Community Asset Mapping: A Blueprint to Aging in Place

Course overview

Asset mapping is a process of identifying and recording the skills, talents, and resources of an individual, group, or community. Individual and group assets can be categorized as gifts, talents, expertise, knowledge, and resources. Community asset mapping is an approach used to identify the supportive features in a community that contribute to the ability of individuals to age in place with dignity. The process of asset mapping begins with person-centered assessments of intrinsic capacities (physical and mental) and extends to determining the assets of the community and of networks, as well as the interactions between them, to promote an age-friendly livable community. The goal of asset mapping is to identify supportive individual and community features designed to match an individual's ever-changing functional ability and, by doing so, mediate the rate of decline, encourage active participation and engagement in society, increase social capital, and improve overall population health. The course draws on real-world examples to enhance skills and promote new knowledge for healthcare providers in all settings. It is particularly pertinent to successful care management of older adults with chronic conditions to support aging in place. This course is part 1 of a two-course series.