Development of a Communication Intervention for Older Adults With Limited Health Literacy: Photo Stories to Support Doctor–Patient Communication
Source: Journal of Health Communication
Successful doctor–patient communication relies on appropriate levels of communicative health literacy, the ability to deal with and communicate about health information. This article aims to describe the development of a narrative and picture-based health literacy intervention intended to support older patients with limited health literacy when communicating during their primary care consultations.
The authors conclude that narrative health communication may be an effective strategy for increasing the effectiveness of communicative health literacy interventions and decreasing resistance to messages.
read moreCall for Abstracts – 2017 AAG Conference
AAG is hosting its 50th Conference in Perth, Western Australia from Wednesday 8th to Friday 10th November 2017.
The theme for the 2017 Conference is “Ageing: The Golden Opportunity”.
The Call for Abstracts is open until 21 April – do not miss this powerful opportunity to share and gain recognition of your expertise, research and projects among fellow gerontology peers and colleagues and be part of the premier multidisciplinary conference in Ageing in Australasia.
Click here to submit and to view the call for abstracts help sheet
read moreChanging risk behaviours and promoting cognitive health in older adults
Source: Public Health England
This resource is intended for local authority and clinical commissioning groups to identify what types of interventions they should focus on to help the uptake and maintenance of healthy behaviours and promote cognitive health among older adults living in the community.
It is also intended for providers of lifestyle behaviour change programmes to support the development of evidence-informed prevention packages for older adults.
It is produced in a way that makes it accessible to public health managers and practitioners working in the public, private and third sector.
read moreAttitudes to dementia – Findings from the 2015 British Social Attitudes survey
Source: British Social Attitudes
Just 2% of people in Britain can identify all the health and lifestyle factors that can increase the risk of developing dementia.
28% of the British public is unable to correctly identify any potentially modifiable risk factor for developing dementia, according to the findings from the British Social Attitudes Survey commissioned by Public Health England.
The survey, carried out by the National Centre for Social Research, asked the public if they could identify the following risk factors: heavy drinking, smoking, high blood pressure, depression and diabetes as well as the protective factor of taking regular exercise.
read moreSmallest worthwhile effect of exercise programs to prevent falls among older people: Estimates from benefit–harm trade-off and discrete choice methods
Source: Oxford Journals
In this study, the authors estimate the smallest worthwhile effect (SWE) of exercise programmes designed to prevent falls among older people and compare estimates derived by two methodological approaches.
read moreKeeping older people active discussion paper
Source: beehive.govt.nz
Sport and Recreation Minister Jonathan Coleman welcomes the release of a discussion document that focuses on supporting older people to stay active.
“If we want New Zealanders to remain active in their later years we have to ensure we’re offering them the right opportunities,” says Dr Coleman.
“Being physically active has many benefits for older people including enhanced social integration, reduced health and social care costs, prevention of injury such as falls, and also improved productivity.
read moreDecline in falls and broken hips a success story for New Zealand health care
Source: Health Quality and Safety Commission New Zealand
The Health Quality & Safety Commission is celebrating the success of New Zealand public hospitals in reducing the number of in-hospital falls that result in a broken hip. New Zealand appears to be the first country to achieve this on a national scale.
A paper published in the New Zealand Medical Journal today highlights a sector-wide commitment to preventing harm and in reducing the number of falls resulting in serious harm in New Zealand.
read more$3.25m in new projects for Ageing Well in Maori and Pacific Peoples
Source: Otago University
New funding of $3.25 million for four innovative research projects to be undertaken as part of the Ageing Well National Science Challenge (NSC) was announced last year by Acting Chair of the Challenge, Dr Di McCarthy CRSNZ CNZM.
In recognition of the specific challenges and opportunities faced by Māori and Pacific Peoples to age well, the focus of this Ageing Well NSC 2016 Contestable Funding Round was research that investigated aspects of ageing that are prevalent for these groups of people.
read moreAuckland Council Seniors Advisory Panel – Positions Now Open
Auckland Council is now offering a rare opportunity for passionate and motivated Aucklanders to play a key role in influencing council policies, plans and initiatives.
They are looking for passionate community people with a good understanding of plans, policies and strategies to offer your community’s views to the council on a broad range of issues.
Positions on the Seniors Advisory Panel are now open and you can find out more via the link below:
www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/advisorypanels
read more
Community-based organisations (OPAs)
Source: HelpAge International
Community based organisations of older people are found throughout South East Asia. These are commonly called older people’s associations (OPAs) however may go by other names in different countries, for example intergenerational self-help groups in Vietnam, and older people’s organisations in the Philippines.
Older people’s associations aim to improve the living conditions for older people and for developing their communities. OPAs utilise the unique resources and skills older people have, to provide effective social support, to facilitate activities and deliver services.
They provide a valuable social protection mechanism which complements existing mechanism to improve the lives of older people.
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