Tallahassee, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced the release of an online survey to allow residents, especially older adults, to make important self-assessments on their COVID-19 behaviors through the Florida Department of Elder Affairs (DOEA).
The survey asks Floridians to review their decisions with respect to COVID-19 situations, to see how different actions affect their own health, and the health of others. The Florida Safe Survey allows individuals to have a tool at their disposal that fully engages them in the outcomes of their actions.
“Protecting Florida’s most vulnerable has been my administration’s main focus during this COVID-19 pandemic,” said Governor DeSantis. “With the Florida Safe Survey, we hope to further mitigate the spread of this disease and bring another layer of protection to those most at risk of severe symptoms from COVID-19.”
“With today’s announcement, Floridians across the state have a new opportunity to make a difference during these unprecedented times,” said First Lady Casey DeSantis. “This is a chance for Florida’s aging population to ensure they are doing everything they can to get the best Safe Behavior Score possible with respect to COVID-19. Through this incredible innovation, we are given the opportunity to save lives.”
“Governor DeSantis knows Floridians are resilient, and he has worked tirelessly to bring Floridians together in the fight against COVID-19,” said DOEA Secretary Richard Prudom. “This survey furthers our effort by allowing all residents to get actionable and responsive feedback from their survey results and unite in their actions against COVID-19.”
The self-audit is available at FloridaSafeSurvey.com and takes only a few minutes to complete. Respondents of the survey may anonymously answer questions such as the amount and type of their weekly activities, the number of people in their household, their ability to receive physical or mental health assistance if needed, and the types of preventive measures used on a regular basis.
The Safe Behavior Report offers customized recommendations for each respondent and guides them to different local, state, and national resources based on their answers to questions on geographic location, lifestyle, and personal experiences. The survey allows individuals to evaluate choices they make in everyday situations and possibly change future results based on behavior modifications.
“Through every phase of development, the team at DOEA was constantly ensuring we were best addressing the needs of Florida’s older population,” said James Firman, CEO of BellAge – the company designing the survey and pairing it with data-driven analytics for risk assessments. “DOEA has helped us create an impressive prototype that’s now being reviewed by several other states around the country.”
Anyone may take the Florida Safe Survey and view the invaluable results of The Safe Behavior Report. Additionally, Floridians may take the survey multiple times to see how any changed behavior may affect their health score. The resources, however, are selected from the Florida Aging Network pantheon of services most suited for older adults.
DOEA’s 11 Area Agencies on Aging will assist in announcing and distributing information about the Florida Safe Survey by working with local service providers and volunteers to get the survey in front of Florida’s most vulnerable population.