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Martins A.1, Silva C.1, Baltazar D.1, Ganvir S.2, Ganvir S.2, Kumar R.3, Banerjee A.4
1IPC-ESTeSC Coimbra Health School, Physiotherapy, Coimbra, Portugal, 2DVVPF's College of Physiotherapy, Physiotherapy, Ahmednagar, India, 3Dharma Foundation of India, New Delhi, India, 4Dharma Foundation of India, Kolkata, India
Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) defines active ageing as “the process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation, and security in order to enhance quality of life as people age”. If ageing is to be a positive experience, longer life must be accompanied by continuing opportunities for health, participation and security. Development and implementation of a model of active ageing will empower the elderly to control and prevent early onset of chronic diseases; it will also improve their quality of life. It is believed that elderly-collaborative sessions on health and social issues, along with responsibility of self and others, and, through the continuing evaluation of their morbidity profile, may help the elders to be active wherever they are.
Purpose: This study intended to formulate an innovative model for active ageing within educational interventions for community dwelling adults through self-promotion, self-care and mutual help.
Methods: A descriptive qualitative research design was used to investigate the contents, language, terminology, images, schemes, font size and type, and delivery methodology of a health education model for active ageing, within a group of volunteers recruited from local senior groups or organizations in Coimbra (Portugal) and Ahmednagar, Maharashtra (India).
A comprehensive protocol of tests and questionnaires including demographic, health condition, functional profiles, quality of life, social participation, housing, living conditions and risk of fall was also carried out with 96 community dwelling adults to characterize community dwelling adults needs, interests and expectancies from the neighbourhood.
Educational materials (contents and layouts) and delivery procedures of seven collaborative sessions about specific topics - concept of healthy ageing, non-communicable disease, accidents at home (burns, falls) medication adherence/error, stress due to sleeping problems, social isolation, abuse, nutrition, physical activity, home adaptations and fall prevention - were developed under a review of literature, and respecting the cultural diversity. Each session was divided in a theoretic part and a practical and role play component administered by a physiotherapist. A nutritionist or health educator participated in some sessions.
All educational materials were in Portuguese, English, Hindi and Marathi.
Results: The final health education programme is presented in seven sessions of 10-15 minutes theoretic component and a 30-40 minutes practical and role play component. Based in slideshow presentations, all contents and layout were validated by participants, after minor changes. The programme enhanced self-promotion, self-care and facilitated awareness for mutual help when participants identified peers to work with.
Conclusion(s): This culturally adapted educational programme for improving health and participation of community dwelling elderly is feasible and well accepted by community dwelling adults to enhance self-promotion, self-care and mutual help, facilitating their involvement in sustainable activities under the spectrum of active ageing policies in Portugal and India.
Implications: To promote a systematic and multicultural approach for active ageing, the educational programme started to be translated and culturally adapted to be implemented in other cities of India and in Spain and Brazil.
Funding acknowledgements: This work was unfunded.
Topic: Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing
Ethics approval: All research procedures were conducted under the Declaration of Helsinki.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
