Focus Groups with Residents

Supporting Statement for Paperwork Reduction Act Submissions

Evaluation of the Supportive Services Demonstration

(OMB# xxxx-xxxx)

Appendix I: Moderator Guide for Focus Groups with IWISH Non-Enrollees

1. I.1. Written Consent Form for Non-Enrollees

The written consent form for the non-enrollee focus groups is identical to that used for the IWISH participant focus groups. See Appendix H.

2. I.2. Moderator Guide for Non-Enrollees

Introduction

Thank you all for participating in the focus group today. We really appreciate this opportunity to hear about your thoughts about your experiences living at [NAME OF PROPERTY]. My name is [INSERT NAME] and I’ll be leading our discussion today.

The first thing I’ll do is obtain your formal consent to take part in the discussion today. Everyone has in front of them a document that explains the purpose of the focus groups and your rights as a participant. We’d like you to read the document, ask questions, and if you feel comfortable, sign the document.

Our conversation today will last about an hour and a half. If you wish to leave at any time during the focus group, please feel free to get up and go. With your permission, we will audio record this focus group so that we make sure we capture everything that is said today. We will use what we learn from you and others across the country to prepare several reports for HUD about how to help older adults get the health and social services they may want and need.

We will be including quotes from this focus group in our reports, but we will not use your name in our reports. We will not share the audio recording from this session with anyone outside the study team, but at the end of the study we will provide our notes from this group to HUD. The notes will not include anyone’s names or the property’s names. The audio recordings will be destroyed at the end of the project. We will not share what you say with staff on the property here and we ask that you not repeat what others say outside this room. We want everyone to feel comfortable speaking openly and candidly in today’s group.

[Moderator collects a signed informed consent document from each participant.]

I work for an independent research company called Abt Associates. We have been hired by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to evaluate the IWISH program. IWISH is a new program being tested in 40 senior housing properties across the country. IWISH funds a Residential Wellness Director and a Wellness Nurse to work with residents and bring in services and programming to help improve their health and well-being. The overall goal of IWISH is to help residents be able to stay in their homes for as long as they want to. The IWISH program started here at [PROPERTY NAME] in March 2018.

In this focus group, I am interested in learning about your experiences with your housing and the services and programs you may receive here. I am also interested in why you chose not to participate in the IWISH program. The information that you provide will help improve programs like IWISH for older adults living in HUD-assisted housing.

We want to keep the discussion informal and relaxed. My role is to raise topics we’re interested in hearing about from you, and to keep the conversation flowing. Before we begin, let me go over a couple of ground rules.

• Please feel free to get up and get food or drinks any time you would like and use the restrooms as needed.

• Please also feel free to leave the discussion at any time, for example if you find yourself getting tired.

• During the discussion, please ask questions if something is not clear.

• You do not have to answer any specific questions you do not want to answer.

• There are no right answers or wrong answers. We are interested in everyone’s experience, good or bad.

• Please don’t share what is said today outside this room.

• Finally, please turn off your cell phones or put them on vibrate. If you need to take a cell phone call, please do so outside of this room.

Before we start, does anyone have any questions?

Let’s start by getting to know each other a little bit. Let’s go around the room, and each of us share your first name and how long you have been living here at [PROPERTY].

Topic 1: Housing and Community

We are going to first talk a little about what it’s like to live at this property and in this community.

1. What are some of the features of this place that make it easy for you to live here?

2. What are some the features of this place that make it hard for you to live here?

Topic 2: IWISH Experiences

We’re going to start by talking about what you know about the IWISH program and why you aren’t participating in it.

3. How many of you have heard of the IWISH program being offered here? [SHOW OF HANDS.] How did you hear about the program?

4. How many of you were offered the chance to sign up for IWISH? [SHOW OF HANDS.] Tell me about why you chose not to sign up for the program.

   • (If the issue of privacy comes up) Were you uncomfortable with people on the property asking about your health issues?

5. Do you interact or work with the resident wellness director [INSERT NAME]? Without going into anything too personal, can you tell me about the types of assistance that she provides?

6. Do you interact or work with the wellness nurse [INSERT NAME]? Without going into anything too personal, can you tell me about how you work with her?

7. Who else helps you with health related needs? This might include helping you manage medications, or getting help with making or transport to a doctor’s appointment, or assisting you in joining a fitness program.

8. Have you noticed any changes around here since the IWISH program started? This could include changes in residents’ attitudes or behaviors or physical changes to the building or property.

Topic 3: Programs and Services

Now I’d like for us to talk a bit about the programs and services that are available to you.

9. Has the number of programs and services available to you, either here on the property or in the community, has changed since March 2018, when the IWISH program came along?

10. What about the type of programs and services? Are different kinds of programs and service available to you now, compared to before IWISH?

11. Do you feel like there are enough programs and services on the property in order for you to be able to stay here as you get older? How about in the community?

12. What programs or services on the property do you find most useful? How about in the community?

13. Are there other programs or services you’d like to have on the property? In the community?

Wrap up

Before we end this group, are there any further comments anyone would like to share?

Thank you so much for your time.

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