Abstract
Our Voice is a practical model for improving the care and support of older person citizen scientists. Our Voice is a citizen, science-driven community model for health promotion which addresses health equity. Our Voice conceptualises citizen science whereby people document their physical and social environments, code and synthesize their data, and use the findings to advocate for change. Using a simple mobile application called the Stanford Healthy Neighbourhood Discovery Tool (The Discovery Tool) seniors are able to document local environmental features. We report on a small study that implemented and evaluated the application at and in the vicinity of Burnie Brae – a seniors’ centre offering a wide range of social, educational, and recreational activities to people aged fifty years and older (Chermside, Australia). A group of community dwelling older adults undertook a neighbourhood walk in and around the vicinity of their centre using the handheld, tablet-based application designed to record GPS-tracked walking routes, georeferenced photographs, and record audio narratives. As citizen scientists the older adults collectively identified and prioritised challenges and brainstormed solutions which they then presented to the Chief Executive Officer and members of the Board of Burnie Brae. We propose that older adults acting as citizen scientists are able to make meaningful changes to the environment in which they rest and play. We recommend this citizen science approach for engaging and empowering older adults to be agents of healthful change in their own communities.
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Public Policy and Public Perspectives on Aging
KEYWORDS
Health Community Support
