population. By translating data into actionable strategies, communities can move beyond reactive problem-solving and begin proactively building supportive, inclusive, and enriching environments where older adults can live with dignity and purpose. The insights from a CASOA provide a foundation for creating a truly age-friendly society, benefiting not only older residents but the entire community.

Frequently Asked Questions

CASOA surveys are typically conducted by local governments, such as city or county administrations, often in partnership with organizations like Area Agencies on Aging and research firms like the National Research Center at Polco. National organizations like the Administration for Community Living also oversee similar surveys.

Questions on a CASOA cover a wide range of topics related to aging. Examples include satisfaction with community design, housing affordability, access to healthcare and services, social engagement opportunities, and financial security.

Participants are selected through scientifically valid, random sampling methods to ensure the results are representative of the community's older adult population. For example, a sample might be drawn from households with individuals age 50 or older.

Communities use the results to make data-driven decisions about resource allocation, create targeted programs, and shape policies that address the specific needs identified by older residents. The data can highlight areas needing improvement, such as transportation, housing, or mental health services.

By providing comprehensive data on older adults' experiences and needs, a CASOA helps leaders develop strategies that improve livability. This includes enhancing accessibility, fostering social engagement, and ensuring supportive services are in place for the aging population.

Unlike general community surveys that provide broad data, the CASOA is specifically tailored to gather in-depth, statistically valid feedback on issues and concerns unique to older adults. It focuses on aspects of community livability from the perspective of seniors.

Some survey efforts include additional methods for community input beyond the random sample, such as town halls, focus groups, or publicly available versions of the survey. However, the statistically valid data comes from the randomized respondents.

References

Medical Disclaimer

This content is for informational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider regarding personal health decisions.