scholarly journals Terrie Fox Wetle Award (2020): The Role of Home-Delivered Meals Programs in Improving Health and Promoting Community Independence for Older Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 386-386
Author(s):  
Kali Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Intervention Studies ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Community Partners ◽  
Award Recipient ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Dr. Terrie “Fox” Wetle is internationally recognized as a leader who conducts and advocates for multi-disciplinary and multi-method investigations centered on aging, public health and health care with direct implications for shaping policy and practice. This award lecture, given in Dr. Wetle’s name, will be presented by the 2020 award recipient, Kali Thomas, PhD. Dr. Thomas will present a line of multi-disciplinary and multi-method research focused on the impact of home-delivered meals as it relates to the health outcomes of homebound, food insecure older adults. Findings will include results from observational and intervention studies conducted at both the local and national levels. Examples of how this evidence has influenced policy and practice, including greater integration with healthcare, will be provided. The lecture will conclude with discussion about future opportunities for collaboration with community partners to measure and understand the impact of these vital social services on the lives of older adults.

scholarly journals Variation In Health Outcomes: The Role Of Spending On Social Services, Public Health, And Health Care, 2000–09

2016 ◽  
Vol 35 (5) ◽  
pp. 760-768 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth H. Bradley ◽  
Maureen Canavan ◽  
Erika Rogan ◽  
Kristina Talbert-Slagle ◽  
Chima Ndumele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Social Services

Over the rainbow: direct payments and social inclusion

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 127 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jed Donoghue ◽  
Chris Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Social Isolation ◽  
Service Provision ◽  
Social Inclusion ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Direct Payments ◽  
The Impact

This paper examines the impact of direct payments on social isolation. We define what social isolation means, and then evaluate the role of direct payments in the provision of social services in the United Kingdom. Social isolation is a particular problem for older people. In Australia there are an increasing number of older residents who are isolated, but would benefit from having greater choice in terms of how they access and receive social services. Increased access to direct payments could help to reduce waiting lists for traditional social services and address gaps in service provision. What is known about the topic?International research indicates that in some cases direct payments or self-directed service provision helps to reduce social isolation. What does this paper add?The authors argue that based on the available evidence, a system incorporating direct payments would have health benefits for older adults living in the community. What are the implications for practitioners?The paper concludes by suggesting that directs payments have the capacity to reduce social isolation in Australia.

scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 public health restrictions on older people in Uganda: ‘Hunger is really one of those problems brought by this COVID’

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Clarissa Giebel ◽  
Bwire Ivan ◽  
Philomena Burger ◽  
Isaac Ddumba
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Health Care Utilisation ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Security Guards ◽  
Care Utilisation ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Objectives: To explore the impact of COVID-19 related public health restrictions on the lives of older adults living in Uganda. Design: Qualitative semi-structured interview study Setting: Participants’ homes Participants: Older adults living in Uganda (aged 60+) Measurements: Older adults in Uganda were interviewed over the phone and asked about their lives before and since COVID-19, and how public health restrictions have affected their lives. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed and translated into English. Transcripts were thematically analysed and themes generated in discussion. Results: 30 older adults participated in the study. Five themes were identified: (1) Economic impacts; (2) Lack of access to basic necessities; (3) Impact on health care utilisation; (4) Social impacts; and (5) Violent reinforcement of public health restrictions. COVID-public health restrictions had severe impacts on their lives, with many people having not enough food to eat due to lack of income, and being unable to pay their grandchildren’s school fees. Steep rises in public transport fares and an overall avoidance of transport also resulted in a lack of access to healthcare services and difficulty in getting food. Restrictions were violently reinforced by security guards. Conclusions: Public health restrictions have a severe impact not only on older adults, but the whole family in Uganda. Governmental strategies to contain the virus need to provide more support to enable people to get basic necessities and live as normal a life as possible.

scholarly journals Why physical activity matters for older adults in a time of pandemic

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Conor Cunningham ◽  
Roger O’ Sullivan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Population Level ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Careful Consideration ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Physically Active ◽  
World Government ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted communities across the world. Government responses, of promoting ‘social distancing’ at a population level, and ‘self-isolation’ of older adults to mitigate its spread have been unprecedented. Despite the importance of these Public Health and Social Measures (PHSM), they present challenges to maintaining a physically active lifestyle, particularly for older adults. Context The importance of physical activity (PA) for health is well documented. There is strong evidence that PA in later life reduces the risk of disease, helps to manage existing conditions, and develops and maintains physical and mental function. Staying physically active is particularly important for older adults currently. Implications and recommendations Research suggests that PHSM have already reduced levels of PA for older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prior to COVID-19 many older adults were not engaging in enough PA to attain health benefits. Evidence indicates that there will be an increase in the number of older adults not meeting guidelines for PA due to the impacts of COVID-19. This has implications for population health and public health policy. How to support older adults to remain physically active during and after the COVID-19 crisis will require careful consideration. Going forward it is imperative that policy and practice support all older adults to achieve the recommended levels of PA to ensure that they are not disadvantaged in the short- but also in the longer term by the impact of COVID-19.

