Garden City's senior population is rapidly growing. In fact, residents over the age of 60 comprise approximately 22 percent of the village's total population, as compared to only 14.2 percent of Nassau County's total (US Census Bureau, 2000).

To properly cater to its aging residents and address their needs and the needs of their caregivers, the village, along with Adelphi University's School of Social Work, conducted a senior citizens assessment project. A July 2 reception, presented by the School of Social Work, revealed the yearlong study's findings through a PowerPoint presentation, offered by Dr. Regina Tracy, a professor at the School of Social Work.

Findings revealed that many services for seniors are available in Nassau County. However, these services are not widely used by village residents. Citing reasons why residents are not taking advantage of these services, Tracy noted that many elderly residents are not aware of what services are available to them, some are uncomfortable traveling outside of the village while others do not have any form of transportation to attend such services.

The study's recommendations called for the creation of a division of senior recreation services in the already established Department of Recreation. In addition, the study suggested creating a specialized senior transportation system and using an outreach case manager to assist seniors in receiving the services they require. "Combined, these services will allow village seniors to successfully remain in their own homes and community for as long as possible," Tracy concluded.

Widely attended by village government officials and directors of social services agencies, recreational programs, religious organizations and Adelphi University administration, the presentation aided the village's efforts to better understand the needs of its seniors, an issue Garden City Village Trustee Peter Bee, also liaison to senior citizens affairs, spearheaded. Bee noted that the village is prepared to take the next step to meet seniors' needs.

While many seniors remain quite independent, the aging process, for others, is accompanied by the need for various types of assistance in order to successfully "age in place." Without services to meet these changing needs, the elderly population will be forced to relocate, something the board of trustees and study participants don't want to see happen.

The survey attempted to answer the following questions: What services are available and are being utilized? What obstacles are preventing seniors from utilizing services? What gaps in service delivery exist? The terms used in this study included social participation, use of support services and gaps in service delivery.

Social participation is conceptualized as the involvement of a senior in activities outside of their own residence. Social participation is inclusive, but not exhaustive, of memberships in social clubs, involvement in religious-sponsored activities, service organizations, senior citizens programs and library sponsored activities.

Use of support services reflects a senior's enrollment in a formal program intended to enhance his/her social and/or physical functioning. Support services include senior transportation, nutritional programs, financial or in-kind services, case management, respite services and more.

Gaps in service delivery refer to identified areas of needed services that are not accessible or available to senior residents.

The study gathered data in both survey and interview format from 233 (out of a possible 700 - a 33 percent response rate, customary for such surveys) seniors and 98 (out of a possible 141 - a high response rate of 70 percent) service providers who work with village seniors. The questions were derived from a comprehensive review of the literature on the needs of the elderly. The items reflected the three research questions of the study: What services are available and being utilized? What obstacles are preventing seniors from utilizing existing services? and What, if any are the gaps in service delivery?

Seniors who volunteered to complete the self-administered questionnaire, which was distributed at local clubs, senior organizations, the local library or through home delivery services by local food markets and pharmacies, answered 10 open- and close-ended questions like "Are you currently participating in any social and/or recreational activities?" "Which of the following programs do you attend?" and "What, if anything, prevents you from attending activities in the community?"

Local social service and recreational service providers who volunteered to complete the questionnaire answered 20 open-and close-ended questions like "Are there any obstacles that prevent seniors from attending activities at your agency?" "What items have you had to put in place to maximize the seniors' participation?" and "What needs, if any, do the seniors have that are not being met by your agency?"

Trained research assistants (graduate students of social work) conducted the interviews. Tracy noted that the sample of seniors were 65 years of age or older, with 62 percent over the age of 75. Sixty-six percent of participating seniors were female. Fifty-one percent reported volunteering between 1-10 hours per week. "The sample was self-selected," she said. "Therefore, the findings are limited to those seniors who volunteered to participate. Generalizing the findings to other senior populations should only be done for those with similar demographic characteristics to the self-selected sample studied."

Specifically, the study revealed gaps in service with regard to outreach, transportation and graded recreation services and made recommendations so that the village not only meets the needs of its current seniors but also prepares itself for the baby boomers who would soon enter their retirement years.

Detailed recommendations to fill these gaps include developing partnerships with local agencies, the Seniors Connection Program and Adelphi University School of Social Work as well as creative program development and senior planning communities.

"The concern among the village administration, all study participants and those who attended the [July 2] presentation is overwhelming and needs to be commended," said Tracy.