Analyzing Program Evaluation Summary

Program Evaluation Summary The Better at Home Program, prompted by United Way of the Lower Mainland, was launched in 2012. It offers basic non-medical support services to seniors in BC and is financed by the BC Government. Services are rendered by organizations within the locality through helpers, workforce, and service providers, and the sort of services accessible are centered on the needs of the community. Better at Home has been executed in phases. At the time of this report, sixty establishments had been financed.

From this number, fifty of them were providing 'Better at Home services'. The program evaluation was piloted by Chomik Consulting & Research Ltd. that took place in the course of the initial phases of enactment of Better at Home and centers on the foremost 16 'Better at Home' programs. Clarify the Program Goals and Objectives The key goals and objectives of the program is to assist seniors live much longer in their own individual homes, and at the same time, remain socially associated to other individuals in their societies and communities.

The program evaluation is purposed to offer information to support operational planning and promote growth of 'Better at Home' at both the regional and communal program levels. Clarify the Design Evaluation Plan The design evaluation plan used the logic model approach. This method offers a methodical manner to observe association amongst the resources devoted to a program, the activities carried out and the modifications or outcomes that are attained.

The advantage of the method is that it guaranteed effective collection and utilization of information, incessant knowledge regarding the program, and effectual documentation of results. In addition, the logic model approach offers two kinds of evaluation, and is employed to Better at home. On one hand, formative evaluation scrutinizes the procedures and fundamental activities of a program and the manner in which it progresses over time, and on the other, summative evaluation centers on the program's objectives and the results it realizes.

In this case, weight was laid on the formative approach so as to create initial data and discernments to back program enhancements. Clarify/Analyze the Data Collection Plan The data collection plan consisted of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Data and information from seniors accessing 'Better at Home' services employed telephone interviews with semi-structured questions.

On the other hand, information from community developers, native 'Better at Home' program planners, executive directors of Better at Home main establishments, and Better at Home regional program front-runners was obtained using telephone interviews with open-ended questions. Lastly, information from community stakeholders and service providers was collected through online surveys that used semi-structured questions. Analyze and interpret data With respect to Better at Home seniors, there was a response rate of 65% with a total of 310 telephone interviews administered.

A great deal of the respondents were Caucasian women, who spoke English as their main language. 75% of them lived alone and were aged between 65 and 84 years. Most of them entreated 'Better at Home' services for the reason that they were undergoing a health issue and needed extra assistance to sustain their home. Secondly, 12 out of 15 prospective telephone interviews were undertaken with 'Better at Home' community developers. Their interview questions encompassed their role in the communal engagement practice and points-of-view regarding the Better at Home program in the future.

The whole population of local Better at Home program coordinators, 1722 people, took part in a telephone interview to collect their perceptions regarding their roles in Better at Home, model construction and points-of-view regarding the Better at Home program in the future. All sixteen executive directors of local Better at Home lead organizations were questioned so as to obtain their perceptions regarding their roles in Better at Home, resources, pre-program execution, enactment, incorporation, influence, learning, future of the program, and model building.

The same case applies for Better at Home community stakeholders where 54 out of a total prospective 128 were questioned. Most of them hinted that they were aware of the Better at Home program in their own community. This also applied to Better at Home provincial program leaders where all of them participated and offered their points-of-view. Report Evaluation Findings In general, the program evaluation established that 'Better at Home' was executed as initially considered and for the most part, stuck to the course of actions.

Despite the fact that start-up capital was deemed adequate, most participant groups communicated their worry that finance levels may not be sufficient as service requirements grow and intensify in the future. More so, along with financial assets, technical provision and materials delivered by United Way were acknowledged to be useful and accommodating. A number of Better at Home groups sensed they did not have adequate time to successfully institute and execute operational procedures and measures.

The amount of work that is required to oversee and support 'Better at Home' at the community level is substantial, and from time to time, gives rise to workforce working several additional hours. Despite the fact that the existing combination of service providers providing Better at Home services gave the impression of functioning properly, a number of worries remains with regard to volunteer enrollment, retention and service provider obtainability and reimbursement.

In a general sense, service providers for Better at Home were adequately and sufficiently ready to take up their responsibilities. Seniors communicated a comparatively high level of satisfaction with the Better at Home services and acknowledged interest in a number of extra services. These services that were taken up include: the preparation of meals, helping seniors with heavier and tasking household activities, mental health support, and help with home health problems.

Despite the fact that 'Better at Home' has an impact on the overall activities of the day-to-day living amongst seniors, it did not have a significant impact with regard to motivating seniors to engage.