scholarly journals Age-Friendly Built Environment

Encyclopedia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-791
Author(s):  
Hing-Wah Chau ◽  
Elmira Jamei
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Independent Living ◽  
Holistic Approach ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
World Health ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Wide Range

Age-friendly built environments have been promoted by the World Health Organisation (WHO, Geneva, Switzerland) under the Global Age-friendly Cities (AFC) movement in which three domains are related to the built environment. These are: housing, transportation, outdoor spaces and public buildings. The aim is to foster active ageing by optimising opportunities for older adults to maximise their independent living ability and participate in their communities to enhance their quality of life and wellbeing. An age-friendly built environment is inclusive, accessible, respects individual needs and addresses the wide range of capacities across the course of life. Age-friendly housing promotes ageing in familiar surroundings and maintains social connections at the neighbourhood and community levels. Both age-friendly housing and buildings provide barrier-free provisions to minimise the needs for subsequent adaptations. Age-friendly public and outdoor spaces encourage older adults to spend time outside and engage with others against isolation and loneliness. Age-friendly public transport enables older adults to get around and enhances their mobility. For achieving an age-friendly living environment, a holistic approach is required to enable independent living, inclusion and active participation of older adults in society. The eight domains of the AFC movement are not mutually exclusive but overlap and support with one another.

Organized Learning as a Factor of Stimulation and Satisfaction in the Life of Older Adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 23-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oldřich Čepelka
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Older People ◽  
Well Being ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
World Health ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Third Age ◽  
Knowledge And Skills ◽  
The Third

The aim of this article is to point to other than the cognitive effects of older adults’ learning that is organized in courses. The number of older people in the Czech Republic grows, and this is accommodated by universities as well as by other institutions. Nonetheless, only few representative surveys are devoted to the education of older adults, and the literature places little emphasis on satisfactory and stimulating effects of participation in organized learning. In fact, education of older adults, in general, does not only expand their knowledge and skills; it also influences their mental health (supporting mental hygiene), social status and quality of life. Among those effects, the satisfaction of important psychogenic and sociogenic needs has a special position and value. The analysis of the educational provision of 22 Czech universities of the third age indicates that courses primarily focus on helping older people how to “spend their time”, realize their hobbies and satisfy their curiosity. Themes of public interest, like media literacy or first aid, are missing. On the contrary, courses organized by other institutions (like academies of the third age, older people’s clubs, community centres etc.) are more centred upon the practical needs of older people. The motivations of older adults for organized learning are dominated by needs and related interests. The most important needs are those from the categories of belonging, esteem and self-esteem, and self-actualization and understanding (in terms of A. H. Maslow’s theory). Learning and self-learning of older adults is a part of the active ageing policy proposed by the World Health Organisation in 2002. It is based on the theory of active ageing which builds on the assumption that an adult person’s needs continue to exist till old age though they partly change. These include, among others, the inclinations to activity, self-fulfilment, self-esteem (to reach a sense of competence and usefulness). Educational activities contribute to feelings of dignity, self-esteem and well-being and help consolidate mental and physical health by mobilizing intellectual, cognitive and motoric capacities and functions. Therefore, organized learning is not only a matter of growth of knowledge and skills but also a matter of social ties and their cultivation. Simultaneously, organized learning both satisfies individual needs and interests of older people and stimulates the attainment of their life values.

scholarly journals Teaching clinical handover with ISBAR

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (S2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Annette Burgess ◽  
Christie van Diggele ◽  
Chris Roberts ◽  
Craig Mellis
Keyword(s):  
Health Professional ◽  
Community Setting ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Clinical Environment ◽  
Clinical Handover ◽  
Professional Students ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Health Professional Students ◽  
Patient Care Errors

AbstractClinical handover is one of the most critical steps in a patient’s journey and is a core skill that needs to be taught to health professional students and junior clinicians. Performed well, clinical handover should ensure that lapses in continuity of patient care, errors and harm are reduced in the hospital or community setting. Handover, however, is often poorly performed, with critical detail being omitted and irrelevant detail included. Evidence suggests that the use of a structured, standardised framework for handover, such as ISBAR, improves patient outcomes. The ISBAR (Introduction, Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation) framework, endorsed by the World Health Organisation, provides a standardised approach to communication which can be used in any situation. In the complex clinical environment of healthcare today, ISBAR is suited to a wide range of clinical contexts, and works best when all parties are trained in using the same framework. It is essential that healthcare leaders and professionals from across the health disciplines work together to ensure good clinical handover practices are developed and maintained. Organisations, including universities and hospitals, need to invest in the education and training of health professional students and health professionals to ensure good quality handover practice. Using ISBAR as a framework, the purpose of this paper is to highlight key elements of effective clinical handover, and to explore teaching techniques that aim to ensure the framework is embedded in practice effectively.

