Aging well in ethnically diverse community settings

Older adults, especially minority populations with high socioeconomic need, have increased risk factors for chronic illnesses; yet often fewer resources to manage health concerns. Kokua Kalihi Valley Elderly Services Health Maintenance Program (KKVES) serves a primary residential area for immigrants, culturally diverse (>17 cultures) with high socioeconomic need (>90%). KKVES assists frail older adults in developing healthier lifestyles to enhance their capability to remain living in their own homes in the community.

KKVES offers evidence-based health education, activities, and promotion programs to encourage and motivate minority seniors to take charge of their health and lives, thereby enabling them to remain living at home as independently as long and as safely as possible. Notably, community-based health promotion programs are effective for all people. It is useful and important, however, to align these health promotion programs to fit within the client's culture value system to maximize the effectiveness and benefits.

Using Hawaii's KKVES as an example, the presentation will discuss key elements in planning community-based health promotion programs (physical activity and evidence-based chronic disease self-management program) in ethnically diverse community settings, strategies to incorporate scientific methods to ensure program delivery and effectiveness, and impacts of health promotion programs.