Skip to content

Morning Brief: New CASOA report highlights the strengths, weaknesses of older adults in Boulder County and across Colorado

Junior and Senior Fishing Derby (Photo by Rick Brennan/ Longmont Observer) A new CASOA TM (Community Assessment Survey of Older Adults) survey was undertaken in 2018, and reports are now available.

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Junior and Senior Fishing Derby (Photo by Rick Brennan/ Longmont Observer)

A new CASOATM (Community Assessment Survey of Older Adults) survey was undertaken in 2018, and reports are now available. The CASOA™ provides a statistically valid survey of the strengths and needs of older adults in Colorado, as reported by older adults themselves.

These reports enable local governments, community-based organizations, the private sector, and other community members to understand more thoroughly and predict more accurately the services and resources required to serve an aging population.

The Boulder County Area Agency on Aging, a division of the Community Services Department, has posted the updated CASOATM reports on its website at http://bit.ly/BoCoAAAResearch. The statewide and Boulder County subgroup reports are available. The county report shows survey responses by both demographic characteristics and geographic regions. The geographic report compares the municipalities of Boulder, Erie, Lafayette, Longmont, Louisville, Superior, as well as the whole county.

The 2018 CASOATM is a statistically valid survey of the strengths and needs of older adults conducted and reported by the National Research Center. As the NRC report explains, “The results of this exploration will provide useful information for planning and resource development as well as strengthen advocacy efforts and stakeholder engagement. The ultimate goal of the assessment is to create empowered communities that support vibrant older adult populations.”

The Colorado Association of Area Agencies on Aging (c4a) spearheaded the effort for the statewide study. This was the first statewide CASOATM conducted since 2010. The AAAs, in collaboration with the State Unit on Aging in the Colorado Department of Human Services, coordinate programs and services for older adults, family caregivers, and adults with disabilities, ensuring those in need maintain a high quality of life, and that communities across Colorado are places where everyone can age well. Information from the surveys will be used by the AAAs for future four-year area plans.

The NextFifty Initiative supported funding for the study. The organization is an independent, Colorado-based, nonprofit organization, dedicated to funding mission-driven initiatives that improve community services for the elderly population and caregivers. Reports for the sixteen AAA Regions across the state are available on the c4a website.


Your small donation makes a big impact on local news. Please consider making a contribution to Longmont's nonprofit newsroom.


Photo courtesy of Jesters Theatre.

Review: Scrooge – A Longmont Christmas Tradition

You might think that playing the same part in the same stage production for over 30 years would result in a somewhat stale or tired performance, but none of that was on show Saturday night when Scott Moore, again, reprised his role as the title character in the musical Scrooge. He first performed the character at the Longmont Dickens Opera House in 1987, and for many years the production has been a Christmas staple at the Jester’s Theatre on Longmont’s Main Street. Continue reading.


Screen grab of Community Strong website

SVVSD Literally Pursues Excellence by Design with Community Strong Website

Community Strong—an umbrella initiative of St. Vrain Valley Schools—is a new website platform for local businesses, corporations, non-profits, and organizations to connect with schools in the district. Learn more.