scholarly journals ‘You really do become invisible’: examining older adults’ right to the city in the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Deborah Menezes ◽  
Ryan Woolrych ◽  
Judith Sixsmith ◽  
Meiko Makita ◽  
Harry Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
World Health ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Ageing Population ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
The City ◽  
Rights To The City

Abstract A global ageing population presents opportunities and challenges to designing urban environments that support ageing in place. The World Health Organization's Global Age-Friendly Cities movement has identified the need to develop communities that optimise health, participation and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age. Ensuring that age-friendly urban environments create the conditions for active ageing requires cities and communities to support older adults’ rights to access and move around the city (‘appropriation’) and for them to be actively involved in the transformation (‘making and remaking’) of the city. These opportunities raise important questions: What are older adults’ everyday experiences in exercising their rights to the city? What are the challenges and opportunities in supporting a rights to the city approach? How can the delivery of age-friendly cities support rights to the city for older adults? This paper aims to respond to these questions by examining the lived experiences of older adults across three cities and nine neighbourhoods in the United Kingdom. Drawing on 104 semi-structured interviews with older adults between the ages of 51 and 94, the discussion centres on the themes of: right to use urban space; respect and visibility; and the right to participate in planning and decision-making. These themes are illustrated as areas in which older adults’ rights to access and shape urban environments need to be addressed, along with recommendations for age-friendly cities that support a rights-based approach.

scholarly journals Creation and Worldwide Utilisation of New COVID-19 Online Information Hub for Genetics Health Professionals, Patients and Families

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam P. Tobias ◽  
Jonathan Berg ◽  
Roseanne Cetnarskyj ◽  
Zosia Miedzybrodzka ◽  
Mary E. Porteous ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Genetics ◽  
Genetic Disorders ◽  
Protein Structures ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Steering Committee ◽  
World Health ◽  
Online Information ◽  
The Public ◽  
Wide Range

The current COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately resulted in many significant concerns for individuals with genetic disorders and their relatives, regarding the viral infection and, particularly, its specific implications and additional advisable precautions for individuals affected by genetic disorders. To address this, the resulting requirement for guidance and information for the public and for genetics professionals was discussed among colleagues nationally, on the ScotGEN Steering Committee, and internationally on the Education Committee of the European Society of Human Genetics (ESHG). It was agreed that the creation of an online hub of genetics-related COVID-19 information resources would be particularly helpful. The proposed content, divided into a web page for professionals and a page for patients, was discussed with, and approved by, genetics professionals. The hub was created and provided online at www.scotgen.org.uk and linked from the ESHG’s educational website for genetics and genomics, at www.eurogems.org. The new hub provides links, summary information and representative illustrations for a wide range of selected international resources. The resources for professionals include: COVID-19 research related hubs provided by Nature, Science, Frontiers, and PubMed; clinical guidelines; the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control; the World Health Organisation; and molecular data sources including coronavirus 3D protein structures. The resources for patients and families include links to many accessible sources of support and relevant information. Since the launch of the pages, the website has received visits from over 50 countries worldwide. Several genetics consultants have commented on usefulness, clarity, readability, and ease of navigation. Visits have originated most frequently in the United Kingdom, Kuwait, Hong Kong, Moldova, United States, Philippines, France, and Qatar. More links have been added since the launch of the hub to include additional international public health and academic resources. In conclusion, an up-to-date online hub has been created and made freely available for healthcare professionals, patients, relatives and the public, providing categorised easily navigated links to a range of worldwide resources related to COVID-19. These pages are receiving a rapidly growing number of return visits and the authors continue to maintain and update the pages’ content, incorporating new developments in this field of enormous worldwide importance.

scholarly journals Examining multi-layer constraints on activity engagement among older adults

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S Lee
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Social Cognitive ◽  
Social Supports ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Physical Activities ◽  
Neighborhood Environment ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Cognitive Activities ◽  
Socio Demographic Factors