“PHONE-CONNECT” - A Pilot Program Prescribing Phones to Address Digital Health Equity Needs in the COVID-19 Era (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gill Kazevman ◽  
Marck Mercado ◽  
Jennifer Hulme ◽  
Andrea Somers
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Access To Health Care ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Health Care Intervention ◽  
Care Intervention

UNSTRUCTURED Vulnerable populations have been identified as having higher infection rates and poorer COVID-19 related outcomes, likely due to their inability to readily access primary care, follow public health directives and adhere to self-isolation guidelines. As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many health care services have adopted new digital solutions, relying on phone and internet connectivity. Yet, persons who are digitally inaccessible, such as those struggling with poverty or homelessness, are often unable to utilize these services. In response to this newly highlighted social disparity known as “digital health inequity”, emergency physicians at the University Health Network, Toronto, initiated a program called “PHONE CONNECT”. This novel approach attempts to improve patients’ access to health care, information and social services, as well as improve their ability to adhere to public health directives (social isolation and contact tracing). While similar programs addressing the same emerging issues have been recently described in the media, this is the first time phones are provided as a health care intervention in an emergency department. This innovative ED point-of-care intervention may have a significant impact on improving the health outcomes for vulnerable people during the COVID-19 pandemic, and even beyond it.

scholarly journals The Impact of Work Hours on Depressive Symptoms among Koreans Aged 45 and Over

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 853
Author(s):  
Juyeong Kim ◽  
Eun-Cheol Park
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Services ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Epidemiological Studies ◽  
Work Hours ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Health Studies ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Impact

Background: Given the documented importance of employment for middle-aged and older adults’ mental health, studies of the association between their number of work hours and depressive symptoms are needed. Objectives: To examine the association between the number of work hours and depressive symptoms in Korean aged 45 and over. Methods: We used data from the first wave to fourth wave of the Korea Longitudinal Study of Aging. Using the first wave at baseline, data included 9845 individuals. Depressive symptoms were measured using the 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. We performed a longitudinal analysis to estimate the prevalence of depressive symptoms by work hours. Results: Both unemployed males and females aged 45–65 years were associated with higher depressive symptoms (β = 0.59, p < 0.001; β = 0.32, p < 0.001). Females working ≥ 69 h were associated with higher depressive symptoms compared to those working 41–68 h (β = 0.25, p = 0.013). Among those both middle-aged and older adults, both males and females unemployed were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Those middle-aged female working ≥69 h were associated with higher depressive symptoms. Conclusions: An increase in depressive symptoms was associated with unemployed males and females working ≥69 h compared to those working 41–68 h. Although this association was found among middle-aged individuals, a decrease in depressive symptoms in both sexes was associated with working 1–40 h. Depressive symptoms should decrease by implementing employment policies and social services to encourage employers to support middle-aged and older adults in the workforce considering their sex and age differences.

scholarly journals 26.A. Workshop: Assessing the role of policies and actions to address childhood obesity

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Childhood Obesity ◽  
Stakeholder Engagement ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Policy Options ◽  
Sustainable Solutions ◽  
Relevant Evidence ◽  
Multi Stakeholder ◽  
The Impact

Abstract   Childhood obesity has grown to become one of the most dramatic features of the global obesity epidemic, with long-term consequences. The spread of obesity has been fueled by changes in social norms and living environments that have shaped individual behaviours making them conducive to excessive and imbalanced nutrition, sedentary lifestyles, and ultimately obesity and associated diseases. The STOP project will aim to generate scientifically sound, novel and policy-relevant evidence on the factors that have contributed to the spread of childhood obesity in European countries and on the effects of alternative technological and organisational solutions and policy options available to address the problem. STOP will translate the evidence gathered and generated into indicators and measurements, policy briefs and toolkits and multi-stakeholder frameworks. A special focus of STOP is understanding the stakeholders' networks and drivers of stakeholders' action. STOP will establish new ways for policy-relevant evidence to be generated, made available and used in the design and implementation of effective and sustainable solutions for childhood obesity at the EU, national and local levels. Each of the policy work packages will: Produce evidence syntheses and impact simulations for different policy approaches;Assess selected policy approaches and actions in children cohorts and other relevant settings;Devise policy toolkits and policy guidance to support the adoption and implementation of specific actions by relevant actors;Establish a country-based European accountability and monitoring framework in each policy area. The workshop aims to: Showcase the impact of different policy options evaluated throughout the STOP project;Increase participants' understanding and awareness of the opportunities and challenges associated with the implementation of selected policies;Increase awareness of public health professionals of the importance of overcoming siloes in identifying and implementing public health policies;Increase the understanding of multi-stakeholder engagement. The discussion will explore the role of stakeholders across different policy areas. We will explore the different definitions of “stakeholders” and “multi-stakeholders” engagement. This will also be an opportunity to explore some of the benefits, risks and challenges around stakeholder engagement, and explore what are the different types of stakeholders involved in these policies as well as their roles. The workshop will offer an opportunity to: Inform participants about existing physical activity, regulatory and fiscal policies to address childhood obesity;Inform participants about new, innovative EU-level projects that aim to address childhood obesity;Outline preliminary findings of the STOP project with regards to the effectiveness of the evaluated policies;Identify some of the gaps and limitations of existing policies and discuss some of the steps to ensure successful policy implementation. Key messages Present new evidence on what policy approaches work in addressing key determinants of childhood obesity. Showcase findings on the attitudes of different stakeholders towards obesity policies, and debate the benefits, risks and challenges of multi-stakeholder engagement.

