1. Senior Companion Program Performance Measure Surveys: Data Collection
6/28/2013
Senior Companion Program Performance Measure Surveys: Data Collection
Date
Time (Eastern)
Time (Pacific)
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

2. 6/28/2013
Session Agenda
Overview of the SCP Independent Living Performance Measurement study
Timeline and due dates
Technical assistance
Review the two surveys
Steps involved from data collection to reporting
Q & A
Agenda:
Overview of the SCP Independent Living Performance Measurement study and goals
Timeline and due dates
Free technical assistance available to you
Look at the two performance measure surveys – one for clients and one for caregivers
Steps involved from data collection to reporting: preparation, giving out the surveys, and summarizing the data. We will talk about first two steps today.
Time for Q & A at the end
Everything we will be talking about today is also available in an information packet posted on the website. We will show you the website and resources in the information packet during this webinar.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

3. SCP Performance Measures
Instrument
H9. Number of homebound or older adults and individuals with disabilities who reported having increased social ties/perceived social support
SCP Independent Living Performance Measure Survey
H14. Number of caregivers of homebound or older adults and individuals with disabilities who reported having increased social ties/perceived social support
SCP Respite Performance Measure Survey
There are two new performance measure surveys, which we will have a look at in a moment.
The two surveys measure outcomes for clients receiving companionship and independent living services (performance measure H9), and outcomes for caregivers receiving respite services (performance measure H14). All Senior Companion projects beginning grants in 2013 use one or both of these performance measures.
The Senior Companion Program Independent Living Performance Measure Survey measures H9, “Number of homebound or older adults and individuals with disabilities who reported having increased social ties/perceived social support.” Clients who receive independent living services will do this survey.
The Senior Companion Program Respite Performance Measure Survey measures H14, “Number of caregivers of homebound or older adults and individuals with disabilities who reported having increased social ties/perceived social support.” Caregivers who receive respite services will do this survey.
Note that whenever we talk about caregivers doing a survey, we are talking about the caregivers who are the beneficiaries of respite services described in your work plan, if your project provides this service. Not all SCP projects offer respite services.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013

4. SCP Independent Living Performance Measurement Study
6/28/2013
SCP Independent Living Performance Measurement Study
Measures benefits for clients and caregivers served by Senior Companions (social support/ties)
SCP grantees beginning a new grant cycle in PY 2013 are required to use the performance measure surveys.
SCP clients and caregivers are being asked to complete the survey, but their participation is voluntary.
Goal: More than 85 percent of clients and caregivers complete a survey.
Overview of SCP Independent Living PM Study
The two surveys will be used in a national study of the Senior Companion Program conducted by CNCS.
The study will look at the benefits to clients and caregivers due to service provided by Senior Companions.
Senior Companion Projects have been collecting performance measure outcome data for many years. Now, CNCS is asking you to help us collect reliable data in the same way.
SCP grantees beginning a new grant in Program Year 2013 are required to use the two new surveys for their performance measures.
Participation of individual SCP clients and caregivers is voluntary. They may choose not to do a survey. Their access to services will not be affected.
However, the more clients and caregivers that do a survey, the more confident we can be of the results. Therefore, our goal is to achieve a response rate of 85% or more.
With a bit of planning, you can do this.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

5. Timeline: July 8 – Sept. 30 Study launch date: July 8, 2013
6/28/2013
Timeline: July 8 – Sept. 30
Study launch date: July 8, 2013
Download survey resources.
Prepare for data collection.
Distribute and collect surveys.
Enter survey data into the Client-Caregiver Surveys Spreadsheet (available in August).
spreadsheet to CNCS by September 30, 2013.
Report results in eGrants using your progress report.
Let’s look at the timeline for this study and due dates. The study was launched July 8th and concludes on September 30th.
If you are beginning a new SCP award in 2013 and you are measuring H9 or H14, you will need to:
Download the surveys, which we will show you in a moment, and resources, such as the information packet with instructions on how to give out the surveys;
Prepare for data collection. This might involve training people who will be helping you;
Distribute and collect the surveys from clients and caregivers;
Enter the survey data into a simple spreadsheet that CNCS will provide in August;
the completed spreadsheet to the CNCS by September 30; and
Report your performance measure results in eGrants in your progress report when you normally report. The spreadsheet will calculate the results to report.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