Abstract Background Social and cognitive activities motivate the older adults to develop individual aspirations, newfound sources of pleasure, and engagement in later life. The current study aimed to examine a wide range of factors that might impede older adults’ participation in activities, and to provide strategies to manipulate the constraints in the promotion of active ageing. Methods We used data drawn from a sample of the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) wave 7.0. The study sample comprised 48,742 European elderly, aged between 65 and 105 years (54% female). Multiple questionnaire items were used to assess various constraints including socio-demographic factors, personality, social supports, health and psychological indicators. Activities included social and cognitive activities and also moderate physical activities. A series of regression analysis was performed to examine the hypothesized relationships between study variables. Results Those older adults who reported negative perception of neighborhood environment (p < .001), poor health (p < .001), chronic diseases (p < .001), and frequent loneliness and depression (p < .001) were less likely to participate in social and cognitive activities. Moderate-level of physical activities were strongly related to the health variables (p < .001) and social supports (p < .001). Among the demographic variables, age was highlighted as the most predictable factor for the decreased participation in activities. Conclusions In order to promote diverse forms of activities in later life, we should be better-informed about different nature and variability of the constraints among the older adults. Improving accessibility to the activities such as ageing-friendly facilities and home-oriented social service and recreation programs can help older adults more engage in daily activities. Key messages Older adults experience varied constraints on social, cognitive and physical activities. Public health should improve accessibility to diverse forms of activities in later life.

Role of Chyavanprashas a Rasayana in combating an outbreak of COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 165-170
Author(s):  
Rajni Kamlakar Gurmule
Keyword(s):  
Causative Factor ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
Viral Disease ◽  
World Health ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Healthy Life ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
High Incidence ◽  
Better Than

Today the whole world is suffering from the most dreadful disease that is Covid 19. The Causative factor for COVID 19 is SARS-COV2. It was ϑirst noticed in Wuhan city of China. World Health Organisation declared the fatality of this disease as a pandemic. This disease has become a problem of great concern globally. This virus targets the respiratory system of human beings. There is a high incidence of person to person transmission of this disease through contact. However, there is also a signiϑicant role in innate immunity in pathogenesis and management of this disease. The whole world is seeking for ϑlawless control of this viral disease. Ayurveda is a holistic science. Its aim is not only on the cure of diseases but also on its prevention. It emphasises mainly on healthy life of an individual. There is a wide range of principles described in Ayurveda which are used to combat disease from its root. Rasayana Chikista is a useful principle of Ayurveda, beneϑicial for management and prevention of many diseases. It is always said that “prevention is better than cure”. Chyavanprash is one of the well known Rasayana. Contents of Chyavanprash shows a wide range of actions on respiratory diseases as well as on boosting immunity. These properties of it provoke us to review the role of Chyavanprash in the prevention of Covid 19, thereby increasing one’s immune response. This Chyavanaprash can be a boon in the prevention of Covid 19 by improving immunity against it.

scholarly journals Environmental, Individual and Personal Goal Influences on Older Adults’ Walking in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area

2018 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. 58 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiina Laatikainen ◽  
Mohammad Haybatollahi ◽  
Marketta Kyttä
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Metropolitan Area ◽  
Spatial Scales ◽  
Human Mobility ◽  
Mapping Method ◽  
Independent Effect ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
Helsinki Metropolitan Area

Physical activity is a fundamental factor in healthy ageing, and the built environment has been linked to individual health outcomes. Understanding the linkages between older adult’s walking and the built environment are key to designing supportive environments for active ageing. However, the variety of different spatial scales of human mobility has been largely overlooked in the environmental health research. This study used an online participatory mapping method and a novel modelling of individual activity spaces to study the associations between both the environmental and the individual features and older adults’ walking in the environments where older adult’s actually move around. Study participants (n = 844) aged 55+ who live in Helsinki Metropolitan Area, Finland reported their everyday errand points on a map and indicated which transport mode they used and how frequently they accessed the places. Respondents walking trips were drawn from the data and the direct and indirect effects of the personal, psychological as well as environmental features on older adults walking were examined. Respondents marked on average, six everyday errand points and walked for transport an average of 20 km per month. Residential density and the density of walkways, public transit stops, intersections and recreational sports places were significantly and positively associated with older adult’s walking for transport. Transit stop density was found having the largest direct effect to older adults walking. Built environment had an independent effect on older adults walking regardless of individual demographic or psychological features. Education and personal goals related to physical activities had a direct positive, and income a direct negative, effect on walking. Gender and perceived health had an indirect effect on walking, which was realized through individuals’ physical activity goals.