scholarly journals The Moderating Impact of Attending Services on the Effect of Older Adults’ Discrimination Experiences on Loneliness

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 323-323
Author(s):  
Dahee Kim ◽  
Kyuho Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Perceived Discrimination ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Religious Community ◽  
Religious Activities ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Religious Behaviors ◽  
Religious Services ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Research has shown that perceived discriminations impact physical and mental health in later life. Discrimination experiences could make older adults consider themselves as a social misfit and decrease their social interactions, which finally increases their loneliness. Religious behaviors has been reported as a key factor of a lower sense of isolation. Considering that religious behaviors provide opportunities to engage in more extensive social networks and have supportive social ties with community members, attending religious services might decrease the impact of older adults’ perceived discrimination on loneliness. The current research aims to examine the moderating role of religious services attendance in the association between older adults’ perceived discrimination and loneliness. We used data of 4,488 adults aged 50 to 80 (M=66.27, SD=10.15) from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) collected in 2012 and 2014. Linear regression analysis was performed to investigate whether older adults’ religious service attendance might decrease the impact of their perceived discriminations in daily life on the level of loneliness. The results indicated that more perceived discriminations older adults face on a daily basis were significantly associated with higher levels of loneliness. However, participants who frequently attended religious services showed a lower impact of perceived discriminations on their loneliness. These findings highlight the positive effects of engaging in religious activities on discriminated older adults’ social well-being. These findings also emphasize the role of the religious community as a social resource for socially marginalized older adults.

scholarly journals Cohort study of ageing from Bagé (SIGa-Bagé), Brazil: profile and methodology

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elaine Thumé ◽  
Marciane Kessler ◽  
Karla P. Machado ◽  
Bruno P. Nunes ◽  
Pamela M. Volz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Cohort Study ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Cognitive Testing ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The Bagé Cohort Study of Ageing is a population-based cohort study that has recently completed the first follow-up of a representative sample of older adults from Bagé, a city with more than 100,000 inhabitants located in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. This is one of the first longitudinal studies to assess the impact of primary health care coverage on health conditions and inequalities. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence, incidence and trends of risk factors, health behaviours, social relationships, non-communicable diseases, geriatric diseases and disorders, hospitalisation, self-perceived health, and all-cause and specific-cause mortality. In addition, we aim to evaluate socioeconomic and health inequalities and the impact of primary health care on the outcomes under study. Methods/design The study covers participants aged 60 or over, selected by probabilistic (representative) sampling of the urban area of the city of Bagé, which is covered by Primary Health Care Services. The baseline examination included 1593 older adults and was conducted from July 2008 to November 2008. After eight to nine years (2016/2017), the first follow-up was conducted from September 2016 to August 2017. All participants underwent an extensive core assessment programme including structured interviews, questionnaires, cognitive testing (baseline and follow-up), physical examinations and anthropometric measurements (follow-up). Results Of the original participants, 1395 (87.6%) were located for follow-up: 757 elderly individuals (47.5%) were re-interviewed, but losses in data transfer occurred for 22. The remaining 638 (40.1%) had died. In addition, we had 81 (5.1%) refusals and 117 (7.3%) losses. Among the 1373 older adults who were followed down, there was a higher proportion of female interviewees (p=0.042) and a higher proportion of male deaths (p=0.001) in 2016/2017. There were no differences in losses and refusals according to gender (p=0.102). There was a difference in average age between the interviewees (68.8 years; SD ±6.5) and non-interviewees (73.2 years; SD ±9.0) (p<0.001). Data are available at the Department of Social Medicine in Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, for any collaboration.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document