6. Technical Assistance Senior Corps Survey Help Desk Website
6/28/2013
Technical Assistance
Senior Corps Survey Help Desk
Telephone:
Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 8 PM Eastern
Website
To help you succeed, CNCS has provided technical assistance free to grantees.
Help Desk information
Information packet
Instrument versions
Spreadsheet placeholder
Let’s take a look at the surveys.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

7. Performance Measure Surveys
6/28/2013
Performance Measure Surveys
Surveys are confidential. (No names. Store in a safe place.)
Surveys are voluntary. Clients and caregivers may choose not to do a survey.
SCP Independent Living Performance Measure Survey (for clients) SCP Respite Performance Measure Survey (for caregivers)
Note surveys are available in different languages.
The surveys must be kept confidential. This means there are no names on the completed surveys and they are stored in a safe place.
The surveys are voluntary. If a client or caregiver chooses not to do a survey, their access to services will not be affected.
Do not change the surveys. It is very important that the survey questions are NOT altered in any way. Changing a question will prevent CNCS from combining the data from SCP grantees.
Download surveys at:
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

8. Steps from Data Collection to Reporting
6/28/2013
Steps from Data Collection to Reporting
1. Preparation
Talk to stakeholders
Make a list of clients receiving independent living services (H9)
Make a list of caregivers receiving respite services (H14)
Decide how to give out surveys
Prepare survey helpers
2. Give out the Surveys
Distribute and collect the surveys
Follow up as needed
3. Summarize the Data
Enter the survey data in spreadsheet
spreadsheet to CNCS
Report results in eGrants as usual, using your progress report
Let’s look at the steps involved, from data collection to reporting.
Step 1: Preparation involves: Talking to stakeholders (for example, sending out an with some information on the study to your volunteer stations); putting together a list of clients receiving independent living services if you are measuring H9; putting together a second list of caregivers receiving respite services if you are measuring H14; deciding how to give out surveys, and possibly preparing people to help, or “survey helpers”.
Step 2: Giving out the surveys involves: Distributing and collecting the surveys, including following up to make sure everyone who is willing to do a survey turns one in.
Step 3: Summarizing the data involves: Entering the data into a simple spreadsheet that CNCS will provide, ing spreadsheet to CNCS by September 30, and reporting results in eGrants when you normally report, using your progress report.
Today we will talk about preparation and how you can collect the surveys, steps 1 and 2. In the next webinar, we will talk about step 3 - how to pull the survey data together using a simple Excel spreadsheet developed by CNCS.
The steps are also described in the information packet, with tools to help you.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

9. Talking to Stakeholders
6/28/2013
Talking to Stakeholders
Keep stakeholders informed (staff, volunteer stations, advisory board, volunteers).
Volunteer stations are likely to be most involved in survey effort.
Offer to share results with stakeholders.
See “talking points” in information packet.
To prepare, the first thing you want to do to is to talk to your stakeholders about the surveys and their purpose. Keep your staff, advisory board, stations, and volunteers informed of what you plan to do and how you might need their help.
Volunteer stations will probably be the most involved in data collection. You may need to enlist their help to get names of eligible clients and caregivers, or get surveys out.
Keep stakeholders invested. Offer to share the results of the surveys when they become available.
The information packet has some suggested “talking points” to help you talk to stakeholders. .
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

10. Put together two lists: (1) clients (2) caregivers
6/28/2013
Put together two lists: (1) clients (2) caregivers
Clients who have been receiving independent living services
Caregivers who have been receiving respite services
Put together a client list and a caregiver list so you can track who gets a survey:
One+ year service
Language
If assistance is needed and what kind
Tracking, follow up
The next thing you will need to do is identify who should get a survey. Clients and caregivers who have been receiving SCP services for at least one year should get a survey. If you are measuring client outcomes (H9), put together a list of clients. If you are also measuring caregiver outcomes (H14), put together a second list of caregivers.
CNCS sent out a notice about pulling together client and caregiver lists, so you may have already done this. Or, you may still need to do this, which may mean working with volunteer stations to get complete lists.
We recommend putting together lists of clients and caregivers to help you track who should get a survey and who has already received one. Include this information such as:
Which clients/caregivers received the minimum level of service for at least one year;
Who should get a survey in a language other than English;
Who has special needs that will require assistance to complete the survey (for example, someone with difficulty seeing or reading may need the questions read to them);
Who will need someone else to complete the survey for them, and who can do this for them; and
Who has completed a survey and who still needs to get one.
The information packet has sample tracking sheets you can use to organize this information.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

