Croydon - Needs assessment for older people
Croydon Council, NHS Croydon and their partners had begun developing a five year Older People’s Strategy with the aim to improve the quality of life of Croydon’s current older population and those who will become the older people of the future. Consolidation of information identified gaps in knowledge that did not recognise the changing demography and forthcoming challenges for local public services. TCC were engaged to broaden the range of data both qualitative and quantitative particularly around the 55 – 65 cohort and to produce a consolidated needs assessment to feed into the overarching strategy.
TCC worked with partner agencies to consolidate current data and research to produce a map of older people’s knowledge in the borough. Analysis of this data allowed TCC to identify geo-demographic gaps in the information and produce a research strategy to fill the gaps. The strategy consisted of a quantitative sample of 700 people aged between 55 and 64 who were accessed via telephone and door to door survey work. TCC conducted analysis of the results to identify and determine geo-demographic discrepancies in this information and conducted a number of reflector groups to test distinct discrepancies in response. The insights from these strands of the research were combined with the significant existing body of information drawn from partners to produce a data picture. TCC analysed this data picture to draw out key insights to inform a needs assessment report.
The needs assessment paper supplemented the existing work and available information on the needs of +65 residents and specific groups. The focus of the work on the 55 – 64 cohort provided the key insights required to inform the Croydon’s Older People Strategy. The work has been incorporated into that document informing key chapters and now exists as part of the finalised strategy.