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Bringing an Age-Friendly Approach to Community Services for Seniors
Seniors may also be isolated, and lack access to social services and medical care. Limited access to care, health information, and resources can make it extremely difficult for seniors to experience healthy aging. Healthy, active or successful aging is the act of continuing to maintain good health with age. Health centers with services tailored to meet the needs of seniors can help older adults remain connected to the community. These programs and services provided by health centers can assist older adults with remaining as healthy and independent as possible in their homes and communities.
This interactive presentation will provide tips on how to make your health center age-friendly. The presentation will cover alternative approaches to healthy aging that are currently in use by public health organizations. Additionally, the presentation will share effective outreach strategies to increase seniors’ ability to attain healthy aging such as, community-based services; creative housing options; civic engagement; work and volunteer opportunities; artistic expression; culturally-relevant activities; and lifelong learning programs. Results from a case study highlighting an outstanding health center will be utilized to demonstrate how to accurately provide high quality care and services to high risk and minority older adults on the community-level.
Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programsChronic disease management and prevention
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Describe ways older adults are underserved and at risk for isolation.
Identify tips for engaging older adults in community-based activities.
List ways they can meet the unique needs of diverse aging populations in their own communities.
Keyword(s): Community-Based Health, Community Health Centers
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have had the opportunity to conduct research with the Health Communications Research Laboratory, St. Louis Public Schools System, and the National Medical Association. As a public health researcher, I covered topics such as health literacy, tailored health communications, health information technology, health policy, and school health and wellness. I currently work as the Health Research and Policy Analyst for North American Management. Much of my work involves researching emerging health issues among disparate populations.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.