11. What about those clients who will need assistance?
6/28/2013
What about those clients who will need assistance?
Someone reads the survey and takes down the answers the client gives (“interview format”)
A family member or caseworker could do the survey for the client:
Regular and recent contact with the client
Knows what the Senior Companion does for the client
Senior Companions cannot assist their own clients.
What about clients who can’t do the survey on their own? (Note there may be caregivers who need assistance as well, but most will probably be independent living clients.)
Assistance could mean someone reads the survey and fills in the answers client gives, like an interview.
If clients are unable to complete a survey – that is, they will not be able to answer the questions - a family member or caseworker can do the survey for them. Ideally, the client will tell you who can speak for them.
In deciding whether or not a client can complete a survey, consider how you would normally get personal information for this client. If this means you rely on someone other than the client, then you should rely on someone else to complete the survey for that client. This person should have regular and recent contact with the client. They need to know about the client’s daily life and what the Senior Companion does. For example, a client with severe cognitive impairment could have a close family member complete the survey for them, if someone is available.
Senior Companions cannot assist their own clients or do the survey for them. This is because the survey asks the client how they feel about their Senior Companion volunteer.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

12. What advice can you share with the group about…
6/28/2013
What advice can you share with the group about…
1. How to assist clients with surveys or other confidential paperwork? 2. How to decide when someone else should provide the information for a client? a. How to determine who should provide information for a client?
Poll: About what percent of your independent living clients would NOT be able to do the survey on their own?
Less than 25%
25-50%
51-75%
more than 75%
Follow-up
What advice do you have on: How to assist clients with surveys or other confidential paperwork? How to decide when someone else should provide the information for a client? How to determine who should provide information for a client?
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

13. Deciding how to give out the surveys
6/28/2013
Deciding how to give out the surveys
Options
In person, by handing it to them to fill out;
In person or over the telephone, by reading it to them and taking down their answers (on paper or on a computer/mobile device);
Sending it to them through the mail; or
ing them a link to the survey which they would fill out online.
Schedule data collection
See sample data collection plan and schedule
So now you have talked to your stakeholders, put together lists of people who will get a survey, and thought about how to help clients who need assistance. The next thing to do is decide how to give out the surveys to clients and caregivers and schedule data collection.
There are several options. You could:
Hand it to them to fill out on their own, which we will talk more about in a minute;
Read the survey to them in person or over the telephone, taking down their answers on paper or on a computer or mobile device using an electronic version of the survey;
Send it to them through the mail; or
them a link to the survey which they would fill out online.
If you do the survey like an interview, where someone reads the questions to clients or caregivers and takes down their answers, this can be done either in person or by telephone. Doing the survey over the telephone involves informing clients and caregivers in advance and possibly setting up call times; and preparing people to do the survey with them.
The survey can be mailed to clients and caregivers to complete on their own. A mail survey involves collecting mailing addresses; preparing a cover letter and self-addressed stamped envelopes; and making copies of the survey and cover letter. You will need to address and stuff envelopes, mail the surveys and possibly a follow-up reminder, and collect and store completed survey forms as they come in.
Clients and caregivers can also fill out the survey online if they have internet access and are comfortable with this option. You will need to the link to the online survey to them with a cover message.
The information packet has instructions for each of these methods if you are interested.
APPENDIX G is a sample data collection plan and lists out the main steps for each option. This gives you an idea of the level of effort involved and how much time it will take. Modify this plan, or develop one of your own, so you can schedule the data collection.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

14. Preparing survey helpers
6/28/2013
Preparing survey helpers
Volunteers or staff (survey helpers) are trained to distribute surveys to clients and caregivers.
They hand surveys with envelopes to clients/caregivers to complete on their own.
Client/caregiver gives it back in envelope or mails it.
Some survey helpers can be trained to give survey as an interview.
Senior Companions cannot give the survey as an interview to their own clients/caregivers.
Let’s talk about the first option we mentioned: handing the survey to clients and caregivers to do on their own. Your Senior Companion volunteers (or in some cases, staff) are in the best position to do this, since they see the clients and caregivers regularly.
This sounds simple but it does require preparation. However, many grantees already do some kind of training or preparation of volunteers to get similar types of forms filled out by clients, so this really isn’t anything new.
So how would this work?
The survey can be given directly to clients and caregivers by “survey helpers”, Senior Companion volunteers or project staff, who have been prepared in advance. You will need a copy of the survey and a sealable envelope for the survey helper to give each client or caregiver. The envelope should have the Project Director’s name and office address on the front. Clients and caregivers will use the envelopes to seal their surveys when they are finished and hand it back to the survey helper, or mail it to your office, if they prefer.
If you have clients and caregivers who will need assistance to do the survey – that is, someone will need to read the questions and take down their answers, like an interview – you can train survey helpers to do this as well. However, keep in mind that Senior Companions will not be able to do the survey as an interview with their own clients or caregivers.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

