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Explore an effective public health approach to promoting health and wellbeing for older people, with lessons for local government. Understand the importance of clear questions, evidence-based strategies, and desired outcomes. Challenge traditional thinking on population promotion.
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An effective public health approach to promoting health and wellbeing for older people – lessons for local government Adrian Phillips Birmingham
General approach.. • Define the question • Assess the need • Use the evidence until it hurts • Do what works • Don’t do what doesn’t work • Invest in answering uncertain questions • Evidence strongest for individual treatments (and there is loads), less so for population change
The healthy ageing conundrum • What is the question? • Is it an age? (in which case look at houses of parliament..) • Is it a physical state? (how worn out do we need to be?) • Is it a mental state? (dementia or just a bit forgetful?) • Is it just before death? ( a pretty conclusive outcome but often uncertain in arrival) • Is it homogenous? (first generation Asians, the Welsh!) • Is it just avoiding expensive care (health and social)? • Is it more about us? • 1st thought – be clear on the question
What are the outcomes we want? • Salvage – recovering after hip fracture, cataract etc. • Prevention – avoiding the second fall, stopping flu, controlling diabetes, early diagnosis of bowel cancer etc. • Promotion – related to populations, how our society works and interacts with individuals? • 2nd thought – be clear on desired outcomes • Does it vary by phase?
Some thoughts on outcomes • Stabilising communities • Noticing what goes on (I'm not nosy, just interested..) • Maximising life-long skills and still picking new ones up (silver-surfers) • Proud to help others especially in an unpaid capacity • Being a good role model for younger people especially behaviour to others and personal physical activity
Steps to wellbeing • Connect • Take notice • Keep learning • Give • Be active • 3rd issue – do we need to challenge our thought paradigm on population promotion (very different to traditional NHS outcomes of deaths, admissions)
Do we understand how population’s take steps? • Positive steps • Incentives, rewards, feel good • Barriers to steps • Finance, safety, ill-health , ignorance, transport, lack of connectivity • What is the “offer”? • Do we understand the expectations and fears of this group?
Older People Emerge As A Mentoring Force Online PRLog - Jan. 19, 2010 - The potential for online mentoring to unlock and use the wisdom of older, experienced and retired professionals is demonstrated today by the winners of the Yell and horsesmouth Mentoring Works Awards. The three awards for business mentoring, which were drawn from user nominations on the online mentoring website horsesmouth.co.uk have all been won by individuals over the age of 50.
3 issues • Clarity on the question • Definition of the desired outcomes • Challenge traditional thinking on population promotion
Ageing • Life course defined in utero (may even start with your grandmother) • Is an evidence base for individual interventions, some of which are scale-able, few increase individual control • Flu • Cognitive behavioural therapy • Smoking cessation • Physical activity • Excess weight loss…