scholarly journals Constructing and negotiating social participation in old age: experiences of older adults living in urban environments in the United Kingdom

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Woolrych ◽  
Judith Sixsmith ◽  
Jenny Fisher ◽  
Meiko Makita ◽  
Rebecca Lawthom ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
United Kingdom ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Active Ageing ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Community Facilities

Abstract The age-friendly cities and communities movement has focused on how to better support older adults to age well within urban environments. Central to ‘ageing well’ and ‘active ageing’ agendas is ensuring that older adults can participate in meaningful forms of social participation. The benefits of social participation in old age have been well documented, and research amongst community-dwelling older adults has explored some of the neighbourhood qualities that facilitate or impede such forms of engagement. However, understandings of how older adults construct and negotiate social participation within everyday urban environments have been largely unexplored. To address this gap, we present results from 104 interviews conducted with older adults living in three cities and nine neighbourhoods in the United Kingdom (UK). The findings explore three themes generated from the research: ‘constructing meaningful social participation in old age’, ‘negotiating access to social participation’ and ‘navigating home and community’. Across these themes, the paper describes how experiences of social participation in old age involve a number of inter-connected physical, psychological and social processes experienced by individuals across a range of environmental settings including the home, outdoor spaces and community facilities. The paper concludes by discussing the implications of the findings for practice, specifically in the delivery of age-friendly communities.

The Contribution of Sense of Community to the Association Between Age-Friendly Built Environment and Health in a High-Density City: A Cross-Sectional Study of Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Hong Kong

2021 ◽  
pp. 073346482199129
Author(s):  
Jennifer Y. M. Tang ◽  
Cheryl H. K. Chui ◽  
Vivian W. Q. Lou ◽  
Rebecca L. H. Chiu ◽  
Robin Kwok ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Older Adults ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Built Environment ◽  
Sense Of Community ◽  
Total Effect ◽  
Middle Aged ◽  
Environment And Health ◽  
Outdoor Spaces

Sense of community may be shaped by the quality of the physical environment and has potential health implications. Based on a survey of 2,247 community-dwelling middle-aged and older adults living in Hong Kong, we tested the mediation effect of sense of community on the relationship between the quality of the built environment and physical and mental health using path analysis. The quality of the built environment was indicated by the age-friendliness of outdoor spaces and buildings. No direct association was found between the built environment and health outcomes, although age-friendly outdoor spaces were associated with better mental health. Sense of community mediated 14% of the total effect between outdoor spaces and mental health and 44.8% of the total effect between buildings and physical health, underscoring the importance of accommodating the social needs of middle-aged and older people in urban development in high-density cities.

scholarly journals Combining the Digital, Social and Physical Layer to Create Age-Friendly Cities and Communities

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 325
Author(s):  
Sonja Pedell ◽  
Ann Borda ◽  
Alen Keirnan ◽  
Nicole Aimers
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Self Management ◽  
Social Aspects ◽  
Social Prescribing ◽  
Outdoor Spaces ◽  
Barriers And Opportunities ◽  
Health Organization

This qualitative investigation makes suggestions about creating age-friendly cities for older adults focusing on three domains of the World Health Organization (WHO) age-friendly city framework namely “Communication and Information”, “Outdoor Spaces and Buildings” and “Social Participation”. The authors present two case studies, the first one focusing on older adults using activity wearables for health self-management in the neighborhood, and the second one focusing on older adults engaged in social prescribing activities in the community. The authors then reflect on the relationships of the domains and future opportunities for age-friendly cities. These case studies apply a co-design and citizen-based approach focusing within these larger frameworks on emotions, values and motivational goals of older adults. Results suggest how the convergence of the often siloed age-friendly city components based on older adults’ goals and input can lead to better social participation and longer-term health outcomes. The authors propose that the digital, physical and social aspects need to be considered in all domains of age-friendly cities to achieve benefits for older adults. Further work involving older adults in the future shaping of age-friendly neighborhoods and cities, and identifying barriers and opportunities is required.

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