15. Resources for Preparing Survey Helpers
6/28/2013
Resources for Preparing Survey Helpers
Survey helpers need to know:
How to introduce the survey and answer questions about it;
How to maintain confidentiality;
What they can and cannot do to assist; and,
What to do with completed surveys.
Survey helper training resources are available on the website.
Facilitator notes
Exercises
Handouts
PPT slides
Use them “as is” or modify.
It is very important that anyone giving the survey directly to clients and caregivers is prepared in advance. Don’t skip this step!
Survey helpers need to know:
How to introduce the survey and answer questions about it;
How to maintain confidentiality;
What they can and cannot do to assist; and,
What to do with completed surveys.
There are resources for preparing survey helpers on the website. They include two training sessions – one for survey helpers who hand surveys to clients or caregivers to complete on their own, and the other for survey helpers who would do the survey interview-style. The materials include session agendas, PowerPoint slides, notes for a facilitator, exercises, and handouts for survey helpers. You can use them as is or modify them to fit your needs.
Session 1: Giving the survey to clients/caregivers to do on their own is a minute session. It is a general introduction to the surveys and includes instructions on how to tell the clients and caregivers about the surveys, answer basic questions, and give the surveys to clients and caregivers to fill out on their own.
Session 2: Giving the survey to clients/caregivers in an interview format is a one-hour session for survey helpers who will be assisting clients or caregivers by reading the survey and taking down their answers. This might be a small subset of your survey helpers.
This is just one way to give out the surveys, not the only way.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

16. Giving out the Surveys Distribute and collect surveys.
6/28/2013
Giving out the Surveys
Distribute and collect surveys.
Steps depend on how you do it: in person, telephone, mail, online (see Information Packet)
Follow up to achieve high response rate.
Aim for at least 85% surveys returned.
Use your Client and Caregiver lists to track.
Now that you are prepared, the next step is to actually give out and collect the surveys.
The steps involved in distributing the surveys depends on how you decided to do it – in person, over the phone, through the mail, or online. As we saw, Appendix G in the information packet lists out the steps for each option.
As you collect the surveys, follow up with clients and caregivers to get as many surveys returned as you can. It is important to get at least 85 percent of the people who have received services for at least one year to complete a survey. Use your client and caregiver lists to track who needs to return a survey.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

17. Summarizing the Data Download the Excel spreadsheet and instructions.
6/28/2013
Summarizing the Data
Download the Excel spreadsheet and instructions.
Enter survey data into the spreadsheet.
Calculates response rate and results for you!
the spreadsheet to CNCS by Sept. 30, 2013.
Report results in eGrants using your progress report on your usual reporting timeline.
Last, you will need to summarize the data to report. In a nutshell, it involves:
Downloading a simple Excel spreadsheet and the easy step-by-step instructions from the website;
Entering the survey data into the spreadsheet; and
ing the spreadsheet to CNCS by September 30, 2013.
Afterward, report your results in eGrants using your progress report on your usual reporting timeline.
CNCS will provide the spreadsheet and instructions in August. The spreadsheet is simple to use and calculates response rate and results for you, based on survey data you enter. You will need to enter the client surveys and the caregiver surveys separately if you are measuring both outcomes. We will provide webinars to go over the spreadsheet once it is available.
The spreadsheet will be available in August, and training is coming!
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

18. Questions? 6/28/2013 Q and A SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection

19. Resources Next Webinar: Summarizing the Data (dates to be announced )
6/28/2013
Resources
Next Webinar: Summarizing the Data (dates to be announced )
Senior Corps Survey Help Desk
Telephone:
Monday – Friday, 10 AM – 8 PM Eastern
Website
Reminder of TA resources.
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection
6/28/2013
SCP PM Surveys and Data Collection