A Comparative Study On Senior Needs For Community Service Between Xiacheng District And Idaho Ⅲ

Objective:The purpose of this study is to investigate senior needs for community ser-vice in Xiacheng District of Hangzhou city, China and Idaho Ⅲ, the US, to compare and analyze the similarity and the difference of senior needs for community service between the two groups of elderly of China and the US, to provide a near and long-dated referen-ce for developing community service for the aged and formulate related policy for the aged in the two areas of China and the US.Methods:The quantitative research was conducted in this study. A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted with stratified random sampling among650elderly in Xiacheng District of Hangzhou. China. A mail questionnaire survey was conducted with stratified random sampling among325elderly in Idaho Ⅲ, the US which had been conducted by the Aging Research Center of the Boise University.Results:The evaluation of quality of life and health condition of elderly in Idaho Ⅲ is better than that of elderly in Xiacheng District of Hangzhou city. Elderly have same demands for daily care, health care, legal service, elderly education and emotional support both in Xiacheng District and Idaho Ⅲ. At the same time the two groups" elderly in the two areas have great different demands for recreation, participatory community activities, employment, and religion activities. The most elderly in Xiacheng district believe that the most urgent service needed to be developed are daily care, health care, visting service and prevention service, increasing the activities and the space for activities, psychological support service and participatory community activities.Conclusion:A scientific needs assessment tool is significant to develop senior community service and improve life quality. The questionnaire used in this study has good reliability and validity and it can reflect the senior basic needs, psychological needs and social needs. Under the Social network embedded support and welfare multiple mode, seniors have the common and different demands for the community service. As a result, the two areas in China and the US should develop community service for elderly by learning each other and considering the local character.