Last in a series about how better access to data is improving care for older Californians.
At Archstone Foundation, we believe data is among the most powerful tools for making responsible grant and policy decisions to improve care for people. To advance the health and well-being of older Californians, we must understand where inequities persist, where progress is being made, and where improvement is necessary.
That’s why the California Data Dashboard for Aging, developed by the state government, and the National Aging Readiness Dashboard, developed by the nonprofit West Health, are so valuable. Both tools are helping us move beyond assumptions and collectively hold ourselves accountable to the people we serve. Both sets of readily accessible data provide the insight we need to understand complex challenges, track outcomes over time, and support solutions that are grounded in evidence as well as lived experience.
Data as a Lens for Philanthropy
We recognize that many of our society’s systems have been built in ways that are unjust and unfair, excluding people from accessing equal footing for healthcare, housing, and economic stability. We also recognize that the intersections of ageism, racism, sexism, ableism, and discrimination compound with age.
High-quality, accessible data helps us understand complex challenges in aging, such as the accumulated impact of discrimination over a lifetime, disparities in healthcare access, the financial burden on caregivers, and geographic differences in workforce shortages. The two dashboards provide a shared framework and a way to visualize where opportunities exist. They also make these insights available not only to policy advocates, philanthropic partners, and researchers but also to community leaders, service providers, and older adults themselves.
Aggregated data, which combines information from multiple sources or groups to show trends, does more than reveal the inequities and injustices that have been codified in the systems designed to serve people. A clear picture of where we are falling short can catalyze solutions. By offering information on outcomes for people of different races, income levels, genders, disability statuses, and more, dashboards like these enable us to see the complete picture and identify where resources can have the greatest impact. They ground our strategies in facts, not just intentions, and hold us accountable in our pursuit of systemic change.
Using Data to Inform Grantmaking
We utilize this data to inform our grantmaking, aiming to support effective and equitable solutions. We pursue our goals by implementing targeted strategies that tackle the specific barriers faced by different communities. This approach requires understanding not only who is most impacted by health disparities but also why – and then tailoring our interventions accordingly.
Our work is guided by our commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI), principles that form the core of how we partner, work, and engage in everything we do. These values also guide how we interpret and act on the data:
- Supporting underserved communities. We prioritize historically excluded or underserved communities, ensuring that our resources flow where they are most needed.
- Providing inclusive, person- and family-centered care. We fund programs that reflect real peoples’ lives, values, and cultural contexts.
- Addressing disparities and tracking progress. We acknowledge how systemic inequities have led to poor outcomes for many groups, and we commit to continuous evaluation so we can measure and achieve real progress.
- Centering community perspective. We believe those closest to the challenges facing older Californians must help shape the solutions.
Both the California and West Health dashboards support our JEDI principles by making data visible, understandable, and usable by everyone. They show us where we need to invest time, resources, and attention to make sure all of us have the opportunity to age with dignity, meaning, and purpose.
Collaboration and Transparency
Shared measurement – agreement on what the facts are, in other words – is an essential starting place for meaningful systems change. Dashboards provide a foundation for alignment across sectors, including public agencies, nonprofit organizations, health systems, and philanthropy. With a common understanding of conditions that need improving, we can collaborate to close gaps and build more resilient systems.
Philanthropy plays a crucial role in supporting data infrastructure by funding development, ensuring accessibility, and facilitating its use in decision-making. But leaning on the data is not enough; we must also pay close attention to lived experiences, engage diverse voices, and ensure that community wisdom is valued alongside quantitative insights.
Looking Forward
As more communities embrace Multisector Plans for Aging and other cross-sector efforts, we see tremendous opportunity. These dashboards can help funders, government agencies, and local leaders allocate resources where they are needed most, track outcomes over time, and adjust strategies based on real-world feedback.
We encourage others to explore these tools and to join with us in advocating for a data-informed, equity-driven future for aging. By measuring what matters and acting with intention, we can ensure all older adults and their caregivers have access to high-quality, coordinated, and compassionate care.
Read the first post in the series, “Why It’s Important to Track Progress Toward a California for All Ages and Abilities,” and the second, “Why West Health Created a National Database on Aging Readiness and Older Adult Health.”
To learn more about the Foundation’s commitment to improving the health and well-being of older Californians, we invite you to follow our work on LinkedIn.
