Your Voice Matters: Help Shape the Future of Aging Services

Every day, older adults, caregivers, families, and service providers across Louisiana experience firsthand the opportunities and the challenges that come with aging in our communities. Now, there is an important opportunity to make sure those experiences are heard.

The Louisiana Statewide Needs Assessment is gathering input to better understand the needs of older adults and caregivers throughout our state. The information collected will help identify priorities, recognize gaps in services, and guide future planning for programs and resources that support Louisiana's aging population.

For St. Tammany Council on Aging (COAST), participation from our community is especially important.

Why Does the Needs Assessment Matter?

Decisions about aging services should be based on what people actually need. A statewide assessment provides valuable information about issues such as access to services, transportation, nutrition, caregiver support, health and wellness, social connection, and the ability to remain safely and independently at home.

The results help those who plan and provide services better understand where resources are working and where additional support may be needed.

As the needs of older adults continue to grow and change, having accurate information becomes even more important. The stronger the participation, the clearer the picture of what Louisiana's seniors and caregivers are experiencing.

St. Tammany Needs to Be Represented

Louisiana is a diverse state, and the needs of one community may be very different from those of another. That is why it is important that St. Tammany Parish residents are well represented in the statewide results.

At COAST, we see the needs of our community every day through services such as home-delivered and congregate meals, transportation, wellness programs, caregiver support, in-home assistance, and our senior activity centers. We also know that statistics alone cannot tell the entire story.

The voices of older adults, caregivers, family members, and community partners provide important insight into what is working, what is missing, and what will be needed in the years ahead.

How You Can Help

We encourage you to complete the Louisiana Statewide Needs Assessment and to share it with others.

You do not have to personally receive services from COAST to participate. If you are an older adult, caregiver, family member, community partner, or someone with knowledge of the needs facing older adults in your community, your perspective is valuable.

Complete the survey here: https://forms.gle/3hfaNkP1xjXJaTa97

Then, please share the survey with friends, family members, civic organizations, churches, neighborhood groups, healthcare providers, and others throughout your community.

Every response helps create a more complete picture of the needs of Louisiana's aging population and helps ensure that communities like St. Tammany have a voice in the conversations and decisions that shape the future of aging services.

Please take a few minutes to participate. Your voice matters, and our community's voice matters.