Health Promotion for Older Adults: A Life Course Approach

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health and wellbeing. It is a key strategy for preventing and managing chronic diseases, such as dementia, heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, and cancer, which are more common among older adults. Health promotion can also enhance the quality of life, independence, and social participation of older adults.

A life course approach to health promotion recognises that health is influenced by multiple factors across the lifespan, from before birth to old age. These factors include biological, behavioural, social, environmental, and economic determinants of health. Adopting the life course approach means identifying opportunities for minimising risk factors and enhancing protective factors through evidence-based interventions at important life stages, from conception to childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older age.

Some examples of health promotion interventions for older adults are:

– Helping those with dementia remain active, independent, and involved in their community as long as possible. This can include providing cognitive stimulation, physical activity, social support, and respite care for caregivers.
– Providing resources to help caregivers stay healthy and deliver quality care to their care recipients. This can include providing information, education, training, counselling, peer support, and respite services.
– Increasing the use of clinical preventive services such as blood pressure checks, cancer screenings, blood sugar testing, and vaccinations. These can help detect and treat chronic diseases early and prevent complications and disability.
– Increasing the number of people who speak to a health care provider about their worsening memory. This can help diagnose dementia early and provide access to appropriate treatment and support.
– Providing the National Diabetes Prevention Program (National DPP) lifestyle change program to Medicare beneficiaries to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. This program helps participants lose weight, eat healthier, and be more physically active.
– Promoting physical activity programs to reduce the risk of dementia and arthritis pain. Physical activity can improve cognitive function, mood, mobility, balance, strength, and endurance.

Health promotion for older adults requires a collaborative and coordinated approach among various sectors and stakeholders, such as health care providers, public health agencies, community organisations, policy makers, researchers, and older adults themselves. By applying the life course approach to health promotion, we can help older adults achieve healthy ageing and wellbeing.

References:

– CDC (2021). Promoting Health for Older Adults. https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/promoting-health-for-older-adults.htm
– Daly L., Byrne G., Keogh B. (2019). Contemporary considerations relating to health promotion and older people. British Page Essay – Journal of Nursing 28(21): 1384-1388. https://www.britishjournalofnursing.com/content/professional/contemporary-considerations-relating-to-health-promotion-and-older-people/
– WHO (2015). World Report on Ageing and Health. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240694811
– WHO (2017). Global Strategy and Action Plan on Ageing and Health. https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789241513500