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POSITIVE AND ACTIVE AGING: Perspectives from a Multicultural Community

POSITIVE AND ACTIVE AGING: Perspectives from a Multicultural Community. Daphne Nahmiash, Ph.D. and Janet Yip NDG Community Committee on Elder Abuse (NDGCCEA), Montreal, Qc. INTRODUCTION

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POSITIVE AND ACTIVE AGING: Perspectives from a Multicultural Community

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  1. POSITIVE AND ACTIVE AGING: Perspectives from a Multicultural Community Daphne Nahmiash, Ph.D. and Janet Yip NDG Community Committee on Elder Abuse (NDGCCEA), Montreal, Qc • INTRODUCTION • An intergenerational project, inspired by the 2010 Report by the National Seniors Council on Volunteering and Positive and Active Aging • Positive Aging: defined as “a process of optimizing opportunities for health, participation and security to enhance quality of life as people age” • Active aging: defined as “having a positive attitude about oneself, one’s mutually supportive relationships and one’s environment and community” • NDGCCEA involved seniors in preparing and presenting workshops to groups of young and older adults and to ethno-cultural groups of seniors within a multicultural local territory in the west end of Montreal, Quebec • OBJECTIVE • The aim was to help empower seniors with positive outlooks on aging, promote more positive attitudes and perceptions of aging to young and old and to help reduce the incidence of ageism, a contributing factor to elder abuse • STUDY SITES & TARGET POPULATIONS • 11 sites were selected: 5 low-income housing units for seniors, 1 community senior centre, 1 public day center program, 1 low-income family housing unit for younger adults, 1 group of young adults from a Church youth group , 1 ethno- cultural group of caregivers from a long-term care facility, 2 ethno-cultural groups of seniors (some of whom did not speak English or French and needed translators) • BARRIERS TO POSITIVE & ACTIVE AGING • Unhealthy behaviours (smoking, drinking) • Unhealthy family relationships • Language barriers • Lack of senior friendly transportation • Cost of activities • Ageism(portrayal of seniors by media, being omitted from the decision making process) • Individualism in society and lack of respect and appreciation for seniors • Financial burdens • No sense of purpose in life • Inadequate air quality • Inability to adapt to changes • Placements into long-term care • EVALUATION & ANALYSIS • A written and oral evaluation by each participant after the workshop • Feedback by participating senior volunteers regarding their roles in the project • Feedback from participating professionals • Tape recordings of group discussions and analysis of emerging themes • Comparative analyses of 3 areas: perceptions of older adults (60yrs and older); perceptions of younger adults (under 60yrs); and perceptions of ethno-cultural groups • ETHNO-CULTURAL PERCEPTIONS OF POSITIVE & ACTIVE AGING • Being in control of one’s life • Staying involved (volunteer work) • Being social and independent • Accepting changes and losses as one ages • Having a sense of purpose • Become more assertive and stubborn(as an attempt to maintain control) • Exercise and dance • Cognitive stimulation(memory) • Caregivers noted their perceptions have changed since working with older adults • Increased knowledge about aging, dementia etc. • Financially secure • Praying and meditation • Hobbies(cooking, painting, singing and baking) • Regular doctor/dentist checkups • RECOMMENDATIONS • Improve security in buildings • Additional flu vaccination clinics in buildings • More access to information about recreational opportunities and community resources • Improvement of interactions between tenants • More regular activities in buildings • Maintain a sense of purpose in life through life review activities • Address taboos of aging and decline • Improve attitudes to aging(help in accepting losses and changes) • Provide opportunities to make informed choices • Increase activities and exercise programs within long-term care homes and involve more volunteers • More education for new immigrants regarding the health care system • Better employment opportunities for seniors to increase income • Support those community organisations helping new immigrants to integrate • METHOD • qualitative study with a diverse, purposive sample • framed on the concepts of empowerment theory STUDY PARTICIPANTS • 109 seniors • 25 young adults • 6 senior volunteers • 10 professionals Acknowledgments: Marietta Lubelsky, Kaitland Ridenour, Katie Elmhurst, Andrew Drayson and Rhonda Schwartz FUNDED BY: New Horizons for Seniors

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