Augmenting Wellbeing
Promoting Equitable Healthy Aging in Community Practice View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Kathy Black
Health in older age reflects a lifetime of cumulative advantage and disadvantage, underscoring the imperative to address the current cohort of older adults and ensure equitable healthy aging trajectories for all people across the life course. Equitable healthy aging means that everyone has a fair and just opportunity to optimize health and well-being at all life stages and abilities. Achieving equitable healthy aging requires actions to advance accessible, inclusive, and empirically informed and culturally relevant policies, systems, and environments that enable healthy aging. Aligned efforts by age-friendly communities and local health departments are well-positioned to advance equitable healthy aging as the vast majority of older adults reside in community dwellings and intend to age in place. This paper overviews the intersection and guidance on advancing equitable healthy aging in community practice.
Primary Healthcare Utilization among Older-Aged Adults in Serbia: The Invisible Group with “No Visits” to General Practitioners
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Katarina Vojvodic
Older-aged adults (65 and older) are more likely to suffer from chronic diseases (CDs). It leads to more frequent visits to general practitioners (GPs). Against all expectations, there is a group of older-aged adults with CDs and with lower use of primary healthcare (unmet needs). In this cross-sectional study, we use data from the 2017 Survey on Income and Living Conditions (SILC) in Serbia. The sample consists of 3,424 respondents older than 65 years. Most of the participants 2.903 (84.9%) visited the GP at least once a year and 518 (15.1%) didn’t have any visits. Age groups significantly differed in the frequency of participants reporting ‘’no visit to GP” (65-69y-16.4%; 70-74y-14.5%; 75-79y-11.6%; 80+-17.3%, p<0.001). There were 2,416 (70.6%) participants 65+ years old with CD and among them 248 (10.3%) reported “no visit”. With increased age, the number of participants with CDs increased (63.5% : 71.4% : 72,2% : 78%, p<0.001). There was a significant difference in the number of participants with CDs and the number of visits to the GP among the age groups. The highest number with “no visit” was in the 80+ age group (14.6%), 1- 2 visits among 65-69y (13.2%), 3-5 visits among 80+ (26.6%), 6-9 visits within 75-79 (17.4%), 10 and more visits among 70-74y (43.7%) (p<0.001). There is a high prevalence of CDs among older aged in Serbia but one in ten didn’t have any visits to a GP, especially among those in the oldest age group.
Active Aging Through Theater : Theatre Group Work with Older Adults and Its Benefits for Their Health and Society View Digital Media
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Magdalena Svozilova
The paper introduces the work of a group of older people in a small theatre in Czechia. The author presents the results of action and qualitative research conducted during the preparation of the last production. The theater is an excellent tool for promoting active aging, offering numerous benefits for older adults, including therapeutic effects and social change. The therapeutic effects of theater have been well-documented. By engaging in theatrical activities, older people can strengthen their physical abilities, maintain cognitive function, and develop new social connections. Acting, singing, and dancing are all physically demanding activities that can help older adults maintain their strength, flexibility, and coordination. The cognitive benefits of theater are also significant. The process of learning lines, memorizing choreography, and understanding character motivations can help older adults maintain cognitive function and improve memory. Drama can be a powerful tool for addressing the cognitive decline that can occur with age, promoting brain plasticity, and helping to prevent or delay the onset of dementia. Older adults can develop greater self-awareness and emotional intelligence by exploring different characters and emotions. They can also express themselves creatively, building confidence and self-esteem. The social benefits of theater are perhaps the most significant. By engaging in theatrical activities, older adults can develop new social connections and combat social isolation. Moreover, theater can be an excellent tool for promoting intergenerational understanding and challenging stereotypes about aging. Intergenerational collaborations in theater can help to bridge the gap between generations, creating new opportunities for learning and connection.
